2002 Mini Cooper

My last memory of the original Mini Cooper isn't a good one. This foggy, embarrassing vision recalls a strange winter ritual practiced in the frigid North: ice racing on a frozen lake, and my ride was a '66 Mini. Things were going great-until I got hit from behind, spun around, and ended up tipped over in a snowbank. The only really good thing to come out of that day was my appreciation for how much fun it was to drive a Mini. Well, at least until I crashed.

From today's perspective, it's important to point out that, except for the name, concept, and basic shape, the new-for-'02 Mini Cooper shares nothing with the original. BMW acquired the Mini brand a few years back when it purchased the British-based Rover Group (Rover, Land Rover, Mini, MG, etc.). And, even though it unloaded most of the unprofitable nameplates last year, BMW retained the Mini because a new model was already well under development. The car you see here was designed and engineered in Germany, though it's to be built in England. Think of it as a very small British BMW.

One of the new Mini's best attributes is its ultra-stiff structure that, at almost exactly 12 feet long, is about two feet longer than its predecessor; larger yes, but still seriously compact. It's 50 percent more rigid than the 3 Series BMW, which is regarded as one of the most solid cars around. Naturally, the original's two-box shape, front-wheel drive, and four-passenger-seating configuration has been retained for the re-invented Mini. MacPherson struts are used up front, while a multilink rear suspension derived from the 3 Series is employed at the rear. Braking is provided by vented discs up front, solid discs in back, and standard ABS; steering is via electro-hydraulically assisted rack-and-pinion. Our tester had the optional sport suspension and 195/55HR16 Michelin Pilot tires, and while 15-in. rolling stock is standard, both are a far cry from the 10-in. and 12-in. doughnuts worn by the earliest Minis.

Unlike the old car's OHV four-cylinder engine that put out only 55 hp in stock form (see "In Retrospect" sidebar), the new Mini Cooper features a thoroughly modern 1.6L four-cylinder powerplant developed jointly by BMW and Chrysler. This 16-valve SOHC unit produces a modest 115 hp and 110 lb-ft of torque. Mini engineers claim the car can accelerate 0-60 mph in around 9 sec; this is no faster than most minivans and feels just adequate on the road. This may be the base car's weakest link.