Review of the new MINI Cooper S

It's taken a long time for competitors to produce cars to rival the second generation new MINI. Even now that a few exist, brand owners BMW are doing their best to continue to distance their design icon from the crowd, most notably with a range of engine tweaks in recent times that have particularly benefitted the variant we look at here - the fiery turbocharged Cooper S.

The idea here, says MINI, is to produce more 'poke' with less 'smoke'. So this variant is equipped for the first time with a twin-scroll turbocharger, direct petrol injection and fully variable valve control. The variable valve control is based on BMW's familiar VALVETRONIC system that adjusts valve lift and opening times in direct relationship to the driver's command on the throttle pedal.

The result is the most efficient hot hatch in its class: the 1.6 litre unit produces 9bhp more peak power at 184bhp, while peak torque is 240 Nm, delivered from as low as 1,600 rpm through to 5,000 rpm. This flexibility is enhanced by an Overboost function that delivers 260 Nm for short periods when it is most needed, for example when overtaking. The Cooper S Hatch sprints from 0 to 62 mph in exactly 7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 142mph. If that's not enough, there's a John Cooper Works (JCW) version of this car with 210bhp.

It's all a very different experience to the supercharged power served up by the first generation Cooper S model. It's worth reiterating that a turbocharged engine and a supercharged engine deliver their performance in quite different ways. What was particularly exhilarating about the old car was the low-end grunt from the always-on supercharger. The turbo power delivery is less dramatic down low but in the midrange and upper reaches of the rev band, it provides even more brutal shove.

But it's not just about 'go'. What about running costs? Well, anybody who owned one of the old supercharged first generation Cooper S models would laugh aloud at its claimed 33.6mpg consumption figure, since driving the vehicle as it begged to be driven would often send average fuel figures dipping below 20mpg. This latest version of the 1.6-litre turbo engine is a lot easier on the juice, with a combined figure of nearly 48mpg (3.1mpg lower than before), although this too will dip significantly if you're getting a bit enthusiastic. The old engine wasn't exactly a unit that would win any green awards either, churning out 202g/km of carbon dioxide. The turbo engine does far better, now improved to 136g/km (13g/km lower than before), putting it on the shortlists of company car buyers who wouldn't countenance the wallop in the wallet the old car delivered when the taxman came to call.

"The turbo power delivery provides even more brutal shove."

Communicating that this is indeed a very different Cooper S could well be quite the challenge for dealers. After all, it takes a keen eye to spot the bodywork differences over the humbler 122bhp Cooper variant whether you opt for three-door hatch, five-door Clubman estate or Convertible variants. The good news for British industry is that the car will continue to be built at what is now known as Plant Oxford (Cowley to us old timers), this factory's output now at 240,000 cars per year, more than double what it was when the first MINIs rolled off its lines in 2001. The body panels and sub assemblies hail from Plant Swindon and the BMW-designed engines roll out of the Hams Hall plant in the Midlands. Despite the German bankrolling, this MINI wears its Union Flags with pride.

If you haven't yet tried a second generation BMW MINI, you'll find a vehicle of much greater quality here. Gone are those indicators that felt like you were snapping a biro every time you used them. The centrally mounted speedometer now houses entertainment and, if specified, navigation functions. The slimmed-down centre console offers more space in the footwells, while the key has been replaced by a round signal sensor that slots next to the steering wheel. A start/stop button is also fitted as standard.

One of the most intriguing, albeit frivolous, aspects of the interior is the optional lights package which features custom ambient illumination. A panel of toggle switches in the roof lining allows the driver to switch the colours of the lights in said roof lining, the door storage pockets and the grab handle recesses. These can be changed at any time in five stages from warm orange to sporting blue, depending on personal taste - quite mad, but undeniably funky. Rear seat space, a big grumble amongst MINI customers, has been improved with recessed knee cut-outs in the fabric-trimmed front seat backs.

Electromechanical power-assisted steering (EPAS) debuted on this version of the MINI and aims to reduce parking effort (a factor which turned off a proportion of mainly female potential customers) but still retain pinpoint accuracy at speed. Although keen drivers will at first lament the loss of the old system, the latest setup at least features a Sport setting that increases the steering's heft and gives the throttle a more aggressive map.

Also fitted as standard on Cooper S versions specified with the 16-inch alloy wheels are run-flat tyres. These tyres have a range of at least 90 miles in the event of a puncture and also mean that valuable space in the car isn't taken up with packaging a spare wheel. Pricing remains competitive, with the Cooper S giving the Renault Clio 200 something to think about.

True enthusiasts still lament the death of the old first generation Cooper S. It was something of a singularity with its he-man steering and engine note that sounded like the four milk floats of the apocalypse. This second generation version is a more subtle thing that will be appreciated by more of the people more of the time. Although it may be less of a sports hatch, it's more of a MINI. Debating the price of progress could keep us here all day.

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