Seven Day S Review
They say that familiarity breeds contempt. There are plenty of S’s on the road now and could it be as good as I remembered it on the Scottish launch last year?
I shouldn’t have worried, I was easily as excited when the delivery driver dropped the car off – MINI’s just get you like that. My S for the next seven days was resplendent in its Chilli Red/Black finish (not one I’d seen before). First impressions were a typical BMW/MINI press car - stacked to the grilles with optional kit - not all of it I deemed necessary. I mean park-distance control on a MINI?
I deliberately took the long route to the car park, much to the amusement of my colleagues, who thought I wasn’t coming back! The first thing that struck me about the interior, apart from the awkward fitment of the instruments (damn sat-nav!), are the developments in build quality and specification. A natty glovebox now fills the void underneath the passenger airbag, plus there’s automatic locking, which personally I could live without.
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First proper drive and the S impresses. Its relaxed cruising ability belying the extra performance. None of the chassis composure has been lost in the transformation from Cooper to Cooper S either, we all knew that this friendly little hatch could handle more power and the S proves it. It always feels alert and urgent, though not quite up to Civic Type-R standards. However, I feel the 200 bhp+ conversions touted by tuners such as Cooper Works, Graham Goode Racing and Hartge could be fun, but a bit of a handful.
The power delivery is smooth and linear in use - below 3,000 rpm and you could almost be driving a One or Cooper (were it not for the charismatic whine of the supercharger!). In fact, the application of a supercharger answers many of the disappointments of the standard engine. The engine’s noticeably smoother, and there’s seemingly endless amounts of torque without having to work the engine to the red line. The brakes are strong too, but lack feel much like my own MINI One. However, any further engine modifications, I feel would mean uprating the stoppers.
There are problems though. The optional 17-inch S-Spoke alloy wheels look fabulous, but have a detrimental effect to the steering and drivability. On rough roads, the power down, the car tramlines easily. I found myself constantly correcting the steering, with the traction control light glinting away. In fact, it felt so much like the tracking was out, I checked the front tyres for kerbing! The grip from the Pirelli tyres is always good, however, but turn the traction control and it’s all too easy to provoke into understeer. The standard Cooper is more playful despite the power deficit, and is more rewarding to drive.
Another gripe is the Getrag six-speed gearbox and my misgivings still remain. It’s at best clunky, and the shift quality is not a patch on the standard five-speeder. Give it some stick, and the impression of the gearbox changes – but just a little. The box and ratios seem to hang together better.
I also have a problem with some of the styling touches, too. All MINIs are head-turners, but personally I’m a big fan of chrome on new MINI, and the lack of it on the S is noticeable. In fact I’d say that the exclusive chromed S air vents almost looked out of place on the red bodywork of the test car. This can be remedied on 2003 models with the addition of a chrome pack available for £60, which I think would improve its stylish good looks.
Despite, these minor quibbles, on the road it’s a great drive, looks fabulous, and the build quality is improving all the time. Whenever I meet S owners, they have a confident air about their choice of car. After seven days I now know why. Possible future purchase – you bet!
Review by: Martyn Collins AKA Ginger on the MINI2 forums.
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