I bought a 52 plate cooper over a month ago now and it feels really sluggish, i know im not driving like a 2.0 but im having to go into 2nd gear to get up a few hills or in 3rd foot flat to floor. It needs the clutch doing but can this be to do with the clutch or is this what 1.6 minis are like?? Also when im in 3rd or 2nd foot flat to the floor or hill climbing theres a load roaring noise coming from the car, again is this a mini thing or should i be getting the exhaust looked at (thought air filter but no idea where there located in the engine). Shes in for a service tomorrow so looking for a abit of advice. If this is a 1.6 thing, think i'll be swapping to a cooper s in the future! Thanks x

Coopers are pretty nippy so it shouldnt seem sluggish, if the clutch is slipping that bad it will give an effect similar to this, worst going up hills of course.
You can normally get an idea how bad clutch slip is by going up an incline in the highest gear you can and then putting your foot down, watch the rev counter and if theres slipping you will see the revs go up momentarily on the needle, hear the engine revs increase momentarily but feel no increase in road speed.

When was the air filter last changed?

I guess it didn't feel sluggish when you bought it a month ago. Has anything been changed on the car since that time?

I guess it didn't feel sluggish when you bought it a month ago. Has anything been changed on the car since that time?

i didnt test drive it at the time as i couldnt drive, my dad noticed it but the deal with the garage was it was going to have a new clutch fitted for free, we thought this was the problem, its had a full service done and its improved it but not dramatically just wondering if the clutch could affect it that much? :/

If the clutch is slipping a lot you will be loosing a lot of power, my mini sounds like a normal car when I drive it, except for the sporty sound :>) .

As The Nun said when you are driving it check the tacho, if the needle is climbing and you're not getting matching acceleration then you have a problem.

If the free clutch is still on offer I'd get that done, ask them exactly what they are changing as there are some parts that should be changed at the same time even if you have to pay for them, I think things like the throw bearing, some sort of lever / arm if you do a search you should be able to find the correct names.