The MINI Cooper S Coupe has style to spare, but does that make a smart purchase for MINI lovers? Renaldi Hutasoit takes it for a test run to see if this designer roadster is more than just the sum of its cool aesthetics.
Have you ever bought something that serves little purpose, but because you like it so much you didn’t mind spending some serious money to make it yours? That is the whole concept of BMW’s revived MINI brand, which has proven to be very successful. Buying a MINI is never a left brain exercise. There is no logic in it. For the same amount of money you could buy many other cars that offer more space and comfort, more utility and more after sales support. What these other cars don’t have, and the MINI does, are style, brand image, self-expression, a fun factor, and, most importantly, style. Oh, and one more thing, style. All right brain stuff. Kind of like four inch Jimmy Choos for ladies. There are ten aesthetic reasons why ladies must wear them for every ten health reasons they should not.
If you look at it this way, the MINI Cooper S Coupe makes some sense. In this day and age, when occupant space and comfort is almost mandatory, a MINI will never be practical.
A car with a MINI badge on its lid has to look small, absolutely no buts about it. So the question becomes, how small can you get before it loses its appeal? MINI started with the convertible platform when making the S Coupe. This is because it has a topless twin, the MINI Roadster. While a MINI hatch always means fun for four, the MINI S Coupe (and Roadster) fits only two people. This is mostly due to how the roof line is now lower and rakes down in a fastback manner at the rear, negating any space for people in the back, while actually sharing the MINI hatch’s wheelbase (distance between front and rear wheels) dimensions. This means, while you can only bring one friend along for a trip, the longer luggage space of the S Coupe will allow you to bring more than just a pair of weekend bags. What is interesting is that the seemingly smaller MINI Cooper S Coupe is actually longer than the hatch by five centimeters.
Being based on a reinforced cabriolet platform, the S Coupe is also heavier by more than one hundred kilos compared to the hatch. From the shoulder line down, the MINI Cooper S Coupe and hatchback MINIs are darn near identical. Inside you will see the familiar MINI interior, just with less head room. The windshield in the Coupe has a 13 degrees gentler rake, which contributes to a lower roof line (by five centimeters) compared to the hatch. The feeling inside is sportier because the narrower window and windshield opening give the impression that you sit lower in the car.
It is hard to fault a MINI interior. Everything is built and designed with very high standard. Once you know where everything is located, your hand will easily find them. That is the mark of good ergonomics. The seats and steering wheels are covered in leather, but you can pick and choose options so extensive that MINI claim sthat no two MINIs are alike. Don’t know if that is true, but one thing is for sure: the car is built like a vault. During my days with the MINI Cooper S Coupe, there was nary a rattle or squeak on the inside. No doubt this is due to the heavier convertible platform. I also had the pleasure of testing the MINI Connected feature, which is actually available in all variants of the MINI. While this might seem like a gimmick, the MINI Connected suits their iPhone carrying target customers very well. Once you connect your iPhone to the car, your MINI will come alive. It communicates its condition to you in sentences, using several types of voice. For example, in the morning, after the engine is up to normal operating temperature, the car will ‘say’ something like “all systems go” or similar. It also ‘tells’ you the outside temperature, among other things.
If you are not prudent with your right foot and steering inputs, the MINI Cooper S Coupe can indeed get you into trouble. The S Coupe is endowed with power and handling abilities far above and beyond what the average driver’s skills can hand. With 184 horsepower at 5,500rpm and 260nm at 4,500rpm, it has a lot of muscle for a one and a quarter ton car. The four cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged engine is also very responsive and doesn’t have any discernible turbo lag. But worry not; the Coupe is not a handful when driven normally. Instead, the MINI sticks quite well to the road so that, even in the wrong hands, things would only go wrong at higher speeds. The MINI Cooper S Coupe is not a good first car for teenage speedcrazed boys, especially a teenage speed crazedboy who dates my daughter.
To achieve the high cornering limit of the S Coupe, MINI blessed it with a stiff suspension. Not a problem for hardcore people who likes a firm ride all the time, but most drivers would want to take a break from the jolt and judders once in a while. The run flat tires also contribute to the firmness, but judging from the agility and steering response of the Coupe, I am certain the suspension is set more for sport than comfort. The 6-speed automatic transmission, though, is a delight. Left at auto, it is smooth. When you want more response, you could press the ‘SPORT’ button. With that, the engine will use more of its RPMs before changing gears. It also makes down shifting more aggressive. When you really want to get involved in the driving, you could change gears using the shift paddles behind the steering wheel. They are also correctly configured , with the up shift on the right paddle and down shift on the left. People who booed because MINI Indonesia only offers this automatic transmission in their line up (except for the ultra-sporty John Cooper Works variants which is only available with 6 speed manual) must never have driven an automatic MINI. MINI claims a 0 – 100kph time of 7.1 seconds, a feat that I found is easily achievable.
Now we come to the sensitive subject of exterior design. All MINIs are for extroverts. No introvert in their right mind would buy a MINI. Some extroverts are more extroverted than the rest, and in my opinion, they are the core market for the MINI Cooper S Coupe (and Roadster). You have to want to be seen in the Coupe, because not only will people see you, they will stare at you. Unfortunately, while you are sitting proudly in your new MINI Cooper S Coupe, there are also people who will balk at the sight of it. In particular, the design of the roof. On this front, I think MINI went too far in trying to be different. From the shoulder line down and the front of the A pillar, it looks as good as any MINI hatch. The problem is the roof resembles a helmet and this look is not cohesive with the rest of the design. Of course, some might find it a fun looking design (in essence, implicitly admitting it is not a great looking design, otherwise they would simply call it great looking), but most will respond negatively.
At Rp 649 million (off the road), the MINI Cooper S Coupe is not cheap. But, as a lifestyle product, MINI should not be cheap, because
you cannot get high quality for peanuts. For a fixed roof two seater MINI, unfortunately, I feel it is wedged between two other great MINI products. You could go with the more affordable Cooper S Hatch at the expense of some level of exclusivity (and style), or invest a little bit more and buy yourself a proper head turner, the Cooper S Roadster. Not only will you lose nothing on the dynamic front, with the roof up, it genuinely and positively looks good. With the roof down, it looks even better. This is the route that I would go for. Any day, any time.
Specs: Mini Cooper S Coupe
Engine: 1.6-liter four-cylinder with twin-scroll turbocharger
Power: 184 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
Torque: 260 Nm at 4,500 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic