MSN Autos gives us their take on the upcoming MINI.

>Get ready for the second coming! Four and a half years after it first took America by storm, the second-generation new MINI has made its first appearance in Europe, and as night follows day, that means the latest version of the first small car ever to win the North American Car of the Year title will soon be crossing the ocean to a MINI dealer near you. And you’d better believe, it’s better than it ever was—in every way.

They didn’t seem to be too impressed with the Cooper.

>Let’s tell you about the Cooper first, because it’s there—but it probably won’t be the one you want. Its new 1.6-liter engine now comes from BMW in the UK rather than from Chrysler in Brazil and it’s far more modern and high-tech, including BMW’s brilliant variable valve timing technology. It’s also miles smoother and more refined, and in the case of the Cooper (which is entry level even in Europe until they launch a new MINI One and a new MINI Diesel some time next year) it gains 5 horsepower to take it to 120 , with a useful increase in flexibility.

Not surprisingly, they had some great words for the MCS.

>Now let’s face it, if you really want to experience MINI rather than MINI Lite, it has to be the new Cooper S, and now we’re talking a very different game indeed—very different from the “ordinary” Cooper, and very different even from the old new Cooper S.

[ Preview – 2007 MINI Cooper ] MSN Autos