New Mini goes on sale Saturday
Earliest deliveries now in 2007
Mini Cooper S
All Mini dealerships are holding launch events to unveil the new car, but many customers will have to wait until the New Year to own one. According to BMW, the order books are almost full for 2006.
With a new design and engines, the Mini Cooper costs just over two per cent over the first generation car.
According to the company, lower costs of ownership adds strength to the overall package. The new engines from Hams Hall are more powerful, while fuel consumption and emissions levels are both down by around 20 per cent. The Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S have both dropped two places on the VED tax scale, with a C grading for the Mini Cooper and a D for the Mini Cooper S.
The slightly raised bonnet has been designed for better pedestrian safety, but it will also contribute to lower bills in the workshop if you have a brush with a bollard, reckoned BMW. Items like a clip-on front spoiler make parts easier and quicker to replace, and technicians can also move the front of the car forward by 10cms to gain easier access to the engine.
There is still a huge range of options, although the Salt, Pepper and Chilli packs offer a range of options at a price 25 per cent lower than buying them individually.
For the exterior, 319 possible combinations for customisation include eight light-alloy wheels and four solid and eight metallic body colours as well as a roof in either black or white.
There are 372 possible combinations for the interior, with 11 different upholsteries, four interior schemes, five colour line options and six colour/materials for the interior surfaces.
) The interior feels better put together and yes it probably is smoother, but specing it up (not a great deal mind due) it looked like I was going to end up with 21k bill! that’s way way to much money for what it is... Or that’s how I feel anyway.
I think the larger frontal area grows on you but I still would want the aero kit (£1500 option) to lower the front lines down a bit and that’s the problem the seats haven’t changed that much so I would want the recaro’s (£1000 fitted) the new headlights aren’t as good as the previous model, so you apparently would need to get the ‘must get option’ of bi-xenon headlights…..
I suppose this may sum up how I feel about the change…. I was so unimpressed with the new MINI and it’s pricing that I sold the S and have now got (well in 2 – 3 weeks) a Z4
must say i really liked it! the appearance of the new car is slightly different to the old model but the changes are still very noticeable, i like the new lights and grille arangement on the Cooper S and i thought it felt much more solid inside and out.
i was very impressed with the new car, hope its not too long before they bring out a JCW kit for the Cooper S (think they are only doing bodykits at the minute) can imagine that woud be a cracking little car!
It is a massive improvement over the old one, engine is fantastic, gear change much more slick, suspension much better, smoother and quieter. Not to mention the quality of the inside and the seat comfort. We have got DSC and the torque through the front wheels is not really an issue.
Yes it looks the same, but then the previous shape was selling very well anyway, so the improvements are where it really counts. This is our 4th Mini and is without a doubt the best, even over the full JCW edition that we had.
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