Everything mini is small. Everything big is beautiful. Then is mini not beautiful?
In the days of Aristotle, big was beautiful.
But that was then. Today, small is not necessarily unbeautiful. So in BMW’s launch of the Mini Cooper S, we find a sweet beauty.
And now you can pocket this little beauty for a not-so-little Rs.34.65 lakhs. Yes! That’s the price of the Mini Cooper S which just hit the Indian automobile market.
It is cute, stylish, and sporty. Yet, all is not well with the Mini Cooper S. Its 3-door design challenges you to make easy use of the small back seat. The boot space, even though bigger than the earlier diesel version of the car, is not quite luggage-friendly. The rear of the car, unlike the front, fails to impress. And, should you buy it as your first car, there is some inevitable nagging to endure at home. However, that’s not all. There is, certainly, a flip side.
Well, this petrol version is 98mm longer, 44mm wider and 7mm taller than the older car. There is a new honeycombed grille in the front with larger air-intakes. There is the trademark S badge on the front, rear and side. And, the shiny, glowing chrome-dipped look makes it eye-catching on the roads. Further, the manufacturer offers customers an opportunity to get it customised. A rear spoiler in a John Cooper Works design or any of the large selection of decorative roofs could be added as per your liking. The exterior mirror options, bonnet stripes, seat upholstery, chequered livery, interior surfaces and colour lines all play up well as an effort to increase the selling units, in case you feel dissatisfied with the original offerings from the manufacturer.
The claims of 0-100 kmph in 6.7 seconds with a top speed of 233 kmph further increase the likeability factor. The fact that getting into the tech specs make you love the sweet little machine all the more is demonstrated by the engine which delivers 189HP of peak power and a total of 280Nm of torque from as low as 1,250rpm. Thus ensuring it is not just showy.
Overall, the car looks classy from the outside and is comfortable from within. The calm, soothing drive does help one to enjoy the experience despite the not-so-impressive interiors. But, in the end, I would say, it fails to deliver much with the associated price tag. Yes, it’s a nice car gone wrong. After all, everything that’s nice is not necessarily what sells. Neither, then, nor now.
