[Tone]

I'd always understood that the bigger bulge on this model was to accomodate forthcoming new pedestrian regs, but Jeremy Clarkson [please leave the thread here for a wider audience who will want to know the correct answer] says, "The only thing I didn't like about the look of the Cooper S I tried was the power bulge on the bonnet which doesn't actually do anything. Though I understand it will in future, suggesting that a more powerful engine is planned." So - have BMW been covering up to stop enthusiasts waiting to buy one with a larger engine, or has the man himself got it wrong?

Any ideas?

[Paul]

He's got it wrong. Maybe by "bulge" he means the scoop.

[CC07ERS]

Clarkson wrong surely not lol

[daro911]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

He's got it wrong. Maybe by "bulge" he means the scoop.

He conveniently overlooked the scoop helps differentiate between "S" and the other models in the family

If it ain’t broke ... oh, fix it anyway-Life & Style-Driving-Jeremy Clarkson-TimesOnline

[Shamster]

It's here from todays Sunday Times - have a read, although the Suzuki Swift gets a mention too:

Jeremy Clarkson - recent car reviews and comment - Driving -TimesOnline

I've put it here for exposure for a few days.

[KillerByte]

A fair review if you ask me.

This bit was interesting:

Quote:

The only thing I really didn’t like about the look of the Cooper S I tried was the power bulge on the bonnet, which doesn’t actually do anything. Though I understand it will in future, suggesting that a more powerful engine is planned.

I always thought the scoop was there for aesthetics and continuity on the R56 Cooper S.

[Paul]

Merged two threads on the same review.

[Paul]

Quote:

But the new Mini goes further because you can choose what colour light you’d like to bathe in. And better still there’s a slider knob that changes the hue on an infinite scale, from red through scarlet and then purple until it ends up vodka bar blue. For me this is the greatest piece of in-car entertainment ever. It means I can spend 40 miles getting the colour exactly right. And then, after just five seconds, decide it’s wrong and start again.

Someone should tell him it's only got four (or is it five, mines been broken so long I cant remember) colour options.

I do think Clarkson forgets the facts in place of a good comment sometimes though (either that or he seriously needs specs or his hand eye coordination working on!):

Quote:

You have to put the key fob in a slot before you press the starter button, but the slot is behind the steering wheel where it cannot be seen.

Where has the ignition barrel on almost every car ever made been, where you have to slot a little key into a little hole? Oh yes, behind the steering wheel.

Quote:

Every single time I wanted to lower the window I ended up lowering the temperature by mistake. Although this did mean I could spend the next hour putting it up and down and then up again until it was just wrong.

How far apart are the temp and window switches, and ones a chrome toggle switch, the other a big, fiddly to use, silver dial?!

[South Shore Lad]

Fair review.

I thought he was going to really slag it off.

Who's the guy on these here forums who raves about the Suzuki Swallow - as he seen the review yet!

SSL

[Paul]

He may do next week, he has a record of changing his mind, not only about his interior decor and layout, but on his opinions of cars.

[Dainewb]

I read this article this morning!

The first two columns of it didn't even seem to mention the car!

Clarkson is just becoming increasingly rediculous! (as is TopGear IMO)

If my mum (who is not interested in cars) had reviewed it, she might have made similar comments! For car enthusiasts I thought it was a pathetic review

[KillerByte]

Quote: Originally Posted by Dainewb (original)

I read this article this morning!

The first two columns of it didn't even seem to mention the car!

Clarkson is just becoming increasingly rediculous! (as is TopGear IMO)

If my mum (who is not interested in cars) had reviewed it, she might have made similar comments! For car enthusiasts I thought it was a pathetic review

You don't read Clarkson's columns in the Sunday Times often then? He always starts with some funny anecdote and then brings it round to the review of the car. He tends to keep the two things related for the whole review.

[Shamster]

Quote: Originally Posted by KillerByte (original)

You don't read Clarkson's columns in the Sunday Times often then? He always starts with some funny anecdote and then brings it round to the review of the car. He tends to keep the two things related for the whole review.

Yep - I think the actual reviews of the cars only take up about 1/4 of the total space in his part of the motoring section. The other 3/4 is usually waffle which sometimes ends with "Which brings be round to........"

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

His reviews are more about entertainment than a useful, factual, review of the car and, as such, it works very well. There are a lot of other places that you can read a very worthy and precise review of the MINI if that's what you want please go and check out lots of other links on this site.....

Mind you, why do we need yet another factual review here? We're all pretty familiar with everything about the new car anyway and have all pretty much made our minds up about what we do and don't like; roll on more frivolous, funny and irreverent reviews instead!

Tigger.

[Paul]

It's entertainment, most car stuff Clarkson does is. Very good entertainment at that generally.