MINI Wins Winding Road’s Hot Hatch Challenge
Winding Road Magazine took some of today’s hottest hatches out to rural Michigan for a thorough testing recently as a way to introduce the new VW GTI. It was a test set-up for the GTI (Motor Trend’s newly crowned car of the year) to win going away. Yet it didn’t. And even more surprising, it wasn’t the MazdaSpeed 3 or the Mitsu Lancer SST. No it was the oldest car in the group that came away with the overall win. That car is the 2009 R56 MINI Cooper S. Here’s an excerpt:
>So the Cooper S Seems, on paper, to be the middle child of the group of hot hatches_ not terribly exceptional in anyone area. Yet, we can’t help but love it the very most. Why?
>For starters the MINI is far and away the most engaging car on the test here. The Mazda may bark louder, but the MINI communicates with the driver via seat and steering wheel. It’s also the only car that feels honestly nimble- though the GTI comes very close. The other two hatches have no problem feeling confident on the road, but we can always tell that they’re fighting their on weight or power at different times. MINI is more like a natural athlete, living within the boundaries of its own considerable ability.
>We’ve mentioned the lack of outright power, but MINI’s engine is also the least laggy, with a powerband well suited to dodging and dicing with city traffic.
>…the MINI, even after all these years, just comes together to make a more perfect thing than the rest.
You can read the entire article (and magazine) here.
MF Analysis
It’s fantastic to see the MINI still doing well in comparison tests after four years on the market. With the mid-cycle refresh just month away from its debut at Geneva, BMW seems relatively well positioned for this generation of cars to be competitive for most of their lifespan. And even if they don’t match spec for spec (MINI’s rarely do) the nature and characteristics of the MINI put it on a unique playing field. However that 2011 model year refresh better be good. We have a feeling that the Fiat 500 and other hot hatches (some of which are coming to the US for the first time) won’t sit still over the next few years.
<p>Another great article by Winding Road. Still would have been much happier to see Mini use the R60 development further developing the bread and butter product for the brand. I love the fact that the brand is still competitive but its slowly slipping against the other hot hatches.</p>
<p>I second the call Gabe that 2011 better be something special though I feel that waiting until 2011 will only let the brand slip further. I have much hope for the mid-cycle refresh curing some big items on the current design but doubt we will see much if anything to help the brand keep its base product relevant in the hot hatch market.</p>
<p>Nice to see something about the MINI in other news sources for sure it’s been awhile. My ’04 S is still the most fun car I’ve ever driven.</p>
<p>@JonPD… Not sure about all the “slipping” stuff? Sadly it seems that unless you’re upping horsepower to ridiculous amounts and redesigning the looks of your car every other year you are “slipping”…? Not a big fan of WR but this article shows me that you don’t have to do all that crap and still have a great car. Why not just make cars better. I hope my comments are not taken in a abusive way, they re just my thoughts.</p>
<p>You know….I think the original supercharged mini would do as well.</p>
<p>i seriously can’t think of a car that is more fun for the money.</p>
<p>I’d have guessed the GTI would win because it seems to win all these things. As the article says, the Mini doesn’t make sense on paper. Fortunately, we don’t drive on paper either!</p>
<p>Hey! <em>I’m</em> from rural Michigan!</p>
<p>From Europe…………</p>
<p>Don’t expect anything from the Fiat 500, especially the Abarth Esse Esse 160hp. The suspensions are just a joke compared to the Mini precision. And everything is one if not more levels down below the Mini.</p>
<p>I agree it is a shame that the Mini has no opponent, but, “this is it”.</p>
<p>Congrats, MINI!</p>
<p>GTI/MS3 are GREAT but MINI is EXCEPTIONAL.</p>
<p>It’s unfortunate most people shop on paper. I wonder how it would go if I tried to get 5 salesmen with their cars to meet me somewhere.</p>
<p>Weight really matters. “Add lightness” and ye shall win the comparo.</p>
<p>Dude no offense taken.</p>
<p>For “slipping” I would say for that while the R56 driving feeling is still good in comparison the performance and design have slipped. The interior design would be one of those places as well. There are many small cars out now that have a much better interior design. The biggest part is that the Mini product has not been improved much (if at all imo) from the R53, meanwhile a number of manufactures have made good gains against Mini’s static placement in the market.</p>
<p>I’ve been a big fan of Winding Road since it’s inception, as founder David E. Davis was my favorite automotive journalist when I was a kid. They have always been fans of the MINI. Years ago they did a comparison between the MINI Cooper S, Nissan 350Z, and Mustang GT, and they picked the MINI as the best drivers car. Recently they compared a MINI Cooper to a V6 Mustang, and the MINI won.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nextautos.com/issue-5/mustang-gt-vs-nissan-350z-vs-mini-cooper-s" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.nextautos.com/issue-5/mustang-gt-vs-nissan-350z-vs-mini-cooper-s</a></p>
<p><a href="http://wrmag.nextautos.com/issue/49/119" rel="nofollow ugc">http://wrmag.nextautos.com/issue/49/119</a></p>
<p>I think that every review of the MINI that I have read complains about the interior design, and how it would either grow tiring, or is just plain annoying in design. I’ve just never understood that, when every other car sold today has more or less the same exact boring interior design, the MINI is one of most unique at any price. For me, after all these years of owning one, this has always been it’s trump card. The thing is just plain fun to be in and look at, I still love it even when I’m trudging through urban traffic, it still feels special. My old VW GTI while nice, didn’t really feel special.</p>
<p>All the random rattles and creaks make the MINI interior all the more special.</p>
<p>I agree. I think auto journalists get in and out of so many cars that anything outside of the norm is bad. If they would spend more than a week in a car they would become acclimated to the individual controls. Personally, no mater the car in question, I take any review of an interior with a huge grain of salt. Reviews are great for driving dynamics and interior usefulness but ergonomics are best saved for something both longterm and exclusive. (not trying multiple cars at a time)</p>
<p>Well I have to disagree about the R56 interior. Cheap plastic and a center console designed by Playschool are both low points for the current evolution. I am guessing the fact that Gabe has said a lot of the mid-cycle redesign is focused on the interior likely means I am not alone with my disappointment in the current design.</p>
<p>The Mini is still a pretty special car but has been largely resting on it laurels instead of striving to keep on the cutting edge for design. When the R50 came out it was like nothing else and today while much of the Mini still is attractive it lead in many area’s is dwindling. The R58 and R59 are great moves to rekindle some of the excitement but I think the moves Mini makes with the mid-cycle design and the next generation Mini are going to largely either make or break the brand.</p>
<p>Agree with JonPD – the R56 interior is one area where the car slipped (as in regressed) over the R53. Driving feel and stock suspension tuning also were slight steps backwards and I won’t address the big elephant in the room, namely exterior styling. Having said that, the MINI continues to be a very compelling drive over its competition, as this article attests. It can be even more so with some design tweaks and suspension spec tweaks which is why a lot of MINI fans are looking forward to see the refresh bring some of the R53 desireability back to the current car!</p>
<p>On the interior design comments of the R56. I agree with a lot of the criticisms of the layout and materials used, but, generally speaking, the R56 interior feels better built and more solid.</p>
<p>A refresh on that centre stack can’t come soon enough, though!</p>
<p>I also really like my R56 interior. R53 interior, not so much.</p>
<p>I have had the opportunity to live with both climate control systems in the R56…the Automatic unit and the manual unit…I find the Automatic unit to be a lot easier to use, and I can get past the oversized dials. I don’t find it preschool at all, and infact if you are that concerned about it, go over to Aestheticreations.net and get a skin for it…
Now to get back to what this article is really about…BMW has a history of being a bench mark/leader throughout the lifecycle of their vehicles…look at the current X3. It is the oldest of the lineup yet still out performs every other competitor hands down in just about every field. This year it is due for the redesign. MINI benifits from everything BMW has. It is good to know that even though this design is the oldest of the bunch, it is still the BEST overall! With everyones input we will continue to make this brand the best overall.
Congrats MINI…and Congrats to all the MINI owners who know what real fun driving is all about.</p>
<p>I think Winding Road is properly acknowleging the basic R56 MINI Cooper S for its amazing combination of quickness, handling & road feel, & fuel economy relative to the others. While the GTI may offer a nicer interior, and the others more interior volume since they are a size (and about two weight classes) up, the MINI is simply a much better driver’s car than any of its “hot hatch” competitors available in the USA.</p>
<p>Gabe predicted that BMW would cheapen the interior of the R56 to invest in the drivetrain. It seems that Gabe was 10000% correct. BMW did as it normally does. Cheapen the interior to spend the money on engine and transmission. Why the R50 and R53 had adjustable height seatbelts and the R56 doesn’t is beyond me. BMW also seemes to be hell bent on bringing a version of iDrive to the MINI. The R60 prototypes clearly showed this. I hope that BMW corrects the interior.</p>
<p>BMW was quick to address the complaints of the suspension being too stiff on the R50/R53. The R56 was softened up but true enthusiasts could still get the stiffer good bits.</p>
<p>The main issue BMW faces is how far mainstreem do they want to take the car. MINI has quite a bit of “character”, How dumb will they dumb down the character?</p>
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<p>Why the R50 and R53 had adjustable height seatbelts and the R56 doesn’t is beyond me.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>BMW also did this to the 3 Series from the E46 to the E90. I personally was glad as they were always a source for rattles in the R50 and R53 MINIs I owned.</p>
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<p>BMW also seemes to be hell bent on bringing a version of iDrive to the MINI.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>That would be fantastic… the new version of iDrive is outstanding.</p>
<p>I cannot believe nobody noticed the excellent article about ///M5 in the same issue…. Not a word about it at bf!? Those guys took part in an (at least to me) epic event at the Ring: testing all iterations of M5s plus an M535i, M635CSi and an M1!!!! Perhaps Michael did not like the conclusion but I thought Gabe, being an E28 owner, would post a link. The tone of the verdict is somewhat of a disappointment of what E60 M5 is compared to previous iterations (good technology and an excellent engine but basically an oversized, overweight bully on steroids, a disconnect between the driver and the road/machine compared to the older ones). I am afraid there is a substantial concern about what future will bring in the M5 compartment, actually M overall….</p>
<p>But back to the MINI article….R56 is not a rational choice here, but man, what a car….It is epic. I would want to have it even if it had no center stack at all, actually even if it had no dials and no stereo and no ac…. I personally am glad it does have all those features and since they all work, I do not care about their appearance. That’s just me.</p>
<p>Funny thing is that they label a 2 or 3-year old design as an old-timer….</p>
<p>Nebo- I did not read the article and you can be sure that I will! Of note :(the E60 is not my favorite version of the ///M5- that would be the E39 and would have love to add one to the stable as soon as I find a Canadain Spec E30 ///M3!)</p>
<p>As for the MINI- the current interior ergonomics are for the birds- and designed with Playdoh as created by Playskool engineers (Jon I agree with you on this!)</p>
<p>-M</p>
<p>@Hardingsan: I agree. When I first drove the Mini, it engaged me. It was all about the drive. That’s what won me over. It wasn’t after a few weeks of driving it that the ill designed interior revealed itself. Anything forward of the steering wheel is horribly designed/implemented. I’m not sure what kind of cup fits into the cup holder that doesn’t block the window switches…maybe kids’ cups…but the kids are in the back and there’s only 1 cup holder for the two of them…maybe they have to share a cup?! That’s just ONE of the least annoying things, at least to me.</p>