Test MINI Cooper S 3 doors 192 HP Steptronic 7v
Talk about MINI is talking about a historical company, of those who mark and those who fall in love. And it is that practically any citizen recognizes a MINI with seeing their front lenses, their tail lights, the thin and double central exhaust outlet in the Cooper S or the immense clock that presides over the center of the dashboard.
It's been a long time since we put ourselves at the controls of one of the sports versions of the British firm, so, taking advantage of the restyling presented in the generation with internal denomination F56 Arrived at the beginning of the year, we have placed ourselves at the controls of the MINI Cooper S in three-door body , which for us is the most original of the entire range.
Brushs on the outside to gain originality
We start, as always, talking about the exterior design. Little has to do in size with the original model, having also grown many centimeters at all levels with respect to the first MINI of the new era, the R53. Now it's not such a small car, it's not so mini anymore , if you'll allow me the easiest-and worst-joke in the story.
The exterior dimensions of the MINI Cooper S are 3,850 mm long, 1,727 wide and 1,414 mm wide. high, with a battle of 2,495 mm.
As the surface of the body has grown, so have many elements such as its headlights or air intakes on the front, even more so in this sporty version that is halfway between the Cooper finish and the near-end MINI John Cooper Works, also known as JCW.
In this proven unit the rounded headlights stand out with full illumination of LED , the lights of antiniebla -also of LED-, as well as the large grids that, in some cases, do not always have a real function beyond the aesthetics. If you notice, the alleged intake of air that appears on the hood is more false than a three-euro coin, although from a distance it is not appreciated that it is sealed.
The color of the Cooper S that has given us the brand makes it go unnoticed. Moreover, although it is not flashy, it is one of those colors that you like or do not like, it does not have a middle ground. Personally, I can not convince myself, mainly because depending on the exterior light it camouflages the - bright black tone that should make contrast - of the front bezel where the license plate, the roof and the pillars But hey, I guess it will be a matter of taste, as many people have told me they did.
Moving to the side, the silhouette is clearly recognizable as that of a MINI . He distinguishes the two volumes remarkably, with the traditional and abrupt changes of height that have always characterized him. Despite this, its aerodynamics is not all bad, with a Cx of 0.31 according to the technical data.
Following the side, on the sides highlight the black 17-inch wheels > "Cosmos Spoke Black", which ride runflat tires. Nor do I end up convincing the wheel arches in that matt black tone that clearly conveys a plastic finish.Surely you have seen in many MINI the British flag on the roof. Now you can also see this Union-Jack flag on the light pilots of the MINI 3-door, 5-door and Cabrio. Finally, I can not finish this section without mentioning the double chrome exhaust outlet in central position so typical of the model, framed in a black "diffuser".
Quality and attractiveness details inside
We go to your passenger compartment and see that the design continues to maintain the main features of the model, although with some changes. As you know, in the first generations of the modern model, the speedometer was located in the center of the dashboard with a huge clock. This has changed and, instead, but keeping the circular design, there is the screen for the infotainment system . Despite being in a somewhat low position for my taste, it has good visibility and performance.
Behind the wheel we found a main instrument panel which could be a bit more accomplished and have better visibility. I think they could have opted for a bigger picture with a traditional rev counter, needle, and always display the speed of the vehicle on a digital screen. The travel information is sufficient, but the screen where they are displayed is too small and does not allow several to be combined at the same time.
The central armrest , and I explain the reasons. On the one hand, because it is small and hard, and with a tiny interior space practically unusable. On the other, because right below we have the parking brake, which is traditional, lever. This almost forces us to lift the armrest whenever we want to put or remove the handbrake, so you can already imagine that it is not very practical precisely.
The perceived quality is very good in virtually all materials and parts that make up the interior , even more so considering that we are facing a very small vehicle. Personally, I like the controls of the central area of the dashboard, as well as those that go on the roof to activate the interior lights panels or vary the hue of the light ambience, for its aviation-like design.
After the horizontal spokes of the steering wheel find cams to handle the automatic gear shift , which rotate in solidarity with the address. Its size is quite good, being rather large, something I like, but the plastic material used in them could be something more achieved. For its part, the main lever of the automatic change seems very successful for quality to the touch and design. The steering wheel has a good thickness and its diameter is not big, something that suits us in this kind of small and funny cars.
The steering wheel is adjustable in height and depth, being able to adopt a good driving position. The front seats also have multiple adjustments, including height and extension of the bench in both cases, so we will be comfortable.
As you know, the MINI Cooper three-door is approved for four passengers , so let's move on to the rear seats. Entering the rear seats, as in all three-door cars, is not very comfortable or advisable for elderly or large-scale.
Once here, with the driver's seat adjusted to my height ( I measure 1.76 meters), I have to force the position of the legs a bit so that my knees do not hit the back of the front seat, although the gesture does not have to be as exaggerated as, for example, in a Ford Mustang or in Toyota GT86. The space for the feet and the head is not wide either, although acceptable for more or less short journeys . If the trip is going to be long, better ask for the passenger seat.
Having said that, I do not believe that four occupants are too far away due to their load capacity. The trunk of the MINI 3 doors has a capacity of 211 liters . For a couple of suitcases of normal size is fine, but does not accept much more. In case you wonder, under the floor of the trunk, which can go to two heights to get a flat floor if we lower the seats, we have no spare wheel, because, as we said above, used runflat tires.
MINI mechanical range 3 doors, 5 doors and Cabrio
We already put aside everything related to design and habitability and we started with your technical section .In addition, you can buy with automatic gearboxes , an interesting transmission system for this model for its urban approach and because, as I will tell you next, offers a very good performance. I must add that all the automatic versions have operation by inertia , commonly known as "sailing".
Motor and performance of the MINI Cooper S
We are already focusing on the engine of the MINI Cooper S, which is identical for the 3 doors, 5 doors and Cabrio. It is a tetracylinder block of gasoline with 1.998 cc., Double camshaft to push the 16 valves and turbo supercharging. The declared power is 192 hp between 5,000 and 6,000 laps, and its maximum torque is 300 Nm between 1,250 and 4,600 laps. A engine very full in the whole range of revolutions .
According to the data offered by the manufacturer, the MINI Cooper S 3-door is capable of reaching a maximum speed of 235 km/h and perform the 0 to 100 in only 6.7 seconds. In the old NEDC cycle, the approved mixed consumption is 6 liters per 100 kilometers traveled, although we already know the reliability of these NEDC values.
At the wheel: Fun first and foremost , but also ease of use
Although MINI is a brand that stands out mainly for its retro aesthetics, we are testing a version with surname Cooper S, so the dynamic behavior is also in the foreground. Do not talk anymore and let's see how this Brit behaves in all possible circumstances. Stand on the brake, press the red start button and a nice bellow emanates from the double central exhaust outlet .
The MINI Cooper S is a very versatile car . Although we could think that it will only be enjoyed in the city because of its external dimensions, the truth is that it has demonstrated an exquisite behavior also on the highway and, of course, on twisty roads where we look for maximum fun. But let's start by talking about their behavior in the city.
In the streets of the city and among the dense traffic moves like a fish in the water. It is a very agile model, with a fast and precise address that allows you to "sneak" into any gap. In addition, its new automatic change does not seem like a double clutch when it comes to loitering, because when leaving from a standstill and slow maneuvers it is very fast, but also quite smooth and precise . Guess who can get out like an arrow from traffic lights?
As I said, the gearbox of double clutch and seven speeds is very smooth when starting from standstill and when performing very slow maneuvers such as parking, situations where this type of transmissions tend to penalize. Of the latest models with two pedals, the transmission of the MINI Cooper S has been the one that has convinced me the most, above the famous DSG of the Volkswagen group.
Furthermore, it is quite intelligent to the time to raise or lower marches , not always looking for the seventh relationship to lower consumption. It also has a operating mode "sailing" , which uncouples the gearbox from the engine and causes the revolutions to drop to idle, circulating by inertia when we lift the foot of the gas.It could be a little faster when it comes to reducing, but it's not slow at all.
Of course, due to its external dimensions, parking is really simple , not needing many more centimeters than the 3.85 meters of length of its body. In addition, in this unit we have the help of the rear parking sensors, as well as the reversing camera , which shows a very high quality image to guide us.
If we go to fast lanes like motorways and highways, surprising the aplomado that is shown . We could think that a car of this size would be clumsy and that the speed and the wind would affect him a lot, but nothing could be further from reality. Transmits a lot of confidence at 120 km/h (and beyond). Of course, when we go fast and pay attention, or if we travel with the audio equipment turned off, the aerodynamic noise is noticeable inside.
Where else you will enjoy the three-door MINI Cooper S is in the mountain roads , ideal time to put the gearbox in manual position and select the Sport driving mode. The direction reduces its electrical assistance to transmit more sensations to our hands and gain precision when looking for the trace; at the same time that the engine responds more quickly and effusively to our demands with the right pedal.
We began to draw curves and gradually increase the pace. The big cams behind the wheel, which in this case rotate in solidarity with the direction, make it easier for us to avoid letting go of the steering wheel. It is not necessary to always carry the engine revolutionized, because the maximum torque is available from below and, although we enter with a gear of more, we will not lose time.
With this car we have two options when we want to enjoy in rat areas: driving at a devilish pace with hardly any slippage , of tire lines, or we can place the car by playing a little bit with the inertia . And, although the front end bite perfectly and the multibrazo rear axle is seated, if we hollow the throttle in full support, the rear will round us the path and the nose will enter fully inside. Wow, we can guide him easily with the direction and with the pedals. Believe me, it's a piece of cake.
Consumption of the MINI Cooper S
Surprisingly, the MINI Cooper, in this version S with 3-door body and automatic transmission, we did not find anything gastón. We will not reach 6 liters of mixed consumption, but we can ride without problems the 7.3 l/100 km if we practice normal driving. On the highway, with the regulator at 120 km/h, we will be between 6.3 and 6.6 liters at 100.
It is true that strolling a little shoots , reaching 8 liters, but it all depends on how well you want to spend it with him. If you practice a "fun" driving and you like to drive in an agile way, consumption rises quickly.In addition, the MINI Cooper S is quite practical at the time of wandering, being able to plan with it perfectly a trip - as long as we go two people at most -.
Although the suspension has a tarado durito to benefit its sporting behavior, being somewhat dry when overcoming some irregularities, I did not find it uncomfortable to use as a daily car. It is bearable, although if we drive usually through areas of very broken asphalt, it is likely to tire us.
The consumption , as I said a few paragraphs ago, I do not think Nothing excessive for a car of this approach. In fact, I expected it to be higher. For its part, the engine offers a very flat energy delivery, being usable from idle to cutting. The automatic change has proved to be up to the of the car, working efficiently in all circumstances.
Finally, I would like to quote the exhaust sound . From the outside it sounds very good - at least to my liking - especially when it makes a gear change to more than 3,000 laps. However, the British brand has decided to filter it enough in the cabin with the aim of offering greater comfort. In my opinion, at least in Sport mode, should be noticed more in order to convey greater feelings.
Would it be in my private garage? If I could afford it, because, although it is not a 300-car and many horses, it offers many doses of fun, being fully usable on a day-to-day basis.