Review - 2012 MINI Cooper S

BMW launched the MINI Cooper in India offering buyers four models to choose from. We take the MINI Cooper S for a spin to find out if this hot hatch is hot enough.

The Cooper S is very fast and sounds very sporty too. It will reach 100 km/h in just 7.2 seconds, while the top speed is 223 km/h. Acceleration is brutal and performance is breath-taking. Mileage will hover between 6 - 8 km/l in the city with all that power

The MINI Cooper S is the sports version of the Cooper hatchback. It has a lot of history behind it, with the styling based on the iconic MINI from the 1960s. After BMW took over MINI, the company put in all new panels but maintained the design of the car

The MINI Cooper is a style icon, it has retro styling with a flair of modern engineering thrown in. The front carries a large hexagonal grille with air intakes on the bumper. The round headlamps are very retro. At the side, the Cooper's short over hangs and large wheels give it massive presence, while the rear features the iconic tail lights which MINI is known for

The MINI Cooper S is a regular MINI Cooper with go-fast bits added for that sporty feeling. There are black colored alloy wheels, racing stripes, chrome inserts and a large panoramic roof. Twin exhausts and a rear spoiler give a hint about this car's capabilities

The interiors of the MINI Cooper are of very high quality. The attention to detail is truly astounding and everything feels solidly put together. The interiors carry the retro style with modern touches.

The large steering wheel has a chrome circle with the MINI logo inside. There is a large tachometer in the line of sight of the driver, which also has a digital speedometer. A large analog speedometer is placed on the center console, which has a multi-media interface in between. This LCD display has a huge amount of data

The controls for almost everything is placed on the center console, including the windows. The windows are border-less, which gives the MINI a very sports car type appeal. The window controls are very nice to use

The seats are very supportive and offer ample support to the driver and co-passenger. The rear seats are very good in terms of support but they lack legroom. The MINI is strictly a 2-seater with the rear bench best for small kids

Power comes in through a 1600cc, turbo-charged petrol engine which produces 184 PS of power and 240 Nm of torque. This engine has overboost technology (increases torque to 260 Nm) and a Sport mode too. The engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox.