the new 2014 MINI Cooper may look like its predecessor, but it has actually grown in physical size, along side with some cosmetic changes. for starter, it is a little stretched with a longer wheelbase, and it is now wider and taller – all these means the new MINI is not so mini on the inside, which is a merry news for bulkier occupants and their luggages, and an increase in ride comfort and cornering stability. as always, it is offered in two guises: the Cooper and Cooper S. the former gets a newly developed 1.5-liter three-cylinder petrol unit making 136 horses (134 hp in the US) and 162 lb-ft (220 Nm) of torque, while the latter, is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit pumping 192 horses (189 horses in the US) with a max torque of 207 lb-ft (280 Nm). for the latter model, you will be able to experience a breathtaking 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) of torque, albeit briefly, with the overboost function. whichever you choose model, you will certain that you are getting a jolt from MINI’s TwinPower turbo technology.
the S model makes the century sprint in 6.8 seconds (6.7 seconds in automatic models) with top speed peg at 146 mph or 235 km/h (145 mph/233 km/h for the US model), while the regular Cooper makes it in 7.9 seconds (7.8 seconds on the autos), with maximum speed of 130 mph (210 km/h). as you might have imagined, the announcement of the third-gen MINI is kind of a biggie for MINI and with that comes a mind-boggling lengthy PR text, detailing every aspect of this grown MINI, which is now referred to as the “original” hardtop as a differential between the other variants. with the new MINI, you’d be expecting a more go-kart feel and they will be available with adjustable dampers for the first time, along with a suite of innovative driver assistance systems such as Head-Up Display, rear view camera and parking assistant. at this point, no word on the pricing for US and other markets, but as far as EU markets are concerned, the MINI Cooper and Cooper S has a sticker starting at 17,900 euros and 23,800 euros, respectively. a lot more look at the Cooper and Cooper S in the image gallery below.
