Mini One revealed : entry-level hatchback debuts
The poor man's Mini Cooper - the all-new Mini One - has been revealed.
The Mini One kicks off the new Mini range in Europe with more subdued styling, less chrome trimming to the extrerior, 15-inch steel wheels and downsized, lower-output engines. There has never been a Mini One sold here, but the BMW-owned brand has sold the cut-price Mini Ray variant in limited numbers since April 2011.
The Mini One is offered with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 75kW and 180Nm - by comparison, the standard Mini Cooper has a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo with 100kW and 230Nm.
The Mini One is available with a six-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic transmission. The manual version manages a 0-100km/h sprint in 9.9 seconds (10.2sec for the auto), and fuel use is claimed at 4.6 litres per 100km (4.8L/100km for the auto).
There's a diesel version, too. The Mini One D comes with a 1.5-litre turbo three-cylinder producing 70kW and 220Nm (the standard Cooper D has 85kW and 270Nm). It has a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 11.0 seconds, and combined cycle fuel use is claimed at 3.4L/100km.
CarAdvice has contacted Mini Australia to see if the Mini One or a new-generation Mini Ray model will be considered for Australia.
The new Mini Cooper range is due to launch locally later this month.