Mini Cooper S 2007 Review

A first Australian drive of the beefed-up CooperS showed just what a few thousand dollars and some relatively minor enhancements can do for what was already an impressive fun machine.

The engine kit; larger airbox, free-flow twin exhaust and enhanced ECU programming; will set you back $3800 plus fitting by a Mini Garage specialist but brings a 10 per cent boost in power, lifting output from the twin-scroll 1.6-litre engine to 141kW as well as adding an additional 10Nm of urge.

Unlike the previous generation of supercharged engines the JCW kit does not include a cylinder head swap.

A sports suspension package which firms the damper rate and lowers the Mini by 10mm adds $1460; while the aero body kit ($2696), performance brakes ($2015) and 18-inch wheels with 205/40 run-flat rubber ($5100) all but complete the external enhancements.

If you really want to stand out there is a carbon-fibre roof-mounted rear wing yet to be priced.

Inside the Cooper S, the usual main opportunity is a set of extremely comfortable and supportive Recaro sport seats at $7000 a set.

Unlike some sports seats the Mini buckets retain their side airbag protection through a not particularly attractive mounting on the outside of the seat; with the activator tucked away between the seat and the transmission tunnel.

While the full enhancement kit on the JCW model built up by BMW runs to something more than $22,000 over and above the cost of the Cooper S, the company doesn't expect it to hinder sales.

“I expect that we will sell a lot more of the engine kits by themselves than the engine and body kits together,” Mini's Alexander Corne says.

“From the experience of the first generation of John Cooper Works sales where about 10 per cent of Cooper S buyers added the engine enhancements it is likely to be around the same this time.

“These are people who want the extra performance to go with the show.”

Corne says Mini buyers, on average, will add about $4000 worth of custom options to their new car.

“These are not people agonising over a $19,990 car,” Corne says.

“These are people who want individuality in their cars. They are saying, how can I make this car mine?.”

On the road the JCW-enhanced Cooper S is all about expanding the envelope for the Mini's go-kart-like performance.

The twin-scroll turbocharger unit, which replaced the previous supercharged model is only improved by the ECU tweaks in the JCW tuning.

There is no breathtaking improvement but the same table-flat torque characteristic from just a tick over 1600rpm right through to 5000rpm is present and accounted for; with just that little extra.

The 250Nm in the JCW-enhanced vehicle may only be an increase of just over 3 per cent but it improves not only the 0-100km/h sprint time but the all-important 80-120km/h times in fourth, fifth and sixth gears.

The elastic nature of the little turbo makes the Mini a delight to punch along, enhanced even further by the slick six-speed manual box. With the suspension wound off to improve the ride quality in the basic Cooper S, the JCW suspension pack effectively replaces what had been lost.

In spite of the lower ride height, sharper damper rates and low profile run-flat tyres the ride is anything but harsh.

Traditionally, the Mini has never met a corner it doesn't like.

As far back as Alec Issigonis's original “brick on wheels” the core of a Mini has been its uncanny ability to suck up the road and slide around corners.

The enhancements simply work to make it even more defiant of physics.

Snapshot

Mini Cooper S JCW

From: $43,790

Engine: 1.6L/4-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged

Power: 141kW

Torque: 250Nm (270Nm on overboost)

Transmission: 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic; front-wheel drive

Performacne: 0-100km/h 6.8sec (manual)