First Drive: MINI Cooper S (2018) becomes more British-BMW

Mini-ature changes

Still with the well-known formula of go-kart chassis sandwiched with BMW bells, whistles and drivetrain. Now more than ever the new MINI Cooper bridges kitsch with efficient. But with the latest facelift, the kitsch factor has been dialled up to emphasise its British-ness over its German-ness.

How many Union Jacks did you count?

On the exterior, a quick walkaround counted seven but that number exceeds ten when you peer through the window. The list includes: new design of alloy wheel with the Union Jack on the centre caps, the convertible with its fabric roof finished in similar vein, and then there are the rear lights emboldened with the British Flag. Hey, if you’ve got animated LED technology from R&D, may as well be creative…right?

A superfluous makeover then?

Difficult to ascribe the word ‘new’ with lasting veracity as the MINI Cooper facelift initially feels quite on-the-skin, rather than threatening to seep under it. But that means what we like about MINI is still golden, and as the competition matures into a sea of formulaic designs with each passing evolution, at least MINI hasn’t diluted too far beyond its renowned traits.

And to drive?

Up the breathless passes in Mallorca, I can’t think of many quicker cars. Use the car’s short wheelbase to slipstream clumps of cyclists, squirt the throttle exiting of a hairpin then stab the brakes hard. Cut and thrust stuff. The parpy 2.0- turbo burbling away in Sport Mode – which incidentally is located on a toggle switch and no longer the rotating collar by the gear lever.

The harbinger of front-wheel thrills in the 70s carries on although it’s no record setter anymore. At 7nths though you’re having tons of fun. Refinement levels of the 2018 MINI Cooper have led to a placid ride (which is what you want when adaptive dampers aren’t available), dense steering feedback enlivened by torque overpowering the front wheels into early understeer – no biting limited-slip diffs here…

Is the latter an extension of MINI Yours?

Yep, and while we don’t have space (or time) to browse the online shop, the test cars hinted at what’s possible. Remember the Rolls-Royce Gallery in the Phantom? The concept of a customisable space on the dashboard (ahead of the passenger) to put logos, images, names etc is replicated by MINI. In this case another back-lit Union Jack.

No jokes about its size?

That’s why models like the Countryman and Clubman exist but since this is the same platform as before there’s no sudden revelation for rear passengers or boot space.

In the grand scheme the mix of circular, half-moon and toggle switches are as inharmonious as design synergy dares in the year 2018 but would you expect anything else? Would you want anything else? What’s there is perhaps being a little more driver-orientated than those who have already gone further down the autonomous rabbit hole.

Verdict

Somehow clambering back into a MINI after being bombarded by German hatchbacks reignited some nostalgia. Fifty metres down the road you know by every strain in your body that you’re driving a MINI, whether it’s the base model or the MINI Cooper S. That hasn’t changed. The new one just adds those reminders with a visual punch… Andrew Leopold

SPECIFICATION

• R428 300
• 1998cc, turbocharged 4cyl, FWD, 141kW, 300Nm
• 6.0l/100km, 138g/km CO2
• 0–100km/h in 6.8secs, 235km/h
• 1235kg
• VERDICT: More refined and twee than ever, its personality is enlivened by the manual gearbox