![]() BMW changed out all kinds of mechanical items, including upgrading the supercharger, changing out the ECU and exhaust, and shortening up the gear ratios. The last two years of the R53 are the most desirable. Later versions saw increases to 210hp and eventually 215hp. ![]() A dealer-installed option, the JCW kit was eye-wateringly expensive and provided only a mild bump at first – up to 197hp in its first year. US-spec dampers are a little softer than in the rest of the world, but handling doesn't seem compromised.Ģ004 brought a mild facelift for all Mini variants, and the John Cooper Works package became available for the first time. Each model year comes with minor improvements to both power and reliability, all the way up to the very rare GP model in 2006.ĮCU upgrades in late 2002 improved driveability for the Cooper S (most early cars will have been reflashed by dealers), and by 2003 BMW had eliminated a lurching issue in third-gear when the a/c was running. Same as what used to be the rule with Porsches, the R53 Cooper S you want is the newest one your budget can support. BMW simply added run-flat tires and a small aerosol puncture kit as a fix if you're looking at a used car, the likelihood is that the owner may have swapped over to cheaper conventional tires. Twin center-mounted exhaust pipes out back and a hoodscoop up front let everyone know that this was more than just a cutesy retro-hatch.Ĭompared to the standard Cooper, supercharging created some packaging issues, requiring the battery to be relocated to the trunk and removing the spare tire. Curb weight was just above 2600lbs, and a six-speed manual transmission was the only option. The Cooper S arrived in 2002 with a supercharged 1.6L four-cylinder engine making 163hp and 155lb-ft of torque. Happily, America didn't get the first year cars, and by the 2002 model year, many issues were sorted out (not all issues, mind you – more on that later). Just like the good old days, eh, chums? Hand me that spanner. Rattles, creaking, suspension misalignment, and mechanical failures were all common in the first year. Its designer, the aforementioned Frank Stephenson, is a bit of a genius in that regard, having also penned the Maserati MC12, the Ferrari F430, the Maserati Quattroporte, and adapted the Fiat 500 concept into production form.Īs an all-new car built in a new factory, the first batch of Minis were semi-disastrous. The word timeless gets thrown around far too frequently, but more than a decade on since its introduction, the 2002-2006 Cooper S does genuinely look fresh. Here's how to find room for a Mini in your life. The R53 Mini Cooper S is a machine that stirs the emotions: fondness, frustration, and pure driving joy. However, any time you meet an owner, they seem only too happy to both damn and praise their little car in equal measure. ![]() It's not what you'd call reliable – one almost wonders if BMW had a few technicians wandering around randomly loosening screws on the assembly line to more authentically recreate the British Motoring Experience. The early-2000s Cooper S also drives better, thanks to a zippy supercharged engine, great steering, and willing chassis. Yes, it's bigger than the 1960s swinger, but the early Frank Stephenson design just keeps looking better as modern traffic gets ever more overwrought. ![]() Built from 2001 and available from 2002 in North America, the R53-chassis Cooper S has aged surprisingly well. However, BMW's first efforts at recreating the charm of Britain's giant-killing scrapper were actually pretty good. There's more power, more comfort, and more speed, but the Fiesta ST makes a better Mini than this modern Bimmer-built heffalump. If the Austin/Morris original yipped through the corners like a terrier after a rat, then the current iteration just sits there, gawping like a gaffed grouper. At the risk of being accused of fat-shaming, the new Mini Cooper S is a bit of a porker.
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