Mini’s fifth-generation Cooper S remains a combustion-engined bundle of fun.
ETA: TBC
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Mini’s increasing move towards electric propulsion for its fifth-generation models may have had some enthusiasts worrying about what that meant for the firm’s Cooper and Cooper S hatches. Thankfully, Mini has kept things nice and traditional with the latest iteration, opting for a 2.0-litre turbopetrol engine developing 150 kW and 300 N.m of torque – good for 0-100 km/h in 6.6 seconds – while the Mini Cooper, which now goes by Cooper C, features a 1.5-litre turbo ‘three with 115 kW and 230 N.m on tap.
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The exterior represents more of an evolutionary change over the current car, with many of the recognisable styling traits being carried over. The cabin is a different story, though, sporting a minimal facia with a 240-mm circular central OLED screen for infotainment and instrumentation and a system that projects illuminated graphics on the dashboard.
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Among the driver assistance features offered on the new car are Safe Exit (monitors the area surrounding the parked car and providing active and passive safety measures), Navigation with 3D visualisation and augmented view, camera- and radar-based lane keeping and cruise control as part of the Driving Assistant Plus package, a voice-driven virtual assistant and smartphone digital key functionality.
