Test Drive: 2011 MINI Cooper
advertisement
VOICE OVER: Miranda Lightstone
Since its re-release in 2001, the MINI Cooper has been putting smiles on driver's faces across the nation, and the 2011 model doesn't disappoint in the happiness department. The car's appearance has changed very little in the last decade, and also very little since it was originally popular in the 1960s. But hey, if it ain't broke… The car is intuitive, gorgeous and fun to drive. Plus, there's nothing small about this MINI's personality and presence on the road. After a week behind the wheel, http://www.WatchMojo.com is ready to get in line for one of these. We test drive the 2011 MINI Cooper.
Design
When a company can stick to its design year after year, model after model, it’s a sure sign that it has something fantastic. Granted, the MINI Cooper looks the way it does because of the original Aston Mini from the UK, but kudos to BMW for staying true to the history of the vehicle despite modern demands in the auto market.
The look of the Cooper is a mix of cute and aggressive, and its blended perfectly. The 2011 MINI Cooper S retains that Cooper grin on the facade and the body has seen very few changes save for black-out headlights and a minutely larger body. The real beauty of the MINI is its ability to retain its appeal without ever changing its appearance. Whereas most cars need to change their outfits every year to be the belle of the ball, the MINI does it with the same old tried and true little black dress and stilettos year after year after year.
Even on the inside the MINI has changed very little this year. A few of the knobs have been made a bit more user-friendly, but other than that it still retains its funky, retro feel inside. And the added iDrive-esque onboard computer also adds a modern touch to the MINI Cooper S.
Drive
It's rare that I connect to a car as much as I connect to the MINI. There’s something about the Cooper that just works with me. I think everyone has their vehicular soul mate and the MINI is most certainly mine. Driving the MINI Cooper S is like second-nature for me and I think anyone who owns and drives a Cooper S will agree with me.
For 2011 the Cooper S has gone up a bit in horsepower, 8 to be exact, thanks to the variable valve timing system upgrade. Turboed and raring to go, the 1.6-liter engine feels ginormous in the tiny MINI Cooper S body. Coupled with a 6-speed manual transmission and the Cooper S is a veritable go kart on the road.
And its go-kart feel isn’t just a metaphor us journalists like to use, it has merit thanks to the Cooper’s design. The four wheels are pushed as far out to the corners as they can be without sitting outside the car’s frame. That wide, four-cornered stance gives the Cooper amazing grip and handling on the road and only solidifies this hot little hatch as one of the funnest cars to drive on the road today -- hands down.
