The 2011 JIMS, Southern Africa’s most significant car show, played host to the African premiere of the Mini Coupé
Two years ago a concept car previewing a two-seater Coupé from the MINI brand turned heads aplenty at the Frankfurt Motor Show. That vision has now become a reality and the 2011 JIMS provided the stage for the African premiere of the Mini Coupé.
The MINI Cooper Coupé range carries the same familiar iconic look that we’ve come to know well over the past decade. Setting it apart from its Hatch, Cabrio, Clubman and Countryman stablemates, the Coupe gets a low-slung roof with a “helmet roof” design atop steeply raked A and C pillars.
The Coupe’s roof has a standard contrasting paint finish, accentuating its distinctive design, while the 280-litre luggage compartment behind the high-opening tailgate reveals impressive functionality. Other particularly noteworthy features of the interior include oval recesses in the roof liner, which are specific to the MINI Coupé and emphasise the car’s two-seat design, and the wide through-loading facility linking the cabin and luggage compartment.
The two-seater will be offered from launch with a choice of three engine variants, with outputs ranging from the 90 kW of the Mini Cooper Coupé, 135 kW developed by the Mini Cooper S Coupé and the 155 kW of the sporting flagship, the Mini John Cooper Works Coupé. The Coupé’s boasts a unique suspension set-up, harmonious weight distribution, extremely rigid body and special aerodynamic tweaks – including an extending rear spoiler – help to bring the car’s go-kart like handling even further to the fore.
The Mini Coupé goes on sale in South Africa after JIMS at the following prices:
| Price (incl. VAT) | |
| Mini Cooper Coupé | R264 000 |
| Mini Cooper S Coupé | R319 000 |
| Mini John Cooper Works Coupé | R369 000 |
