Coupé/Roadster MINI Coupé First Drives Thread (Autocar, EVO etc...)

[martinbo]

MINI Coupé First Drives:

The lower and sleeker Mini Coupé JCW has the appearance of the marque's first true sports car

Mini Coupe John Cooper Works First Drive

Test date Wednesday, August 31, 2011 Price as tested TBA

What is it?

The Mini Coupé may not be the first two-seat production Mini in the 53-year history of the brand but as the other was the highly specialised and frankly nuts Works GP car of 2006, we can let the conceit stand.

Lower by 23mm, structurally more rigid, stiffer of suspension (in non-JCW cars) and sleeker of profile, it has the appearance of Mini’s first true sports car.

Yet for all the changes, much has stayed the same. There is, for instance, no more power under your right foot, regardless of which of the two diesel and three petrol models you buy. Bits of brightwork apart, the interior will be instantly familiar to anyone who has sat in a Mini hatch before.

But even before firing up a JCW and heading for the horizon, there is much still to keep you in the car park, not least its looks. At first glance it looks like it’s been sat on. But after a while you may come to conclude it that it is nothing if not distinctive and that its strange proportions seem to work after all.

Is it any good?

The first thing you should know is that regardless of what the numbers say, the Mini Coupé is no faster than its hatchback relative. Yes the JCW’s 0-62mph time has come down a tenth but only through the traction advantage of a weight distribution further unbalanced by the new body shape. Nor should you read much into the 2mph improvement in top speed – that’s purely the Coupé’s more slippery shape talking. The car itself is not only no more powerful, it is a shade heavier too, to the tune of 25kg.

But on the right road the JCW Coupé is consistently entertaining. Something, perhaps the unavoidably altered interior acoustics, makes it sound more rorty than its hatch backed sibling and while you don’t actually sit any closer to the ground, the extra rake on the screen makes you feel like you’re in a more sporting car. The JCW engine is pretty special too: unless you’re really dawdling, there’s never a point in the rev range where it’s not keen and eager.

The problem is that even here on the surgically surfaced roads of southern Germany, finding that right road is a far tougher task than it should be. Just like the JCW hatchback, it feels over sprung and comparatively under-damped.

There’s barely any body roll and the amount of mechanical grip it can summon from a set of 205-section tyres is laudable, but the car is altogether too susceptible to any passing bump in the road, either to provide the mid-corner body control you might expect or the ride comfort even quite sporting cars require. If that’s what the car is like here, what are Britain’s broken B-roads going to do to its composure?

By contrast the Cooper SD with BMW’s 143bhp, 2-litre diesel motor and the standard suspension set up is a revelation. It lets you enjoy what we like most about Minis – their poise and the way they give such safe and easy access to their unquestioned agility. And while it did not ride beautifully, that is not a requirement of such a car. It is only essential that it offers enough comfort not to tire, unsettle or thoroughly cheese off its driver. This the Cooper SD will do on any even vaguely reasonable road.

Should I buy one?

The truth is the Mini Coupé JCW fails to deliver on the promise of those low-slung looks. It gives reason to hope it might offer a true Mini sports car experience, but while good in parts, it’s absolutely no better to drive than the hatch. Instead its cut ‘n’ paste powertrain and running gear shows only too clearly Mini’s eagerness to promote style over substance.

Of course it would be absurd to portray the Coupé as a bad car –but it is a car to buy more for show than not go. At least the extra hit – around £1500-1750 depending on model – is modest. Even so, we were hoping for more.
Andrew Frankel

Mini Coupé John Cooper Works:
Price: £23,795; Top speed: 149mph; 0-62mph: 6.4sec; Economy: 39.8mpg; Co2: 165g/km; Kerb weight: Engine type: 1598cc, 4cyl, petrol, turbo; Power: 211bhp at 6000rpm; Torque: 192lb ft at 1850-5600rpm; Gearbox: 6-spd manual

Source: Mini Coupe JCW - Road Test First Drive - Autocar.co.uk

 

[martinbo]

EVO:

Driven: Mini John Cooper Works Coupe
Rating: ****

We try the production version of Mini's sportiest Coupe, the 208bhp John Cooper Works

What is it?

The new two-door, strictly two-seater Mini Coupe in performance flagship trim. The Mini John Cooper Works Coupe starts at £23,795.

Technical highlights?

While it might look like a JCW hatchback with a roof chop, there are changes under the skin. The strengthened chassis from the Mini Convertible is used, and while it adds a little weight (the Coupe is 25kg heavier), the engineers are happy that it’s at the lowest point of the car. Springs and dampers are stiffer, too.

The rear spoiler deploys at around 55mph and detracts at 25mph, but when raised at high speed can provide up to 40kg of extra downforce. The windscreen is raked at a 13 per cent lower angle than on the hatchback, which not only boosts the interior and makes it feel more special than other Minis, but dramatically reduces wind noise – enough to require some extra sound deadening in the rear quarters to hide the roar of run-flat tyres.

What’s it like to drive?

Like a better, slightly more exciting JCW hatch. The first thing you notice is a lack of torque steer; development feedback from the occasionally wayward three-door has seen this minimised, though the front wheels will still be troubled in the wet should you want to deploy all 208bhp.

The steering is cleaner and more direct (and it wasn’t bad before); only a big mid-corner bump will force you to adjust the amount of lock you’ve put on. There's virtually no body roll, though that sportier suspension might keep you busy on less cared for roads, as the ride can be far from relaxed, especially when you've got the Sport button pressed. Compared to the hatch, though, it flows a tad better and is easier to drive harder, working all four tyres and bringing the rear into play through bends.

The 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine is strong in all six gears, and it sounds good when you use all of its rev-range. Half a dozen laps of a quick test track showed the brakes to be strong and confidence inspiring during late, hard use. And on that smoother, more consistent surface, the JCW Coupe’s pace was very impressive.

How does it compare?

An equivalent Audi TT or Peugeot RCZ will be more practical (bigger boot, two small rear seats) but more expensive, and for driving thrills a JCW Coupe has them both licked. Sales in the coupe class are often based on looks, though, and the Mini’s styling is likely to be quite love/hate.

Anything else I need to know?

You can make the JCW stiffer still (and 10mm lower) with an optional suspension pack (around £1500), while you can forgo the stripes if you wish. A Roadster (the Coupe without its roof) joins the range in 2012. A Mini insider told evo that a more powerful Coupe to utilise the stiffer chassis is unlikely, though Mini’s 250bhp Nurburgring 24-hour racer proved a success…

Source: Mini John Cooper Works Coupe review and pictures | evo

 

[Tarek]

Gay car of the year 2012..no offence intended of course.

 

[martinbo]

W T F? Hey Tarek! Heads up man - Artist got hold of your user ID and password!

 

[Tarek]

^Lol..well i think we all would agree on giving that crown to the new MINI.

 

[SCOTT27]

MINI Coupe JCW so good it is "Sick!" Man...
TURBO-Test: Bis zum Erbrechen! - YouTube

 

[Giannis]

MINI Coupe JCW so good it is "Sick!" Man...
TURBO-Test: Bis zum Erbrechen! - YouTube

It certainly needs a harder suspension!

 

[Human]

MINI Coupe JCW so good it is "Sick!" Man...
TURBO-Test: Bis zum Erbrechen! - YouTube

LOL, with the new MINI Coupe lot's of fun and comes standard

 

[Human]

MINI Cooper SD Coupe

Cooper SD model blends potent performance, thrilling handling and 65mpg potential to dazzling effect

With its headline-grabbing performance, the John Cooper Works is the flagship version of the new MINI Coupe. But if you want a coupe that offers class-leading emissions, frugal fuel consumption and is still plenty quick enough, then the Cooper SD could be for you.

The new two-seater is powered by a BMW-sourced 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel. With an all-aluminium crankcase, variable intake geometry and direct injection, it’s a free revving and sporty engine with plenty of punch from low revs.

Peak torque arrives between 1,750 and 2,700rpm, so extracting the performance is effortless. The SD accelerates from 0-62mph in just under eight seconds, but it’s the scorching in-gear response that really sets this car apart.

Some purists may miss the characteristic exhaust burble of petrol versions, but the diesel is refined on light throttle loads, and has a pleasantly throaty soundtrack, especially when you hit the Sport button. Doing so also increases the weight of the steering and sharpens the throttle response, too.

The SD’s trump card, though, is its 305Nm torque output, giving it bragging rights over the range-topping JCW, which is 25Nm down on the diesel.

All that engine flexibility has allowed engineers to use a taller top gear, and this helps to make the Cooper SD an excellent long-distance machine. Whatever you do, though, don’t choose bigger alloys or the optional sports suspension – it makes the ride back-breaking over poor surfaces. Even with the standard 16-inch rims and conventional spring rates, the MINI is still fairly firm.

The trade-off for this focused set-up is superb handling. With a lower centre of gravity than the hatch and a slight shift of weight distribution towards the front axle, the Coupé takes the MINI’s dynamic ability a step
further. The steering is weighty and full of feedback, and the Cooper SD turns in sharply.

Body control is excellent, but compared to petrol versions, you can feel the extra weight of the diesel unit in the nose.

Still, this doesn’t detract from the fun factor. All the controls are beautifully weighted and few front-wheel-drive diesel performance cars can match the Cooper SD’s agility, pin-sharp reactions and traction. Plus strong brakes and a slick-shifting six-speed gearbox finish off the polished dynamic package. Inside, the dash is identical to the hatch’s and the combination of retro-inspired design and top-notch quality is hard to fault.

Crucially, despite a lower roofline and tilted back A-pillars, there’s still plenty of headroom and the low-slung driving position is near perfect. Better still, by doing away with the rear seats, MINI has given the Coupé a useful 280-litre boot, which can be accessed from the cabin though the load hatch.

Standard stop-start and brake regeneration help give 65.7mpg fuel economy – astonishing for a car this potent. And CO2 emissions of 112g/km result in an annual road tax bill of only £20. Add in fixed- priced servicing and excellent residuals, and the Cooper SD’s blend of performance, value and handling is hard to beat.

AE Rating: * * * * *


Read more: + Photos

MINI Cooper SD Coupe | First Drives | Auto Express