June 19 marks the day of the iconic Mini Cooper’s arrival in the Philippines. British United Automobiles, Mini’s distributor in the Philippines, launches the third generation model.
The new Mini Cooper is, err, bigger and more fuel efficient than the model it replaces. A host of new features and new engines further strengthen the Mini’s sporting characteristics.
Some of its new features include a newer version of BMW’s iDrive, while the most noticeable change is the speedometer, which used to be located in the middle, surrounding the iDrive’s screen. It is now positioned right in front of the driver, making it more visible and practical. A newly developed drive mode selector changes the car’s settings and throttle profiles depending on the selected mode.
Powering the new not-so-Mini Cooper is a newly developed 1.5 liter three-cylinder engine. While small in displacement, it is however, huge on power, producing 136 hp and 220 Nm of torque, which is achieved through BMW’s TwinPower Turbo technology, direct injection, and a variable camshaft intake control. Through this technology, they were also able to bring fuel consumption down by 27%, so they say. The Cooper S meanwhile gets a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 192 hp and 280 Nm of torque.
Things that aren’t so mini about this Mini are its dimensions, being longer by 98 mm, wider by 44 mm, and taller by 7 mm. Despite this, Mini promises that the sporty and go-kart driving dynamics that Minis are known for have been retained.
Mini Cooper – P2,100,000
Mini Cooper S – P2,600,000
0 comments on “Mini Launches The Third Generation Mini Cooper”