Even fun cars need a practical side, sometimes, but is the Mini Cooper S five-door the right way to go about it?
This perpetually adorable Brit will satisfy wannabe race car drivers and lifestyle buyers alike – but is it up to the rigours of everyday existence?
The monstrous new Mini John Cooper Works GP is upon us. Well, nearly: it's out in Europe and will be here in mid-2020. Is it one to look forward to?
Minis are a staple of well-heeled city slickers with progressive politics. So an electric one makes clear sense. Australians can get their hands on it from July.
Mini has given the Countryman John Cooper Works (JCW) a significant boost for 2020. Along with the usual trim, styling and interior updates, the 2.0-litre engine under the bonnet has been boosted by 55kW and 100Nm. The result is an SUV with 225kW and 450Nm put to all four wheels through a front-biased all-wheel-drive system and a mechanical-locking front differential...
Forget about a subtle mid-life nip-and-tuck, Mini has given the JCW Clubman an extra 55kW and 100Nm for 2020.
The Mini Countryman plug-in hybrid offers enough electric range for urban commuting and petrol power for a weekend getaway, all in a cool-though-expensive little SUV package.
Need a four-seat convertible on a budget? You're looking at the cheapest drop-top in Australia with space for more than two passengers.
I'm sitting on 240km/h on Germany's Autobahn in the current Mini John Cooper Works, and it's rock solid going into the sweeping bend. Oh, did I tell you I'm on the way from Munich to the Nürburgring for N24?
If the high-speed blatt from Munich to the Nurburgring in the latest Mini John Cooper Works hatch in time to watch the 24-hour race wasn’t high enough on my bucket list, then a chance invite from our good friend Ron Simons of RSRNurburg to head over to Spa Francorchamps for one of its premium track days was surely the golden ticket...
His famous surname is instantly recognisable, and has proudly adorned the backs of cars since 1961 when his grandfather – John Cooper – struck a deal with the British Motor Corporation to turn Alex Issigonis’s Mini into something of a performance car...
