TechNews | Tuesday, February 18, 2014

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Mini: Best marque at expo

Kyle Stanevich
STAFF WRITER

Fifty—five years ago, Mini was first
dreamt up, responding to a fuel shortage at the
time. The goal was to create a compact four-
person car that was economic and fuel efficient,
but what they got was so much more. The go-
kart handling from its wide wheelbase, its iconic
look, as well as its passenger space and efliciency
skyrocketed it to fame. But it did not stop there.
Redesigned by John Cooper, the new Mini was
now more powerful than its predecessors, going
on to win three Monte Carlo Rally races. After
hitting some financial trouble, BMW bought
Mini and rejuvenated the iconic car design.
Today, their lineup of cars has expanded from
the classic Mini Cooper to larger and smaller
variants. These stylistic cars were featured at the
Chicago Auto Show last week. This article will
provide a rundown of the Mini variants and the
brand in general.

The original Mini Cooper is the
standard model. It is small and fast, infinitely
customizable, and maintains the look that their
entire lineup follows. The wheels spread out to

each corner of the body, giving it the low go-
kart look. The windows form a box on the top,
almost completely hiding the bars that connect
the roof to the rest of the body. A double sunroof
is a common feature on this model and many
others. Plus, there is a convertible option for
those who enjoy the wind through their hair.
On the inside, a large speedometer sits right in
the center of the dashboard, with the radio and
controls below featuring a row of switches, a
throwback to classic British cars.

The Clubman is exactly like the
Cooper with an additional 10 inches to the
back. This gives the back seat passengers more
room and well as more storage space. The car
sports a unique three doors, one on the right and
two on the left, creating easy access to the back
seats. Another variation is the Countryman,
an even bigger option, but still keeping with
the small sporty look. It resembles more of a
SUV but only features two rows of seats. Unlike
other Minis, this is the only one that offers
four doors. A major option on this car is the
four-wheel drive, giving it some ofi-roading
capabilities, but don’t expect anything like a
Jeep. This certainly offers the most room in a
Mini, and plenty of accessories to haul sporting

equipment when needed. The Paceman is a
derivative of the Countryman, crossover four
seats with two doors instead of four. The main
change is the lowered and slanted roof, giving
the car a streamlined look while also bringing
the center of gravity lower. The disadvantage
is that there is less room in the back seat for
the passengers. To compensate, Mini installed
individual back seats instead of the traditional
bench style, giving each passenger their own
“lounge” space and seemingly more room.
The last Mini variant is the Coupe.
Sportiness and speed are emphasized in this
one, making it much smaller than any of the
other Minis. Deviating from the traditional
look, this car is much more rounded on the
front and the back, but the interior retains the
entire classic Mini style. Although storage space
is not something traditionally sought after when
buying a sports car, the Coupe offers trunk space
better than other competing sports cars, as well
as offering a compartment door so extra-long
items in the trunk can stick farther forward if
needed. One interesting feature of this car is the
automatic spoiler that deploys when traveling
faster than 50 mph, a nice touch to highlight
the Sportiness. This one is also available in a

 

 

convertible version also known as a Roadster.

Just as the Mini lineup has expanded
to many different options, so have the features
and technology. One major upgrade is the
John Cooper works package, featuring a more
powerful engine and higher quality parts than
standard. While these engines might not stack
up to other sports car engines, the lightweight
car bodies give them the edge they need to keep
preforming. Having the smaller engine also
means that the fuel economy is great on all Mine
vehicles, offering around 30 mpg. Also offered
is and electric Mini, although only available
by special order or in certain areas, as electric
cars start to grow in popularity, the Mini E will
become more widely available.

Minis are an overall amazing car and
have an interesting style that makes them stand
out from the crowd. While they are great there
are two big drawbacks, their size and price.
Small size should be expected, after all their
name is “Mini.” Their base price is not too bad
but it is in all the options that their price starts
to soar.

For a sporty car with a unique look
and an exciting driving experience, Mini is a
great option.

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