If you're in search of a practical compact electric car, MINI’s new Cooper version won’t be for you.
The car has a strictly urban purpose, with corresponding range and a small boot and rear passenger space, but it does stand out as a fun prospect for urbanites in search of something different.
The design is intriguing, somehow appearing soft-lined and cubed at the same time. but it certainly moves MINI on in terms of overall profile. You do, of course, have the usual MINI attributes of a short bonnet, short overhangs and those rounded lights so the identity is retained.
There’s a renewed emphasis on performance, this being a Cooper version, and the engineers have been focusing on elements like very positive steering and a slightly uprated suspension system. A first drive reveals it to be a playful experience and the traditional MINI virtues to be to the fore.
What adds to the playfulness is the fact that you can now move through different driving modes - seven in total - from the serene to the more adventurous go-kart, with corresponding sound profiles. Thus, in go-kart mode you can experience something of the rallying pedigree of the original Cooper and have the sounds to go with it.
It’s a very clever and innovative idea and one that makes the car stand out from the crowd. It’s also great fun.
There are two versions of the car for the Irish market, an E version producing 184 horse power from a 40.7 kWh battery and an SE version producing 215 horse power from a 54.2 kWh battery. The fact that the batteries don’t have big capacities or ranges (about 300 km’s or 400 km’s were the maximum achieved in ideal conditions) underscores the urban nature of the car.
The figures will undoubtedly be lower in real world conditions, as is always the case with "official" ranges, but they should at the same time be more adequate for urban drivers.
On our relatively brief first drive the car certainly displayed some interesting driving characteristics, such as pretty impressive acceleration combined with an authentically sporty feel. This is added to by the fact that your are sitting low and the chassis provides a lot of driver engagement.
Like most new cars these days, the central screen dominates the interior. However, MINI has gone a lot further than anyone else with its 9.4" OLED circular display for infotainment and essential functions. Hitherto, we have only seen OLED (organic light emitting diode) technology being used in high end TV’s in which the light is created by organic molecules.
The screen results are pretty damn impressive and you could spend as much time entertaining yourself as you could driving the car. The fact that the circular screen is another nod to the original Mini Cooper makes it a very appealing retro touch.
For those concerned by the absence of proper switches for basic functions resulting in being distracted having to look at and operate a screen, like me, there is also a voice programme that will activate many basic functions with accuracy and thus avoid having to dig into menus while driving.
The dashboard is a welcome relief from the waves of plastics we see in so many cars these days. It is curved and covered in a woven textile surface. The same textile is used to form one of the spokes in the steering wheel. It's a worthy effort to create aesthetically pleasing elements within the car.
I was intrigued to discover that Irish MINI customers can now opt out of having the novelty Union Jack configuration in their rear light clusters, following feedback from several existing ones.
Despite it being a first drive, it was an engaging one and we look forward to testing those range claims in the near future. The boot is tiny because of the compact design of the car and the rear seats are, well, very cramped. However, given the potential customer profile, the starting price for the E is not bad at all.
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