MINI has upgraded the three-door Cooper S, three-door Cooper D, five-door Cooper D and the convertible Cooper S with a fresh set of cosmetic and feature upgrades. The cars will be offered as completely built-up (CBU) units from June 2018 onwards. Along with fresh feature upgrades, the Cooper S and the convertible Cooper S are offered with revised seven-speed Double Clutch Steptronic transmission with shorter gear ratios.
Visually, the MINI Cooper S, Cooper D and the Convertible Cooper S get the new MINI logo on the bonnet, tailgate, steering wheel, central instrument display and remote control. The new MINI Hatch and the new MINI Convertible will be available in three new colours - emerald grey metallic, starlit blue metallic and solaris orange metallic. An optional piano black exterior is available for the Cooper S models where the LED headlight, rear lights and radiator grille are finished in high gloss black instead of chrome. Exclusive colours like Caribbean aqua and thunder grey are available for the MINI convertible and the MINI three-door Cooper S, respectively.
As for the interior, MINI offers an optional leather chester malt upholstery with malt brown colour line, while the surface area for the doors and centre console gets a piano black finish. The optional list also includes backlit interior surface on the passenger side. Moreover, customers can also opt for the MINI Excitement Pack that includes LED interior and ambient lighting which illuminates the cockpit with a choice of 12 selectable colours. It also includes the new MINI logo projection from the exterior mirror on the driver's side when opening and closing the door. The Panorama glass roof is also optional.
Speaking of features, this time around, the new MINIs get multi-function sport leather steering wheel as standard and sports seats for the driver and front passenger to offer that unique ‘go-kart’ feel. The cars also get the unique 6.5-inch colour display with LED ring and Bluetooth phone/audio connectivity as standard. Customers can also opt for a 6.5-inch with MINI Radio Visual Boost that serves as an aesthetic display to manage functions related to infotainment, telephone, driver and the vehicle. The selection and control is facilitated by a Controller in the centre console. Popular as a lifestyle vehicle, the company also offers the optional MINI Wired package that includes an 8.8 inch touch screen with Touchpad controller, MINI Find Mate, Navigation System Professional, MINI Connected XL, telephony with wireless charging, second USB interface and a 20 GB internal hard drive for all media storage. Other infotainment options now include Apple CarPlay along with MINI Radio Visual Boost + MINI Navigation or with Wired Package and the 360 watts Harmon Kardon Hi-Fi Speaker System with 12 speakers and an eight-channel digital amplifier.
The new MINI three-door Cooper S and the new MINI Convertible Cooper S are powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder MINI TwinPower Turbo petrol engine that generates 190bhp of power and 280Nm of torque. The company claims that the engine comes mated to an upgraded seven-speed double clutch Steptronic transmission that offers dynamic gearshifts and sporty acceleration. The petrol variants can sprint from 0-100kmph in just about 6.7 seconds and attain a top speed of 235kmph. The shift by wire technology for automatic transmission comes with an electronic gear selector that claims to offer more comfortable handling. The diesel engine in the MINI three-door Cooper D and the new MINI five-door Cooper D is powered by a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder MINI Twin Power Turbo diesel engine that generates 112bhp of power and 270Nm of torque. The diesel version is capable of sprinting from 0-100kmph in just about 9.2 seconds and has a top speed of 205kmph.
Speaking of safety, the new MINIs get standard safety equipment such as the front and passenger airbags, brake assist, three-point seat belts, dynamic stability control, crash sensor, anti-lock braking system, cornering brake control and run-flat tyres. The MINI Driving Modes are focused on ride comfort and driver’s preference. In addition to the standard MID mode, there is a choice of SPORT and GREEN modes. Driver Assistance Systems include Cruise Control, optional Park Assistant, Rear View Camera and Head-Up Display.
