Driving.ca on the R56 Cooper
One of the few reviews about the Cooper, and it’s a great one.
>The inherent perkiness of the tiny hatchback is so infectious — as comedian Steve Martin once said about playing the banjo — one simply cannot be in a bad mood. There are other, far more pragmatic upsides as well. Weighing in at a flyweight 1,195 kilograms and powered by a minuscule 118-horsepower, 1.6-litre, DOHC four-banger, the new 2007 Cooper is exceedingly fuel efficient.
>So, are you starting to see why thoughts of nominating the Mini Cooper as the Official Car of the Utopian Ideal start to percolate? It’s cute as a bug, miserly at the gas pumps, zippy in traffic and easy to park, all for $25,900, which, while at the premium end of the subcompact market, is dirt cheap for a car that is for all intents and purposes a front-wheel-drive BMW.
It would seem that this reviewer is also a fan of the standard tranmission.
>Did I mention that it’s also plenty roomy, at least for those in the driver and shotgun seats? Ah, but there is a storm cloud on the horizon, one threatening the Mini Cooper’s sunny disposition — not to mention mine. And that storm cloud is the test vehicle’s optional ($1,390) six-speed automatic transmission.
>Call me a Luddite or an old fossil if you want, but Mini Coopers should be available only with a manual gearbox.
[ New MINI halfway to happy land ] Autos.Canada.com
Nice review from a man of exceptional insight and intelligence who is clearly ahead of his time. Official Car of the Utopian Ideal? You betcha!!!
Seriously, as a MINI enthusiast it is nice to see the occasional Cooper review when so much attention is rightfully (and certainly understandably) focussed on it’s more powerful sib.
I have also been quite proud of the MINI community at large for it’s grasp over time of the unique features of Cooper motoring which many of us come to value.
Nice review. Winding Road just did a quick review of the R56 Cooper that was pretty favorable as well.
One of the best early video reviews of the R56 has to be of 5th Gear w/ Tom. He pretty much loved the “new-new MINI”. Summed it up as a great car to drive, but did’nt really get into the tech specs.
More comments on the Thailand dealership than on this. Is there no love for the Cooper ’round here???
I still love the Cooper.
I hear there is going to be a ‘classic’ version of the Cooper coming out soon. Reduced options but the same great taste. What is the ‘soup de jour’, why that’s the ‘soup of the day’, I’ll have that…
I’ve never driven the R56 MC and I feel like I’m missing something. I love the R50, and the 5 speed feels so comfortable like my old car. But now that the R56 6 speed feels second nature I’d love to see how this drives. Maybe I can get one next time my car has to go in.
I still can’t get over the bonnet (hood). It lacks the curves that the prior model had. All in the name of some silly crash rule.
I do admit that it is more noticable in pictures than in person.