2012 Mini Cooper S Roadster review notes

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: The 2012 Mini Cooper S Roadster brings out a rush of different emotions. I love the 1.6-liter four-banger; it revs freely and is a smooth runner, with more than enough bite to keep the driving interesting. The six-speed manual has decently short throws and is fun to row through the gears. But the fun for me basically ends right there.
There's a ton of cowl shake—so much, in fact, that my radar detector was practically shaken off its windshield mount on the drive home. No matter how hard they try to stiffen up the chassis on convertibles, cutting the roof off is a major compromise to the car's structural integrity. Add to that our always favorite run-flat tires and a stiff suspension, and you end up with a car that is not all that much fun to ride in or, frankly, to drive.
Also, the whole top-down meter thing is just plain silly. Maybe Mini still wants to court the quirky oddball, but I guess I'm past finding that kind of thing fun.
I'm sure there's a market, somewhere, for the Mini Roadster. I know that I'm not part of that market.
NEWS EDITOR GREG MIGLIORE: This is an energetic, fun little buggy with razor sharp reflexes and dynamics. The Roadster may have the best and most intense on-center steering feel of any car on the market. Pulling hard turns is an exercise in weight and response, which returns a direct, rewarding feel for enthusiast drivers. The chassis is similarly hard. It's stiff, abusive over bad roads and excellent when driven with gusto. With the short wheelbase and small body, this runner wants to be pushed through corners and bends.
I like the six-speed manual with satisfying, true throws that border on the longer side. The clutch is agreeable and nicely weighted, and rowing the gears is a heck of a lot of fun. Stout brakes, too.
The engine is reasonably powered for this small car. It's a mite, so the turbo 181-hp output is more than adequate, especially with this gearbox. It loves to rev, too, and is happiest above the 3,000-rpm threshold.
The cabin is tight, even for a guy of average build, though I found a comfy seating position. The cues—some of which are subtle and some of which are beyond over the top (a gauge for how long the convertible top is down, huh?)—are cute, cool and make for a unique experience.
Some annoyances: The exhaust note crackles upon shifts, which is a little unsettling, and the blind spots are fierce. The interior is also very loud.
I did a commuting lap in this Roadster through the suburbs and some sketchy neighborhoods of Detroit. I'd much rather crack the top off during a long weekend and soak in the summer air. I've done that in other Minis and it's a thrill. This time, not so much. These cars are a riot to drive; however, I just had a rather businesslike night. A lot of people could have fun in Minis, but they're an acquired taste as daily drivers.
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: I'd have to be pretty desperate to want top-down motoring (or for some reason really hate the Mazda MX-5 Miata) to pick this car at $33K.
There are things I like, such as the styling, which looks a lot better than the funny-looking Mini Cooper coupe. The turbocharged engine is flexible and provides good power; the steering is direct and properly weighted. Handling is quick and responsive and almost as good as the hardtop models. Not quite, but close.
Ride quality is a little choppy, much of which I put down to the run-flats—though the chassis is commendably stiff. There are less shake and less rattle than I thought there'd be and, while potholes should be avoided, it wasn't as bad as I thought.
It's a fun little scooter for the most part. I just don't know why one would pick this over a Miata.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: This car is flat-out fun. Power is awesome and aurally pleasing from the 1.6-liter turbo engine, and the six-speed shifter is easy and fun to throw. And I love that Sport button that opens up the exhaust. If you can time it right, you can purposely get it to backfire every time you shift.
Fuel mileage is amazing, if the digital readout is correct. I saw 150 miles on the trip with only two clicks off the readout, out of ten. That means this thing will get 750 miles to a tank! OK, I'm sure it won't get that, but man, this 2012 Mini Cooper S Roadster will travel far on a tank.
As far as the ride goes, this car actually benefits from having a convertible top. The Mini Cooper coupe rides like it's on wagon wheels, great for the track, not so great for the street. Run-flats and low-profile tires will do that. But this car, with a little extra flex in the frame, absorbs that little bit of harshness and makes the car livable. As of now, this is the only car on the planet I would take in convertible form before I would take the coupe. Of course, I would take the standard Mini Cooper S over all of them.
The Bluetooth function is easy to work and I had no problem getting my phone to work with it. The sound system is Harmon/Kardan, which is always quality. The seats are comfy and I like the carbon fiber accents on the doors. Some interior stuff is a bit cheesy, like the top-down time monitor. But, otherwise, it's a decent place to take a drive. It's just not the manliest place.

2012 Mini Cooper S Roadster

Base Price: $28,050
As-Tested Price: $33,550
Drivetrain: 1.6-liter turbocharged I4; FWD, six-speed manual
Output: 181 hp @ 5,500 rpm, 177 lb-ft @ 5,500 rpm
Curb Weight: 2,745 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 30/28.8 mpg
Options: Technology package including center armrest, rear-park distance control, Harman/Kardon premium sound ($2,000); Sport package including 17-inch alloy wheels, conical spoke, xenon headlights, dynamic traction control, white turn-signal lights ($1,500); Mini connected with navigation including voice-command, Mini connected, comfort Bluetooth, USB/iPod, Mini navigation system ($750); Lightning blue metallic paint ($500) (not pictured); comfort-access keyless entry ($500); convertible wind defector ($250)

Read More

Mini Cooper Clubman Review

Maxing the Mini: More room, more doors, still cuddly

Little distinguishes the new longer, roomier MINI Clubman's driving experience from that of the standard Mini. Which is great news: None of the coupe's quick reflexes, playful nature, or overall Mini-ness is diminished. The differences are all about space: 3.2 inches more wheelbase (which yields an equal bump in rear legroom), 9.6 inches of increased overall length, and a cargo hold that grows from 24.0 to 32.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Plus a few more doors. From the driver's seat, you'll hardly know there's more Mini behind you. But your rear-seat passengers, pets, surfboards, golf clubs, shopping bags, swap-meet treasures, and mall haul will really appreciate the extra room.

The Clubman notion isn't a new idea, but it remains a good one. It's the third body style in the reborn MINI lineup, alongside the second-generation coupe, which came to market early this year, and the convertible, still on the carryover gen-one platform for another year or so.

Mini's design job is clever. The longer roof appears flat at first glance, yet there's a gentle curve to it. Like Clubmans of old, access to the cargo bay is via two hinged "barn doors." Besides the squarer look, the exhaust pipes are no longer centered in the rear valance, instead splitting to the sides in a more conventional, dual-exhaust fashion. A spoiler at the top of the rear deck integrates the center high-mounted stoplight. In keeping with the Mini's USP of allowing the owner a wide variety of color combinations, there are many different ways to spec out the body, bumper, roof, and window-surround finishes.

Joining this club is all about space and access to it, so besides the split rear-cargo doors, there's a rear-hinged, half-door-size access panel on the passenger side that makes back-seat entry and egress a much easier proposition than in the coupe-all the better by which to enjoy the much-needed increased legroom. A squeege over three inches more room may not sound like much, but it's a world of difference in a car this compact. Full-size adults now sit comfortably in back, with plenty of head and knee room for six-footers.

This access door is well integrated into the exterior styling, with the door handle mounted inside so as not to spoil the smooth two-door look. In the name of safety, it can be opened only when the front passenger door is open. The split rear seats fold to create a commodious space for stuff-interesting in that packaging efficiency was one of the aspects that set the original Mini apart from other compact city cars of the 1960s. The centers of the two cargo area doors come together to form a pillar that bisects the driver's view out the rearview mirror, not so different from what the driver of a 1963 "Split Window" Corvette experiences. But the blockage isn't wide enough to hinder rearward vision, and it's something you quickly get used to.

No special structural reinforcement was required to accommodate the increased number of doors and hatches. Overall weight grows by about 175 pounds. Engine, transmission, and equipment levels are otherwise a direct carryover. We spent all our drive time aboard a turbocharged, 172-horsepower Cooper S version and could detect no meaningful decrease in acceleration. The extra ounces will, however, take a bit of sparkle off the naturally aspirated, 118-horsepower base model's straight-line punch. We'll verify this with instrumented testing as soon as we have the opportunity.

Same goes for handling. Overall, the Clubman S feels no different through a smorgasbord of cornering situations from the new Cooper S we just added to our long-term test fleet. One major difference in the Clubman's driving persona is ride comfort. Those three-plus inches of additional wheelbase really smooth out the standard Mini's tendency to hop on bad pavement, over railroad crossings, and the like. It's a dramatic improvement, and one that, combined with all the extra room, makes the Clubman a much happier long-distance car than the short-wheelbase model.

One bane that hasn't been exorcized, at least in the S, is torque steer. Power out of a corner, and the wheel wiggles in your hand. When the turbo boost kicks in, it wiggles worse. Perhaps Mini could have dialed out some of the effect, but steering feel would have diminished because of it. While this problem doesn't kill the Mini's fun factor, it knocks it back a notch or two. There'll never be a rear-drive Mini, but an AWD version might be fun, no?

The car's only other maddening trait, also shared with non-Clubmans, is the HVAC system's too small, too slippery, and just poorly designed fan and heat/cool controls. The tiny, click up-and-down fan switch is slick plastic and practically requires long fingernails to operate. Wearing gloves? Forget it. Why not some large, knurled knobs? And much of the center-stack lettering is too small. These are two instances where function followed form, and Mini ought to get to fixing them. Now.

MINI hasn't yet released the Clubman's pricing structure, but indicates it'll fall midway between the current coupe and convertible models. That translates to about $20,750 for a base Clubman and around $24,000 for a Clubman S, reasonable enough if you fancy the new model's design and extra space.

Besides being a blast to drive, reasonably economical, and a cheeky fashion statement, the Clubman's most significant accomplishment is that its increased passenger comfort and extra cargo room make the Mini a real car for more people. For many buyers, this functionality will more than offset the few extra dollars and the few extra pounds the Clubman packs over the standard models. Mini USA estimates that 15 percent of the cars it sells will be Clubmans. We say it had better be prepared to build more than that.

 

Read More