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NASHVILLE, TN – BMW’s Mini brand has enjoyed spectacular growth during the past 10 years, but it knows it has to keep offering a steady flow of new products to keep expanding.
“We don’t think we’re slicing the salami too thin here,” says Mini USA President Jim McDowell. “We’re always doing something new and that’s allowed us to grow.”
He’s right. While purists may complain, if the Countryman cross/utility vehicle had not been introduced last year, Mini’s U.S. sales would have dipped 7% instead of jumping 26.7% through August, according to WardsAuto data.
The latest model, hitting showrooms Oct. 1, is the Mini Cooper Coupe, a lower, 3-box version of the basic 2-box Mini hardtop design. The coupe seats only two and is touted as the fastest Mini in history.
An extra-stiff chassis powered by Mini’s 1.6L DOHC I-4 give the coupe serious sports-car performance and handling. The turbocharged 181-hp Cooper S and 208-hp John Cooper Works versions offer top speeds in excess of 140 mph (241 km/h) and 0-60 mph (97 km/h) acceleration of 6.5 and 6.1 seconds respectively. The turbo engine was named one of Ward’s 10 Best Engines for 2011.
Mini touts the Coupe as a car for young males who aspire to a Porsche Cayman, Audi TT or BMW Z4 but can’t yet afford them.
While the Mini costs half as much as these entries, it’s as much fun or more to drive. And it also is worthy competition to similarly priced vehicles in the WardAuto Medium Specialty Segment where the Coupe resides, which includes the Mazda MX-5 Miata, Nissan Z and Ford Mustang.
The Coupe’s only real drawback is its polarizing exterior design. Those who don’t like Mini styling to begin with won’t find this version any more appealing. Mini fans might find it unusual at first but likely will learn to love this new look after spending some time behind the wheel.
