MINI ONE
Forty Years After The Original, Has The
MINI One Succumbed To Middle Age Spread Or Is It Merely More Of A Good Thing? Andy Enright Reports
Despite any enduring hang-ups we may have about that icon of sixties Britain, the Mini - now being produced by
BMW - its probably best to console ourselves with the fact that its built here in Oxford. Inward investment is keeping the British car industry alive, and BMW should be praised for at least keeping faith with domestic potential. The MINI One is the volume seller of the range, so what do we get from this Great Bavarian?
The first thing to consider is the engine. Usually powered by a 90bhp 1.6-litre 16-valve engine, whilst the MINI One is retro in design, its defiantly brought bang up to date in the powertrain department. With a rest to 60mph time of 10.
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MINI One punches big holes in the performance envelope of classic Cooper models and proves that theres no substitute for cubic capacity. This is borne out by a torque figure of 101lb/ft which is generated quite low down, giving the 1.6-litre engine a gutsy feel. This will probably be of secondary concern to the MINI Ones design.
The first thing that strikes you is its size. Its definitely more Midi than anything else, with some proportions that look as if the designers have decided to supersize their sketches. The waistline of the car is high and the roofline is low, creating a hot-rod style cut and shut effect in profile. Whilst elements of the original are preserved, the effect is one of subtle influencing rather than a more slavish modern resurrection of Alex Issigonis brainchild.
Sitting below the 115bhp Cooper model in the MINI line up, the One comes in standard or Convertible form and competes with rivals like the
Smart fortwo Cabriolet,
Ford Streetka and
Volkswagen Beetle for the crown of trendiest budget urban runabout. Prices start at £10,995.
"Did anybody really expect new MINI to be the technological and conceptual breakthrough that its predecessor was?"
The other alternative is the MINI One D. Although it shares much in common, the One Ds 1.4-litre unit isnt exactly the same as
Toyota fit to their Yaris D-4D. A development period of over two years has seen this engine refettled into a 75bhp lightweight unit that better suits the driving characteristics of MINI owners with more torque to haul the heavier MINI body around.
It still produces 75bhp but torque has risen to 180Nm, the peak torque figure being developed t just 2,000rpm. Fuel consumption is pegged at an average of 58.9 mpg which when coupled with the MINIs decently sized fuel tank means an effective range of 625 miles. Despite its unashamedly retro appeal, the MINI One has some reassuringly modern foundations.
Clamber underneath and youll spot BMWs Z-axle multi-link rear suspension. Theres a wrap-around glasshouse with glazed in side pillars featuring fully flush panes. This creates a floating-roof effect and a lot of chrome around the front end. Should you take exception to the front end, youll be reassured to learn that the MINIs crash performance looks set to be the best in class, taking energy-absorption technologies from the
BMW range and coupling them with a safety cell two to three times as stiff as any of its rivals.
Externally, the MINI has been the subject of a minor facelift. Clear lens headlamps now appear at the front and the rear light clusters have been restyled to incorporate the reversing lights. The One now has a lower front bumper and the rubbing strip that runs across the rear is split in the middle to accommodate the rear fog lamp. Like the original, the interior of the MINI One is still somewhat cramped, and retro themes abound, from the chrome radiator grille to the cavernous door bins.
The centrally mounted speedometer, chromed headlamp rims and door handles all act as visual throwbacks to the Fifties. Other changes have a distinctly modern touch. The laughable boot of the original Mini has been replaced by a more practical hatchback arrangement. Driver and passenger airbags are standard as are side bags.
Anti-lock disc brakes are featured, plus that upright rear screen is treated to a wiper to help visibility. Its hard to imagine Sir Alec Issigonis baby featuring remote central locking, six speaker stereos, electric windows and electric door mirrors on his base model, but thats forty years and German attention to detail for you. A special Salt options pack for the MINI One offers parcel nets, interior lights, front fog lamps, silver trim and a steering column mounted rev counter. Some rather cheap silver-painted plastics are used in the interior, as the original aluminium fittings were ditched on the grounds of cost.
Other proposed touches such as the sixties-style starter button and stalk-mounted hazard lights also got the chop due to pricing concerns, showing how tight profit margins are even in this potentially lucrative market sector. In certain respects, the MINI One shoots wide of the mark regarding voguish Citycars. At a time when tall and narrow represents the state of the art, the MINI is more state of the ark unashamedly squat, with bulging rear wheelarch extensions and a raking, low roofline. It probably wont have escaped your attention that parent company BMW dont have a great deal of experience in producing front-wheel drive cars.
In fact, their advertising seems to pour scorn on the benefits of directing power forwards. BMW have an unerring ability to get things right first time, but this isnt down to luck. MINI One has been tested literally to destruction, including hundreds of laps of testing at the punishing Nurburgring: BMW arent renowned for creating dynamic duffers. Theres no doubt that the MINI drives very differently to the old car though. That psychotic rollerskate appeal has been buried under the sheer weight of airbags, stereos, quality and so on. To escape from the vast welter of historical baggage the MINI One needed to convince a cynical British public of its undoubted merits.
BMWs confidence in the car has proved well founded. Wall to wall MINIs outside the trendiest bars in town attest to it
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: MINI One
PRICE: £10,995-£13,595 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-6
CO2 EMISSIONS: 129-173g/km
PERFORMANCE: (1.6) Max Speed 115mph / 0-60mph 10.9s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (1.6) 43.5mpg (combined)
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 3626/1925/1396mm
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