Even though the new MINI is instantly recognisable – something which comes from having such a globally identifiable design – the car is completely new from the ground up.
Every component has been back to the drawing board in an effort to optimise its function, performance and style.
The result is ‘The New Original’, a MINI which is distinctly familiar but enhanced in every single way. It features significant improvements in technology, engine efficiency and power delivery, driving dynamics, quality and – of course – personalisation.
The new MINI Hatch is quieter than the outgoing model, with improvements to acoustic refinement. It is more spacious than before, safer, finished to an even higher standard and provides you with a more dynamic and performance-oriented experience behind the wheel.
Inside the cabin, new technology ensures that the MINI is the most connected car in its class. A new LED display concept, the first of its kind, provides you with visual feedback whilst operating the car and creates a premium ambience. It reflects a maturity and confidence in the brand’s design and engineering; it’s a car which pays tribute to its unique British heritage.
The new MINI’s exterior dimensions mean greater room for up to four occupants, including enhanced shoulder space and larger footwells. The front seats have been given a wider adjustment range, and the base has been lengthened for additional comfort and support. It’s also noticeably easier than ever for your rear seat passengers to gain access to the back.
The rear bench seat back can be split 60:40. And for even greater practicality, an optional storage package includes a luggage compartment floor which can be locked into place at various points and the rear seat backrest features tilt-angle adjustment.
Boot volume has been increased by
more than 30 per cent and in addition there are numerous cupholders and storage facilities to make life easier for
you and your fellow travellers.
The new MINI Hatch features TwinPower Turbo Technology to increase driving fun and improve its green credentials. It offers improved performance, with maximum power produced lower down the rev range, while fuel consumption and emission levels have been reduced by as much as 27 per cent when compared to its predecessor.
The new MINI Cooper Hatch which I took for a blast along the A14 and then for a tootle up to Diss and across to Ipswich, has a three-cylinder petrol engine with a peak output of 134bhp. It’s so quick and nimble and its six-speed manual transmission makes it a delight to flick up and down the cogs.
Incredibly the Cooper Hatch starts at only £15,300 on the road. This represents only a fractional increase compared against the outgoing model – but you’ll benefit from a host of additional equipment including: adjustable exterior mirrors, air-conditioning, front fog lamps, onboard computer, MINI Radio including aux-in, USB interface and Bluetooth all as standard.
The new MINI Hatch is being produced in Britain at Plant Oxford, a state-of-the-art facility which celebrated 100 years of car production in Oxford during 2013. The car will launch in the UK and globally in Spring 2014. That means now folks!
n Follow Tim on twitter @carwriteups
n www.carwriteups.co.uk
