A unique story of success is entering the next round: The MINI, the world’s best-selling small premium car, is entering its second model generation.

Making its world debut at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, the new MINI is really new in every respect five years after its predecessor entered the market. As the top performer in its class, the new MINI is making its way to the road with brand-new four-cylinder power units. And despite even better performance and sportiness, the new MINI is even more economical and fuel-efficient than its predecessor.

Outside, the design of the new MINI has gone through a careful process of evolution retaining the characteristic look of the brand. Inside, the new generation has been revolutionised in intelligent and trendy style. New equipment features enhance motoring comfort and driving pleasure in the new MINI to a new standard never seen before.

Entering the market in late 2006, the new MINI Cooper S and the new MINI Cooper will both be making their appearance first. The new MINI Cooper S is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine developing maximum output of 128 kW/175 hp. Acceleration to 100 km/h comes in 7.1 seconds, top speed is 225 km/h or 140 mph. Average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle, in turn, is a mere 6.9 litres/100 kilometres, equal to 40.9 mpg Imp.

The 1.6-litre normal-aspiration power unit in the MINI Cooper develops maximum output of 88 kW/120 hp, accelerating the car from 0—100 km/h in 9.1 seconds and good for a top speed of 203 km/h or 126 mph. Average 
fuel consumption of the new MINI Cooper is just 5.8 litres/100 kilometres or 48.7 mpg Imp.

The “basic” version, the new MINI One featuring a 1.4-litre 70 kW/95 hp four-cylinder power unit, will be entering the market in the first half of 2007. And, finally, there will also be a new MINI featuring the most advanced and sophisticated turbodiesel technology.

All versions of the new MINI naturally retain that go-kart feeling so typical of the car thanks to its low centre of gravity, wide track and “one-wheel-at-every-corner” concept. Given the wide range of innovations on the engine, transmission, the chassis and suspension, steering and brake system, the driving experience reaches a level never seen before. And last but not least, the new MINI, through its stable body structure and exemplary safety equipment, meets the greatest demands the world over also in body stiffness and passenger safety.

Elegant and sporting in its looks.

“From the original to the original” — this was the principle applied from the start in developing the exterior design of the new MINI. So while the design of the body is brand-new all round, it is still unmistakable in every respect. The front end of the new MINI, for example, approaches the world with a friendly smile borne out in particular by the new hexagon radiator grille giving this charming two-door an even more open-minded expression through its design as an open but interconnected element. The separation in the middle on the upper edge of the bumper so characteristic of the radiator grille on the first model has been dropped.

The front end of the new MINI extends out a bit further than before, making the MINI Cooper 60 millimetres or 2,36´´ longer than its predecessor, while the new MINI Cooper S 61 millimetres or 2,40´´ longer. The reason for this growth in length lies in the larger engines as well as future safety regulations. And as a result of the improvements and new dimensions, the new MINI already fulfils the prerequisites today for the pedestrian safety standards required tomorrow.

Striking design, discreet growth.
Apart from the radiator grille, particularly the large round headlights give the new MINI a truly unique face. The direction indicators have now also been integrated in the headlights, adding even greater clarity to the stylish look of the car, with only two instead of the former four “beauty spots” catching the eye.

The positioning lights beneath the headlights also serving to take up the foglamps available as an option enhance this optical function even further in providing a truly unique look. And again from the front, the MINI Cooper S stands out from the MINI Cooper inter alia through its more distinctive powerdome and the characteristic opening in the engine compartment lid.

From the side the new MINI is firm and muscular. The row of windows running all round the car as a particular highlight in design is most characteristic of the new MINI. The so-called “greenhouse”, in turn, that is the glazed section on the passenger compartment cell, now tapers out to the rear in a more pronounced sweep than on the former model, clearly highlighting the very dynamic look and orientation of the car.

At the rear the new MINI has a sporting and powerful look through its even more distinguished “shoulders” skilfully balancing out the increase in size at the front. And since the overall design of the car retains the well-known proportions of the MINI, the new dimensions remain discreet in their visual impact.

The typical signs of the MINI’s premium character, on the other hand, come out even more clearly, with chrome flashing brightly on the door handles, headlights, rear lights and radiator grille surrounds, on the fuel tank filler cap and around the car’s shoulder line. So in its elegantly adorned look and well-proportioned compactness, the new MINI is reminiscent of a sculpture on wheels.

Intelligent Interior.
The new MINI has been thoroughly revised and updated inside. Intelligent design reduces the instruments to a minimum, placing them puristically within circular dials. In combination with the taut horizontal geometry of the dashboard, the instruments characterise the design language and overall style of the car’s interior, with the rev counter positioned behind the steering wheel in the driver’s direct line of vision.

The central unit also in the new MINI is the Center Speedo even larger than before and thus highlighted in its particular significance. Comprising far more functions than on the former model, the Center Speedo now also includes the indicators and controls for the entertainment system as well as the display of the optional navigation unit.

Thanks to the more slender design of the centre console, the space available in the footwells on both the driver’s and front passenger’s side is even more generous than before. The horizontally aligned structure of the cockpit, in turn, is reflected by the arrangement of the car’s controls grouped in the Center Stack beneath the Center Speedo.

The vertically arranged rotary knobs of the ventilation system, the two cupholders integrated in the centre console, as well as the toggle switches carried over from motorsport, are also typical and characteristic of MINI. Indeed, these switches serving, inter alia, to activate the electric window lifts, seat heating and central locking are even larger than before on the new model, and for the first time the new MINI also comes with toggle switches in the roof lining.

All instruments offer particular ease of control and are positioned in exactly the right ergonomic arrangement. A round signal unit in typical MINI style now serves as the door and ignition lock, with the engine being started by means of the start/stop button.

Choosing your own light colour.
New ambient illumination included in the optional Lights Package sets a unique highlight. Providing “waterfall” illumination flowing down discreetly from above and serving as indirect illumination in the roof lining, the door storage compartments and grab handle recesses, the interior lights scheme creates a unique atmosphere of sophisticated style inside the car. And as yet another feature typical of MINI, the colour of the lights may be changed in five stages from warm orange to sporting blue.

Individual style — the name of the game.
With its exceptionally versatile and attractive range of equipment variants and optional extras, the new MINI satisfies even the greatest demands made by the most discerning individualist. Featuring materials such as natural wood and hand-sewn piped leather with their unique smell of style and class, the new model definitely appeals to all the customer’s senses. And decorative trim as well as the MINI Colour Line both serve to adjust the interior to the personal preferences of the customer.

No less than 12 body colours come as standard, eight of which are metallic. This wide range of choice is further enhanced by free choice of the roof colour and painting scheme, with the roof being available in both white and black as an alternative to the “regular” colour of the body.

As an option both the MINI Cooper S and the MINI Cooper are both available in Chrome Line comprising chrome surrounds on the lower air intake scoop, the foglamps and rear fog warning light (MINI Cooper), on the air intake in the rear air dam (MINI Cooper S) and on the tailgate grab handle (MINI Cooper S).

New engines: powerful and economical.
The MINI Cooper S boasts a 1.6-litre turbocharged power unit developing maximum output of 128 kW/175 hp. The engine is charged by a twin-scroll turbocharger driven by the separate flow of exhaust gases coming in each case from two cylinders.

Benefiting from this particular configuration, the turbocharger builds up its power-boosting effect from low engine speeds, offering substantial advantages in practice: The 1.6-litre four-cylinder in the MINI Cooper S develops its superior power with muscle and momentum quite unusual for an engine of its size. Maximum torque of 240 Nm or 177 lb-ft is maintained consistently in the range between 1,600 and 5,000 rpm, and when accelerating all out torque is increased briefly to an even more significant 260 Nm or 192 lb-ft by a short increase in turbocharger pressure (overboost).

The MINI Cooper features a four-cylinder normal-aspiration power unit also displacing 1.6 litres and developing maximum output of 88 kW/120 hp and maximum torque of 160 Nm/118 lb-ft. Management of the engine’s intake valves featuring the BMW Group’s unique VALVETRONIC technology is fully variable, with valve lift and opening times being adjusted infinitely and with electronic precision to the respective power requirements. This innovative valve management ensures not only particularly good engine response and superior refinement, but also low fuel consumption and optimum emission control.

Both engines are fitted crosswise in the car, the up-to-date lightweight concept including an innovative camshaft construction as well as a crankshaft optimised for weight. Fuel consumption is further optimised by the volume flow-controlled oil pump and on-demand operation of the water pump for the coolant — two features previously only to be found in higher car segments.

The new MINI Cooper and the new MINI Cooper S both come as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox. Automatic transmission also with six speeds is optional on both models, modern gearshift technology minimising 
gearshift forces and ensuring a particularly smooth and efficient gearchange under all conditions.

Go-kart feeling in perfection.
Compared with the MINI Cooper, the chassis and suspension of the 
MINI Cooper S is even more sporting and dynamic. In both cases the driving experience is determined first and foremost by that go-kart feeling so typical of MINI, nimble and agile handling as well as enhanced responsiveness bringing out the unique character of the MINI in even greater perfection than before. And both models are available as an option with sports suspension for an even higher standard of driving pleasure and fun at the wheel.

The new EPAS Electrical Power Assisted Steering makes a significant contribution to the MINI’s superior agility, speed-related support of the steering ensuring low steering forces when parking and a precise response at high speeds on the Autobahn.

Safety premium-style.
Through its solid and firm body structure alone, the new MINI offers a standard of crash safety quite exemplary in its segment. Despite the short overhangs of the car, optimised load paths serve in a collision to divert the forces acting on the body with maximum efficiency. And reflecting the MINI’s premium standard, both model variants come in addition with a wide range of safety features, no less than six airbags fitted as standard serving to protect the occupants all round on all seats.

Extra active safety in critical situations is ensured by ABS anti-lock brakes, EBD Electronic Brake Force Distribution, CBC Cornering Brake Control, ASC+T Automatic Stability Control + Traction standard on the MINI Cooper S and with an on-off switch for individual control by the driver, as well as DSC Dynamic Stability Control.

The Brake Assistant on the MINI is able to determine the need to apply 
the brakes even harder in an emergency, building up maximum brake pressure instantaneously whenever required.

Yet another new feature is the Hill Assist start-off function for uphill gradients operating in conjunction with DSC and activating the brakes on a hill or slope to prevent the car from rolling back.

Given its many features and strengths, the new MINI follows in the successful footsteps of its predecessor already accounting for sales of more than 800,000 units and enjoying great popularity among a consistently growing group of fans the world over. And with the high standards of quality, technology and safety of the BMW Group, the new MINI, more than ever before, underlines its claim to leadership in its segment.

Body Design

“From the original to the original” — from the start, this was the principle in developing the exterior design of the new MINI. Indeed, even the first generation of the modern MINI was very successful in adapting the concept of the classic MINI from the year 1959 to our modern age. And now this philosophy of continuity is going on: “In terms of exterior design, the new MINI is an evolution of its predecessor”, states MINI’s Chief Designer Gert Hildebrand.

The objective in creating the car was to bring out all features and signs of distinction not only of classical significance, but also typical of the modern MINI, with even greater clarity and consistency. So following this line, the entire car has been re-designed and its characteristic shape authentically updated.

The traditional signs of distinction on the MINI, which have indeed developed into genuine icons in design in the meantime, include the car’s large round headlights. While the clear glass main headlights have been turned slightly to the outside to retain the proven geometry of the front end, not only their light beam, but also the “face” of the new MINI points clearly to the front.

Combining classic design with modern, sophisticated technology, this also provides a light beam even more powerful than before for even greater safety on the road. And with the direction indicators formerly in a separate position now being integrated in the headlight units, only the positioning lights also comprising the optional foglamps remain as a single insular element, the characteristic “beauty spots” in the face of the new MINI.

The front end: each model variant with its own individual look.
The new design of the car is borne out particularly by the hexagonal radiator grille made up on the new MINI of one self-contained element without the former separation at the top of the bumper. Through its particular shape and design, the modified hexagonal radiator grille is even more reminiscent than before of the air intake on the classic MINI, thus further enhancing the powerful expression of this design icon. And the horizontal orientation of the radiator grille emphasises the sheer width of the body, giving the new MINI an even more masculine look.

At the front both the new MINI Cooper and the new MINI Cooper S come in their own individual style. On the MINI Cooper the edges of the lower air intake swing up slightly, creating the impression as if the MINI Cooper had a real smile on its face. The radiator grille is formed by three chrome-plated fins, giving it a truly likeable and somewhat more nostalgic look than on the MINI Cooper S with its particularly masculine and sporting front end.

A further feature is that the engine compartment lid on the MINI Cooper S extends up 20 millimetres or 0.79´´ further than on the other models, providing the additional space required for the turbocharged power unit. 
“This is an example of the classic ‘form follows function’ philosophy and is typical of MINI”, states Exterior Designer Marcus Syring. “Authentic design shows what lies inside — which is precisely why we 
have consciously given the MINI Cooper S a somewhat more powerful and muscular front end.”

Supplementing this special look, the radiator grille comes with a different grid pattern extending into the air intakes. Overall, this makes the grille look larger than on the MINI Cooper, with its design alluding full of self-confidence to the size and power of the engine behind it. And in addition the new MINI Cooper S is again characterised by the typical opening in the engine compartment lid.

Modern aerodynamics in classic design.
Both model variants of the new MINI now boast a more up-to-date silhouette and, as a result, enhanced aerodynamics provided by vertical air flow spoilers on the C-pillar and individual spoilers at the rear end of the roof. The drag coefficient of the MINI Cooper is now 0.33 and the spoiler on the MINI Cooper S is far more strongly accentuated than before.

The shoulder line on both models rises up slightly to the rear, the difference in height at the B-pillar versus the previous model being 18 millimetres or 0.71´´. The wedge shape created in this way supports and symbolises the enhanced driving dynamics of the new MINI in its clear and convincing form.

The greenhouse characteristic of the modern MINI has been further revised and upgraded to an even higher standard. Glazing all round encompasses the car like a continuous row of windows, creating the impression as if the roof were hovering freely in space. This strip of glass tapers out more to the rear than on the former model, enhancing and underlining the sporting character of the new MINI.

As a reminiscence to the great-grandfather of the original model from the 1950s, all variants of the new MINI feature a diagonal body joint extending from the engine compartment to the side direction indicator — precisely where the classic MINI had a clearly visible welding seam. Further features giving the new MINI its nostalgic touch are the chrome-plated door handles as well as the direction indicator lights on the front side panels.

Seen from the side, the new MINI has a particularly dynamic and firm look in its new line. This impression is supplemented by very small body overhangs front and rear as well as the large wheels almost appearing to be pillars holding the car in position. Indeed, both the classic MINI and the new MINI have been famous for decades for this “stance on the wheels”.

Clear lines at the rear.
The new length of the MINI is balanced off at the rear by stronger and more muscular shoulders and by a clear focus on the car’s horizontal lines. These lines interact beautifully with the striking “cascade” configuration of the MINI, with the individual sections of the car building on one another step-by-step from bottom to top. As a result, the new MINI shows a strong and a stable look also from behind.

As genuine icons in design, the upright rear light clusters largely retain their old form, having only being slightly enlarged also in the interest of optimum driving safety. And now, with their separate chrome frames at the outside in an even more solid and sophisticated look, the rear light clusters stand out additionally in new glory, but remain at the same distance as before from the now larger “black band” forming the bottom edge of the car.

The MINI Cooper S also stands out from the other model versions at the rear, where it boasts some visual references to motorsport. These include the dual tailpipes in the middle of the rear air dam, a larger air outlet at the rear, and the two-piece rear fog warning light.
Body colours: roof also in black or white.

Customisation of the new MINI again starts with the wide range of paintwork colours: The new MINI will be available with no less than 12 body colours, eight of which are metallic. Two brand-new colours are Mellow Yellow and Oxygen Blue, while Chili Red and Pepper White were already to be admired on the former models.

The metallic colours are British Racing Green, Pure Silver, Astro Black and, as new colours, Sparkling Silver, Lightning Blue, and Nightfire Red. The MINI Cooper S is also available exclusively in Dark Silver and Laser Blue, two metallic colours reserved for this model alone.

Moving on to the roof, the range of paintwork options allows even greater freedom of choice, with the MINI purchaser being able to opt for roof paintwork not only in body colour, but also in black or white. Yet a further option for customising both the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S is the new Chrome Line Package comprising chrome-plated surrounds on the lower air intake scoop, the foglamps and rear fog warning light (MINI Cooper) as well as the air outlet (at the rear of the MINI Cooper S) and the rear lid grab handle (also on the MINI Cooper S).

Interior.

The interior of the new MINI is the result of a genuine revolution in design comprising all areas and features of the car’s interior.The results of this revolution are significant, far-reaching and versatile: The range of features and equipment is even larger than before, ergonomics has been optimised to a new standard, the space available inside the car is more generous, the materials used are more sophisticated, and the quality in design reflects the premium standard of the new MINI to its last detail.

Within the cockpit the overall look of the car is concentrated on just a few clear shapes and contours, thus emphasising the sorting and masculine character of the interior. With the number of instruments reduced in comparison with the former model, the new MINI nevertheless offers even more functions than before.

Despite exterior dimensions remaining almost the same as before, the feeling of space within the new MINI has been significantly enhanced: “In developing the design of the car, our objective was to create maximum car on minimum space”, states MINI interior designer Marc Gerard. Precisely this is why the slender shape of the centre console now offers additional legroom for the driver and front passenger alike, just as the horizontal segmentation of the instrument panel emphasises the sheer generosity of the interior.

The round air vents moved far to the outside also serve to emphasise the width of the instrument panel, stretching the horizontal orientation of the cockpit and at the same time forming a clear link and transition to the door linings.

Ergonomics and ease of control.
Carefully arranging and spacing out the instruments in the cockpit, the development specialists attached great significance to simple and ergonomic control. Hence, all controls and switches are arranged in a perfect hierarchy depending on their frequency and urgency of use. The central unit is and remains the round Center Speedo now re-interpreted from the ground up: The Centre Speedo has grown, stands out more clearly, and emphasises the cockpit ambience on board the new MINI. Apart from the analogue speedometer, the Center Speedo for the first time houses the audio system as well as the optional entertainment and navigation functions.

A unique instrument is the speedometer display encompassing all other functions in a complete ring. The high precision of the Center Speedo allows optimum ergonomic use and control, with the display positioned right in the middle of the central instrument.

Sporting character of the cockpit.
The horizontally aligned structure of the cockpit is reflected by the arrangement of the controls and switches grouped in the Center Stack beneath the Center Speedo. Further features specific of MINI are the vertically arranged rotary knobs for ventilation purposes, two cupholders integrated in the bottom of the centre console, as well as the toggle switches carried over from motorsport.

Serving inter alia to activate the electric window lifts, seat heating and central locking, these switches are larger than before on the new MINI, and go together for the first time with further toggle switches in the roof lining. Opening and closing the sliding roof, therefore, again takes place in that typical MINI style.

Like in motorsport, the rev counter is positioned directly behind the steering wheel exactly in the driver’s line of vision. And an additional, digital speed display in the steering column provides quick confirmation of the car’s current speed.

The conventional ignition key is replaced in the new MINI by a round, electronic signalling unit again finished in typical MINI style: Once inserted in the entry slot behind the steering wheel, this new electronic key allows the driver to switch the engine on and off at the mere touch of a button.

MINI all the way: light effects in the customer’s favourite colour.
The new ambient illumination included in the optional lights package creates a particular highlight within the interior of the MINI: Acting as “waterfall” illumination flowing discreetly down from above and as indirect illumination in the roof lining, the door storage compartments and grab handle recesses, the interior lights scheme creates a unique atmosphere of sophisticated style. And as yet another feature typical of MINI, the light colour may be changed at any time in five stages from warm orange to sporting blue, depending on the occupants’ personal mood and preference.

Pure enjoyment for all your senses.
Encountering the new MINI is an experience you will perceive not only with your eyes and ears. For particularly the interior boasts numerous elements appealing just as much to your sense of touch and smell: “The touch effect, that is the impression of how materials actually feel, is extremely important”, states MINI Material and Colour Designer Annette Baumeister. Particularly sophisticated materials, clear structures, as well as the fine surface grain provide a strong expression of the car’s supreme quality. And to underline the attention to detail as well as the sophisticated materials that have gone into the new MINI, the individual surfaces and trim sections are intentionally small, the decal and trim rings particularly filigree in design.

The door linings also take up the design language of circular elements combined with horizontal structures. The main, elliptical element now extends all the way to the rear, the elliptical contour surrounding the armrest almost light in appearance, a door bag and the round door openers.

The colour worlds for the trim and the MINI’s interior features are Carbon Black, Gotham Grey, Tuscan Beige, and Redwood Red, either in harmony with one another or forming an exciting contrast to the body colour and decorative trim, depending on the customer’s personal choice. The instrument panel of the new MINI is made of up two horizontally structured sections with a decorative surface in between. The plastic surfaces, in turn, come with a particularly fine surface grain highlighting the sheer value and significance of the material.

Authentic and sophisticated: materials in premium quality.
Optional Colour Line allows very individual design and configuration 
of the entire cockpit, the various colour accents in the lower sections of the instrument panel extending smoothly into the door linings and being combined particularly effectively with various decorative trim materials.

Colour Line is available in the five colours Dark Grey, Cream White, Pacific Blue, Rooster Red, and Mellow Yellow, with four exclusive variants for the decorative trim elements available over and above the standard versions for the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S: These are glossy black Piano paint, dark-brown grain oakwood, dust aluminium, and a particularly fine, glossy surface inspired by the structure of liquid metal.

An expression of the new MINI’s authentic premium character is the use of natural wood and solid aluminium inside the car. And as an option both a fully closing storage box and a CD changer may be integrated in the trim panel on the front passenger’s side.

Different seat upholstery options also serve to distinguish between the MINI Cooper and the MINI Cooper S: Special, eye-catching seams on the MINI Cooper, for example, enhance the lifestyle atmosphere within 
the car through its very purist basic material. The seat upholstery on the MINI Cooper S, for example, features a graphic chequer design reminiscent of the chequered flag in motorsport.

The chequered cloth used for this purpose highlights the sporting character and performance of the MINI Cooper S, but may be replaced by classic pinstripe cloth also available as an option, combining an elegant and fine woven look with leather available in four colour variants on the side supports of the seats. The role model for this particularly sophisticated upholstery was the classic pinstripe suit.

Hand-sewn piped leather for that unique touch of class.
In the process of designing and refining the interior, the designers have once again shown their great attention and, indeed, love for detail. And the customer is able to follow this example, using the many options to personalise his or her new MINI.

A set of no less than 16 chrome-plated trim rings, inter alia for the air vents, cupholders, and instruments, makes the interior even more elegant and sophisticated in its look. Moving on to the leather upholstery, the customer has the choice of Leather Punch in Carbon Black or Leather Gravity in Tuscan Beige.

Classic Leather Lounge seats complete with attractive piping and available in two colour variants as an option bear out the very special touch of class so distinctive of the new MINI with its very British heritage. These seats with their exclusive piping combine the traditional values of the brand with very modern design language, the exclusive piped leather being hand-sewn and exuding supreme quality for all your senses.

Demanding and sophisticated entertainment and navigation systems also underline the premium character of the new MINI. The technical highlights include a hybrid TV receiver quite unique in the new MINI’s segment and serving to receive both analogue TV and DVB-T signals for a significantly higher standard of programme choice and image quality in densely populated areas. Indeed, this allows the customer to receive up to 30 TV stations inside his car.

Quality of reception is significantly enhanced by an innovative diversity aerial, an all-round system of aerials not only choosing the most powerful station in each case, but also adding up and aggregating all aerial signals received to provide a clear TV picture.

Power Units.

Enhanced driving pleasure and even greater economy — the all-new power units of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S likewise open up a new generation in the market. Both of the 1.6-litre four-cylinders come from an engine family designed and built with the help of know-how from 
motorsport and offering numerous innovative details and solutions.
The naturally aspirated power unit of the new MINI Cooper S develops maximum output of 88 kW/120 hp, the turbocharged engine in the 

MINI Cooper S churns out an even more impressive 128 kW/175 hp.
In the first half of 2007, the MINI One with its 70 kW/95 hp 1.4-litre will be supplementing the model range, and the most advanced turbodiesel technology will also be available on the new MINI at an appropriate time 
in future.

Introduction of this all-new range of petrol engines is not only the key to enhanced driving dynamics in the MINI, but also a significant step en route to meeting the self-imposed commitment made by the European automotive industry to reduce CO2 emissions on a fleet average to 140 g/km by the year 2008. “Launching the new range of engines, we have succeeded in transferring sophisticated and technically demanding engine technology to the segment of small and compact cars”, says Erich Sonntag, Drivetrain Project Manager in the development of the new MINI. “Our key target was Efficient Dynamics, in other words: enhanced performance on less fuel.”

MINI Cooper S: turbocharged power unit with direct gasoline injection.
The 1,6-litre turbocharged power unit featured in the new MINI Cooper S offers particularly impressive power and performance data: Maximum output of 128 kW/175 hp and specific output of 80.1 kW/litre are new benchmarks in this segment set by the four-cylinder made of light alloy. Maximum output comes at 5,500 rpm, peak torque of 240 Nm or 177 lb-ft is available all the way from 1,600—5,000 rpm. And when accelerating the torque level is briefly pushed even higher by a short increase in charge pressure (overboost), reaching no less than 260 Nm or 192 lb-ft.

Clearly, this makes the new MINI Cooper S a particularly dynamic car on the road, accelerating to 100 km/h in just 7.1 seconds. Acceleration from 80—120 km/h or 50—75 mph, in turn, as is typically required when overtaking, comes in an equally fast 5.5 seconds. And top speed of the new MINI Cooper S, finally, is 225 km/h or 140 mph.

Apart from outstanding performance, another particular quality of the new power unit is its high efficiency. In practice, this means that the new MINI Cooper S makes do with a moderate 6.9 litres/100 km/h (equal to 
40.9 mpg Imp) average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle. State-of-the-art drivetrain technology for maximum performance and efficiency all in one.

Like the naturally aspirated power unit in the MINI Cooper, the new turbocharged engine boasts the latest and most advanced features in engine technology. The four valves per cylinder are driven by two overhead camshafts, friction-optimised roller-type drag arms and hydraulic compensation elements for valve clearance. The outlet valves are filled with sodium in order to meet the greater need for cooling a turbocharged power unit, the intake camshaft comes with infinite phase adjustment varying valve timing to current power requirements. The result is optimum output and torque on low fuel consumption and with emissions kept to a minimum.

The turbocharged four-cylinder receives its fuel through direct gasoline injection applying the common rail principle. The stainless-steel common rail covering all cylinders is pressurised by a high-pressure pump at the rear end of the intake camshaft.

Injection valves positioned at the side in the cylinder head convey fuel out of the common rail within fractions of a second and in exactly metered amounts going directly into the combustion chamber. Four valve pockets and the combustion chamber trough in the middle of each piston ensure optimum charge stratification of the homogeneous fuel/air mixture (λ = 1.0). Running in cast-iron bushes and subject to high thermal loads due to the compression ratio of 10.5 : 1 relatively high also for a turbocharged power unit, the pistons are cooled by splash oil.
Spontaneous development of power thanks to the twin-scroll turbocharger principle.

Featuring a twin-scroll turbocharger, the new MINI Cooper S offers yet another premiere in its segment. Through its layout and design principle, a twin-scroll turbocharger allows particularly spontaneous build-up of power, the ducts of two cylinders at a time being separated from one another in the exhaust gas manifold and the turbocharger.

Reducing exhaust gas counterpressure at low engine speeds, this configuration allows better and more efficient use of the pulsating gas columns in the manifold. This effect, in turn, enhances the response of the turbocharger, with its rotor blades developing optimum momentum from the ground up at low engine speeds.
Charge pressure limited by a wastegate to 0.8 bar, builds up as of an engine speed of just 1,400 rpm, thus virtually eliminating the turbo “gap” when accelerating so typical of a conventional turbocharged engine. As a result, the 1.6-litre turbocharged power unit in the MINI Cooper S shows the same kind of response, behaviour and dynamism as a much larger normal-aspiration engine.

“The strategy to achieve the power and performance of a larger engine in a smaller and more fuel-efficient power unit is referred to as ‘downsizing’”, states Erich Sonntag, the Drivetrain Project Manager responsible for the new MINI. “With its specific output of approximately 110 hp per litre, the turbocharged engine of the new MINI is a good example of this concept.”

The power unit of the MINI Cooper: compact, powerful, economical.
Also displacing 1.6 litres, the naturally-aspirated power unit in the new MINI Cooper combines supreme driving pleasure with equally outstanding economy. Maximum output of 88 kW/120 hp comes at 6,000 rpm, 
with torque reaching 140 Nm or 103 lb-ft at just 2, 000 rpm and peaking at 160 Nm/118 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm.

Through its wide useful speed range, this compact power unit combines optimum fun of motoring with efficient fuel management. Acceleration 
to 100 km/h in the MINI Cooper comes in 9.1 seconds, top speed is 203 km/h or 206 mph. And with its superior muscle, this high-torque four-cylinder takes the driver from 80—120 km/h (50—75 mph), for example when overtaking, in just 9.4 seconds in the car’s second-highest gear.
Fuel consumption of the new MINI Cooper in the EU test cycle, finally, averages just 5.8 litres/100 km, equal to 48.7 mpg Imp.

VALVETRONIC technology setting the standard.
One of the innovative technical features of this four-cylinder is fully variable valve management based on the BMW Group’s unique VALVETRONIC technology. With this cutting-edge valve control, intake valve lift and the opening period are adjusted to current power and performance requirements within fractions of a second. To achieve this effect the camshaft does not act on the valve directly via a follower, but rather comes with an additional intermediate lever in between whose pivot point is adjusted by an eccentric shaft driven by an electric motor. Depending on the position of the intermediate lever, intake valve lift is varied infinitely between 0.2 and 9.5 millimetres or 0.008 and 0.37´´. And the process of switching over from minimum to maximum lift takes only about 300 milliseconds.

In addition to variable control of valve lift on the intake side, valve timing on the intake and outlet side is spread out as required as a function of engine speed. This spread process is also infinite, again taking place when required within a mere 300 milliseconds.

This incredibly fast response in the control and timing process is made possible by a high-performance 32-bit computer integrated in the engine management system.

Acting together as a team, variable valve lift and speed-related camshaft management serve to optimise the engine’s torque curve and power output. As a result, the power unit of the new MINI Cooper builds up significant torque even at low engine speeds and develops far higher output at high speeds than a conventional engine.

A further advantage offered by these two technologies is the significant reduction of fuel consumption by up to 20 per cent, depending on the route the driver is taking and its specific profile. On average, the reduction of fuel consumption in the composite EU test cycle is approximately 12.5 per cent.

Yet another advantage is the ability of the engine to run smoothly on all grades of fuel, which is of course an essential point for a global player like MINI.

New engine family with technologies carried over from motorsport.

The new power units featured in the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S are built at the BMW Group’s Hams Hall engine plant in Great Britain. Compared with the engines in the former model, they are both turned around at an angle of 180°, with the exhaust side now facing to the front.

The basic configuration is the same in many areas on both the normal-aspiration and turbocharged power unit: Both engines have the same distance between cylinders of 84 millimetres or 3.31´´, the same bore of 77 millimetres or 3.03´´, the same stroke of 85.5 millimetres or 3.37´´ and, accordingly, the same displacement of 1,598 cc.

The two-piece bedplate construction of the crankcase is a sophisticated technology carried over directly from motorsport, the cylinder block and bearing housing are cast out of aluminium alloy.

Integration of the chain box in the crankcase as such again helps to save weight, improve the engine’s acoustics, and reduce the number of components. The camshafts on both engines are so-called composite structures. Contrary to conventional castings, the cam rings made of high-strength stainless steel are shrunk-fit on to the camshaft, following which they are fine-polished down to an accuracy of 1∕1000 th of a millimetre.

The eccentric shaft for phase adjustment is also made in this process, again helping to save weight.

The lightweight concept applied in developing the new MINI power units also serves to reduce friction losses. Precisely this is why the crankshafts on both power units are weight-optimised in their construction and feature special bearing shells as well as relatively small bearing journals measuring just 45 mm or 1.77 in diameter.
The alternator and climate compressor are both driven by one single poly-V- belt, while the coolant pump is driven by a friction wheel, both of these improvements helping to make the engines in the new MINI particularly small and compact. Indeed, they are among the shortest four-cylinders in their class.

Yet another new feature in the MINI segment is the use of a volume-flow-controlled oil pump, the chain-driven pump only delivering the amount of energy the engine actually requires. This reduces the power uptake of the engine’s ancillaries by approximately 160 W, meaning about 1.25 kW more power at 6,000 rpm and reducing fuel consumption by roughly 1 per cent.

On-demand operation of the water pump in the coolant circuit has a similar effect, with the pump not cutting in until the engine has reached its normal operating temperature. This helps to save fuel while the engine is warming up and enables the catalytic converter to quickly reach the temperature required for an optimum effect.

Manual Gearbox and Automatic Transmission.

Maximum precision, short transmission ratios and high gearshift speeds — these are the features typical of the transmission in the new MINI. Following MINI’s philosophy to integrate the drivetrain as directly into 
the car as possible with the greatest possible sporting effect, all engines in the new generation come as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox.

Automatic transmission also featuring six speeds is available as an option on both models, again with gear increments tailored perfectly to the engine’s level of power and torque.

The new MINI Cooper — and, later, also the new MINI One — accelerates even faster by means of a gearbox with single-cone synchromesh and carbon friction plates on the first two gears. Other new features in this context are the helical gear pattern and synchromesh on the reverse gear, avoiding unpleasant, annoying noise when shifting into gear and when backing-up.

Limited-slip differential for optimum traction.
In the MINI Cooper S the first two gears are synchronised by means of a double cone. This shortens gearshift times and reduces the forces required for shifting gears. As an option the MINI Cooper S is also available with a mechanical limited-slip differential preventing the drive wheels from spinning on a slippery surface or in a dynamic bend.

Six-speed automatic transmission in the new MINI ensures driving pleasure far beyond the usual limits. The first point is that the driver is able to shift gears manually via paddles on the steering wheel, keeping both hands on the wheel at all times and therefore retaining full control of his — or her — MINI. The next point is that the transmission is operated by no less than five clutches, avoiding virtually any interruption of drive power and torque when shifting gears.

The sports button: even more dynamic gearshift at the touch 
of a button.
The enthusiast in search of even more power and performance will also find the ideal solution: As an option the new MINI is available with a sports button arranged upfront of the gear selector lever. So to give the car a significantly more passionate set-up, all the driver has to do is briefly press the button to modify the Servotronic mode on the steering wheel and give the gas pedal a far more spontaneous response. And last but not least, this also makes gearshift times even shorter on the automatic transmission.

Chassis and Suspension.

The chassis and suspension of the second-generation MINI again sets 
brand-new standards. The most significant innovation on the new model is EPAS Electrical Power Assisted Steering offering a unique combination of driving comfort and dynamics — and, as a result, ensuring even greater fun in the new MINI.

The steering is sporting and direct thanks to speed-related power assistance and the option to vary the steering control map by pressing the sports button, the steering characteristics adjusting not only to current driving conditions, but also to the driver’s individual requirements and wishes.

All the innovations on the chassis and suspension serve to further enhance that go-kart feeling already acknowledged as so legendary on the MINI. Indeed, with its front-wheel drive, low centre of gravity and wide track, the new MINI is the very epitome of agile handling more than ever before. 

And while this driving experience so typical of the MINI is therefore even more intense and thrilling than in the past, the new model is also able, through its upgraded chassis and suspension, to convey its sporting power and performance even more comfortably and safely to the road.

McPherson spring struts on the front axle ensure excellent wheel 
guidance and control at all times, keeping the steering almost completely free of drive forces both in fast bends and when accelerating or braking.

The new central-arm rear axle, a configuration quite unique in the MINI segment, offers the guarantee for optimum roadholding at all times through its sophisticated kinematics. All the know-how of the BMW Group has indeed gone into the development of the new rear axle, use of aluminium longitudinal arms helping to save 6 kilos or 13 lb in weight versus the former model.

Anti-roll bars, finally, help to enhance the agile and safe handling of both the MINI Cooper S and the MINI Cooper to a higher level than ever before.

New electromechanical power steering.
Introducing the new model generation into the market, MINI is also launching a new generation of steering systems: The new EPAS Electric Power Assisted Steering in the MINI reflects the BMW Group’s general development strategy in this area, with the new steering system in the MINI helping to save significant weight compared with a conventional hydraulic system. A further advantage is that the electrical servo motor is only activated when steering assistance is really required or desired by the driver. And with its low weight, plus on-demand function tailored to the driver’s actual needs, the new steering in the MINI also helps to reduce fuel consumption by approximately 0.1 litres/100 kilometres.

The electromechanical steering system interacts with various set-up programs: In the Basic mode, steering assistance is evenly balanced as a function of the car’s road speed, allowing the driver to manoeuvre and park the car with minimum effort. In the interest of safety and precision, on the other hand, higher steering forces are required at higher speeds, which is why the sports button activates a far more dynamic control function with higher steering forces and enhanced steering precision.

The modern mechanical control system in the steering reduces both mass inertia and friction within the steering system in all situations, giving the driver even more precise feedback through the steering wheel.

Choice of two suspension set-ups.
Both models are available with two suspension variants. In the basic configuration, the new MINI Cooper S even exceeds and outperforms the by all means sporting configuration on the new MINI Cooper. And both model variants are available as an option with a special sports suspension featuring harder springs, dampers, and anti-roll bars. The front axle comes with inner-vented brake discs measuring 280 millimetres or 11.02´´ in diameter (294 millimetres or 11.57´´ on the MINI Cooper S). The rear axle, in turn, houses brake discs measuring 259 millimetres or 10.20´´ across.

In both model variants, the strong and reliable brake system free of fading is supported by ABS anti-lock brakes, EBD Electronic Brake Force Distribution, as well as CBC Cornering Brake Control. The Brake Assistant in the new MINI, in turn, recognises application of the brakes in an emergency and immediately builds up maximum brake pressure.

Additional safety in critical situations is provided by ASC+T Automatic Stability Control + Traction standard in the MINI Cooper S and operating on-demand with an on/off switch function, as well as DSC Dynamic Stability Control. 

Yet another new feature is the Hill Assist set-off function interacting with DSC to activate the brake system when setting off on an uphill gradient and preventing the car from rolling back.

The MINI Cooper comes as standard on 15-inch light-alloy rims running on 175/65 R 15 tyres. The MINI Cooper S, in turn, boasts 16-inch light-alloy rims on 195/65 R 16 tyres. Seventeen-inch rims on 205/45 R 17 tyres are available as an option, and it almost goes without saying the new MINI Cooper S is equipped with runflat tyres as standard.

Through their runflat qualities, these tyres allow the driver to keep on going even with a completely flat tyre, covering a distance of up to 150 kilometres at a speed of up to 80 km/h or 50 mph. And in addition, the new MINI is equipped with a Tyre Defect Indicator permanently monitoring and checking air pressure in the tyres.

Safety Equipment.

Apart from driving behaviour superior at all times, the new MINI also comes with a wide range of active safety features. As a result, the car fulfils all legal standards in all countries in which it is sold, just as the new MINI offers all the features for optimum results in all crash tests relevant the world over.

In putting together the new MINI’s very comprehensive range of safety features, the BMW Group’s safety specialists followed a wide spectrum of practice-oriented accident research. And from the outset they also 
considered future requirements, for example in the area of pedestrian safety and protection.

Six airbags featured as standard.
Six airbags come as standard, the overall package of restraint systems 
consisting of frontal, side and curtain head airbags for the driver and front passenger. The frontal airbags inflate as a function of the type and severity of an accident calculated by a central computer. The two side airbags are integrated in the side panels of the front seats, effectively protecting the driver and front passenger from thorax injuries. The curtain head airbags, in turn, inflate when required from the roof lining, forming large “curtains” over the windows and thus offering the car’s occupants at both front and rear maximum protection from head injury. Three-point seat belts are featured on all four seats, equipped additionally with belt tensioners and belt force limiters at the front.

Fitted crosswise at the front, the power unit of the new MINI offers ideal qualities for optimum crash behaviour, especially in combination with the extra-large deformation zones in the front section of the body, serving to take up most of the impact forces in the event of a collision.

Highly stable crossbars and reinforced door structures also help to keep impact energy away from the passenger cell, with the same effect 
being provided by the front axle again taking up energy and passing on 
forces through the floor of the car. The electrical fuel pump is switched off automatically in a severe accident, the central locking is opened and both the interior lights as well as the hazard warning flashers are immediately activated.

The new MINI is not only a particularly sporting, but also a very safe car, thus fulfilling the great demands made of a premium vehicle also in the small car segment. Indeed, it is fair to say that the new MINI combines driving pleasure with sportiness and safety in every respect.

Story of Success.

Very rarely are expectations exceeded by such a margin. Today the BMW Group Plant in Oxford, Great Britain, builds about twice as many MINIs as originally planned, with production exceeding the figure of 200,000 units for the first time in 2005.

Since the beginning of the new era in 2001, more than 800,000 units of the modern MINI have been built in Oxford, and sold in some 70 countries the world over. Now the MINI’s global story of success is continuing. Right from the start, the first generation of the modern MINI achieved the goal set by its creators to adapt the character of the classic MINI from 1959 to our modern day and age. And so the modern MINI not only reflects the compact shape and style of its “grandfather”, but also brings back all the charm and lifestyle of the original classic created by Sir Alec Issigonis. Through its new dimensions, on the other hand, the modern MINI meets all the demands of the 21st century in terms of safety, driving dynamics, flexibility, and individual style. This blend of traditional values and modern technical achievements is indeed unique and is now being updated in authentic style by the new MINI.

The new MINI: universal, cosmopolitan, unique.
The second generation of the modern MINI is once again a true original. The new MINI easily transcends and leaves behind all borders, standing out as a true exception in its segment for this reason alone. It meets all the demands made of a compact car while at the same time offering all the qualities so typical of a premium automobile: fascinating design, elaborate drive technology, supreme quality of finish, outstanding safety, innovative features and equipment, and a virtually unlimited range of options in customising the car.

The new MINI also transcends all borders and class limits through its agile handling, giving the car unique driving pleasure beyond all segments in the market. And so it is quite superior to any comparison with its direct competitors, since only one factor counts in describing the sum total of all the MINI’s features: MINI all the way!

Following this concept, the new MINI has the full support and, indeed, commitment of a particularly large and versatile community of fans and enthusiasts the world over. The fun of driving, quality and charm are fortes of the brand hardly anybody can withstand. And it is precisely this appeal that gives the modern MINI its huge success the world over as a car symbolising values and qualities appreciated worldwide.

Made in England: modern production with a long tradition.
As a global model of success, the new MINI is built in one of Europe’s most modern car production plants, the BMW Group Plant in Oxford thoroughly rebuilt in the year 2000 especially for production of the modern MINI. And so, with production of the car starting in spring 2001, a new chapter started in the history of this beautiful university town to the west of London: eighty-eight years after production of the first car here in this town by William Morris, the BMW Group started to successfully continue the history of car production in Oxford in the 21st century.

The modern production strategy applied in this case is characterised in particular by the production network for the new MINI spread out among three locations in Great Britain: Together with the Central Production and Assembly Plant in Oxford, the Body and Components Production Plant in Swindon as well as the Engine Plant in Hams Hall form the MINI “Production Triangle”.

The BMW Group has made significant investments at all three locations in order to boost both quality and quantity once again in changing over to the new model. So in the medium term the number of jobs within the MINI Production Triangle will increase from 6,350 so far to approximately 6,800.

Approximately Euro 150 million has been invested on the 700,000 m2 (173-acre) plant premises in Oxford in the process of expanding and modernising the production facilities, with the objective to increase production capacity in 2007 from 200,000 to 240,000 units a year. And in the process the workforce at the Oxford Plant will grow by another 200 to 4,700 BMW Group associates.

Another Euro 88 million has been invested in Swindon, where in future some 1,100 associates will build all body panels and components for the new MINI. And to build the newly developed four-cylinder power units for the MINI Cooper and the MINI Cooper S at the Hams Hall Engine Plant, another investment of approximately Euro 44 million has been made here. Again, the increase in production will be creating new jobs in Hams Hall too, with the number of associates in engine production increasing in the mean term from 750 to 1,000.

The original MINI: winning the Monte Carlo Rally no less than 
three times.
Outstanding success in motorsport helping to build the character of the classic MINI right from the start is a firm element of the brand’s great history and tradition. Benefiting from exceptional qualities in terms of performance and driving pleasure, the MINI became a highly successful contender in motorsport right from the start. The MINI’s first race was the Norwegian Viking Rally in September 1959, with Team Manager Marcus Chambers at the wheel. And in the 1960 Geneva Rally the MINI won its first race, this time in the hands of Don and Erle Morley. Then it was only another two years until the MINI was ready for an overall race win in all categories, Pat Moss, the sister of Formula 1 driver Stirling Moss, and co-driver Ann Wisdom bringing home victory in the Tulip Rally in the Netherlands.

Another two years later, the MINI Works Team made its entry into the annals of motorsport once and for all, when no less than six MINIs entered the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally on an “official mission”, taking on an apparently almighty armada of competitors with up to twice as much engine power. But in this battle of David against Goliath, the MINI quickly showed its unique qualities, Irish racing driver Paddy Hopkirk at the wheel of a MINI Cooper S bringing home a genuine sensation and scoring the MINI’s first victory in a race already the most famous rally in the world at the time.

In 1965 Finnish racing driver Timo Mäkinen repeated this outstanding success, and his fellow-countryman Rauno Aaltonen, famous to this day as the “Rally Professor”, rounded off the season for the MINI Works Team when bringing home the European Championship. And then, in 1967, Aaltonen won the Monte Carlo Rally yet a third time for the world-famous British brand.

The MINI was also a great success from the start on race circuits, private drivers all over Europe going from one class win to the next, with the Works Team focusing in particular on the British Touring Car Championship. Despite outstanding results, it became clear in the late ’60s that the MINI Cooper S had passed its zenith as a racing car, since new, modified rules gave clear preference to larger cars with bigger engines. And so the MINI’s last official works entry was the Rally of the Hills in Australia 1970.

This is how an era came to an end, while a legend remained. And to this day it remains clear that the 1960s was the decade of the MINI, with no other car offering the same kind of sporting performance for so little money, providing so much driving pleasure in such compact dimensions.

The MINI CHALLENGE: clubsport meets lifestyle.
Considering the sports heritage of the MINI brand, it was an obvious conclusion to launch the MINI CHALLENGE in 2004. This series of outstanding races owes its exceptional appeal to a truly innovative concept: motorsport meets lifestyle — exactly the right combination cherished by drivers and fans alike.

The common two denominators in the MINI CHALLENGE are the joy of motorsport and the fascinating MINI brand. The drivers themselves make a significant contribution to the very special ambience of the MINI CHALLENGE, with old-hands and up-and-coming talents in motorsport battling it out against celebrities from show business and the world of sports in general.

The sporting principle in the MINI CHALLENGE is the absolute equality of all competitors: All of the usually more than 35 drivers enter races in the same, technically identical MINI Cooper S. All cars are prepared at one central location on behalf of MINI and are optimised for the race track with the same John Cooper Works Tuning Kit. Major components such as the engine and transmission of these 154 kW/210 hp race cars are specially sealed to prevent any illegal modifications.

The races themselves take place on the occasion of major racing events, with the MINI CHALLENGE being held regularly prior to Formula 1 races such as the German Grand Prix. And in the meantime the MINI CHALLENGE has become a truly international highlight, with races taking place in 2006 also in Great Britain, Belgium, Italy, and New Zealand, to mention only some examples.

Source: MINI Press