Early-morning photography outings have highlighted some of the three-door Mini hatch’s otherwise unrealised talents.
- Time spent: 03/06 months
- Distance covered: 1 974 km
- Average fuel consumption: 8.04 L/100 km
- We like:Easy-to-clean upholstery; heated steering wheel
- We don’t like: Small luggage/utility compartment; occasionally firm ride
It’s hard to believe, but since its arrival at CAR’s offices, the Mini has frequently served as the tracking vehicle from which photographer Peet Mocke has captured many of the beautiful driving shots, including those of the sought-after BMW 333i (our Classic Drive with images of the latter here).
Admittedly, Peet and I were skeptical about using CAR’s littlest long-termer for this application – our biggest reservation being its interior dimensions. You see, in order to capture front shots of a moving vehicle, Peet has to seat (or shall we say, contort) his 1.9-metre-tall frame into the boot of the tracking car to find a comfortable position, even when the rear seatbacks are folded flat.
The Mini’s ride quality also sits on the firm side, with Peet noting that the occasional jolts relayed through the cabin sometimes impacted on the stability required for continuous, clean shooting. However, the car’s 130 mm ground clearance has proven an unexpected boon when it comes to taking those dramatic, low-slung, head-on driving shots.
Although I would have preferred black upholstery, wiping down the occasional shoe print left on the long-termer’s light-hued Vescin upholstery following a shoot proved a cinch. I’ve also appreciated this example’s optional heated steering wheel during the sometimes chilly early-winter morning outings.
[Update 1]
A joy to spend time in, we take a closer look at the Mini Cooper C’s interior, which now houses a Garmin X110 dash cam.
- Time spent: 02/06 months
- Distance covered: 1 194 km
- Average fuel consumption: 7.92 L/100 km
- We like: Interior design, detailing and ergonomics; NVH suppression
- We don’t like: Lack of front storage compartments
Here’s an interesting, if somewhat discomforting, statistic: according to TomTom’s 2024 Traffic Index, people living in South Africa’s five major cities spend between 51 and 72 hours in rush hour traffic annually. That’s nearly three days a year sitting in gridlock.
Whether it’s in town or on road trips further afield, where the time spent travelling to SA’s myriad picturesque destinations is unlikely to be met with as much apprehension, we spend a great deal of time in our cars. So, while a vehicle’s exterior styling understandably influences a consumer’s buying decision, it’s the interior that’s arguably a more important consideration. In this respect, Mini’s design department deserves praise for what it’s accomplished with the marque’s modern cabins. Since the Cooper C 3-Door long-termer’s arrival at CAR’s offices, it’s been a joy to spend time in it.
The interior is minimalistic yet brimming with intricate detailing. For example, the test unit’s black textile facia forms an interesting canvas upon which ambient lighting elements are projected and, along with the door panels, feature subtle blue accents. The latter hue is carried over to the ‘Vescin’ (a sustainable, leather-like material) seats, which include colourful cloth inserts and ‘houndstooth’ perforation motifs. The front seats are well-bolstered and occupants seated here are afforded sufficient head- and knee room. While the cabin is compact and the aft pews remain reserved for kids, the test car’s light grey upholstery does lend the rear an airy feel.
I would have appreciated more stowage compartments for small items, however. Without the storage box included in the ‘Favoured’ specification package, I’ve had to hide some valuables in our Classic-spec long-termer’s door pockets.
Eagle-eyed readers may have noticed the device affixed to the Mini Cooper windscreen. Over the next six months, we’ll be testing Garmin’s (R5 499) X110 dash cam: reporting back on its workings, how user-friendly it is, and its influence on insurance costs.
The X110 shoots in 1080p at 30fps and offers a 140-degree field of view, displayed on a crisp, 2.4-inch screen with ‘Clarity Polariser’ technology to reduce glare. Once plugged in, it continuously records footage. It also features forward collision and lane departure warning functions.
A neat addition I’m especially keen to test is the Garmin’s Travelapse Trip Highlights function – a feature that condenses footage recorded on road trips into a highlights reel.
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