MINI Bradford
Looking to buy a MINI? Find out what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for from Honest John.
Strictly a two-seater, the low roof line, compact dimensions, perfect axle load distribution and lightweight construction are all trademarks of a genuine sports car. Read on and find more details about this car in Bradford.
Though the MINI Cooper isn't actually very fast, and most 2.0 litre repmobiles will stay with you away from the lights, it FEELS fast. So fast that everyone else appears to have slowed down in Bradford.
We were promised go-kart handling and we got something with as much feel as a TV remote control. So we said so, and MINI Project Leader Horst Radibojevic seemed to take it to heart.
Good: £1,250 cheaper than a standard MINI One.
Bad: Still over 121g/km so still £120 tax (£90 2010/11).
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below.
MINI E models in Bradford will be on UK roads for a twelve-month field trial that will evaluate the technical and social aspects of living with an all-electric vehicle in a real world environment. This year-long project will play an important part in informing future strategic and technological decisions.
The MINI Crossover Concept in Bradford is a design study for a fourth variant in MINI’s current model range. Looks like a 1950s Morris Oxford. With four doors, four drive wheels, four single seats and at four metres in the length, the Crossover Concept combines versatility and style: its main aim is to tempt new target groups into the world of MINI.
It’s 240 mm longer than a MINI, with more legroom, more luggage space and a slightly longer wheelbase that alters the handling in the same way as the original Minivan and Mini Traveller did from the original Mini.
Good: Fine handling, retro, 5-seat estate version of hugely popular Mini hatch. Huge fun, plus room for babies or mountain bikes.
Bad: Extra side door is on the driver's side on UK cars.
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below.
Good: Gorgeous looking and highly desirable. Cooper S version is fast and furious. Scuttles round corners like an original Cooper S.
Bad: Horrible chrome plastic covers on roll bars. Rock hard ride on 17" wheels. Glass rear windows shatter.
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below..
Good: Highly desirable, very pretty, no scuttle shake, lower emission than R52, a/c and 6 speed box now standard. Automatic optional. Low depreciation.
Bad: Options can add quite a lot to the price.
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below.
First a lesson in MINI product codes, just so we’re all clear about this. The first BMW MINI was coded R50, followed by the R52 convertible, while the Cooper S was designated R53.
The Cooper S we had been driving was extremely refined, for a MINI, but completely lacked the raw “go kart” like feeling of fun BMW had so accurately captured with its first generation of MINIs. We had appreciated the new car for its smoothness.
Though the MINI Cooper isn't actually very fast, and most 2.0 litre repmobiles will stay with you away from the lights, it FEELS fast. So fast that everyone else appears to have slowed down in Bradford.
Good: Took the MINI look up market. Huge fun to drive, and has given a lot of people a lot of fun.
Bad: Not as problem-free as buyers hoped. Wearing on the motorway. No standard a/c. Needs expensive spec upgrades to make desirable.
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below....
The thing about the original Mini, Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S on their tiny 10” wheels was that they did feel exactly like go-karts. The steering wheel connected you directly to the road with no sponge pudding in between.
The MINI Cooper S convertible is not the same thing at all. It’s a lot faster. It’s a lot stiffer. And, with the top down, it’s more like driving a very powerful go-kart.
Good: Outrageous fun. Hooligan switch. Very quick. 165g/km and and 41mpg potential.
Bad: Doesn't like uneven surfaces. Money spent on expensive options not likely to be seen again.
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below...
We were promised go-kart handling and we got something with as much feel as a TV remote control. So we said so, and MINI Project Leader Horst Radibojevic seemed to take it to heart.
Good: Fast and fun.
Bad: Noisy and harsh (like a Mini Cooper S should be). Wearing on the motorway. No standard a/c. Needs expensive spec upgrades. 17" wheels destroy ride com
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below.
Strictly a two-seater, the low roof line, compact dimensions, perfect axle load distribution and lightweight construction are all trademarks of a genuine sports car. Read on and find more details about this car in Bradford.
Good: £1,250 cheaper than a standard MINI One.
Bad: Still over 121g/km so still £120 tax (£90 2010/11).
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below.
Good: Much smoother, more sophisticated MINI Cooper and Cooper S capable of travelling distances in comfort.
Bad: 17" wheels and Sport suspension destroy both ride and road feel. Best on 16", or 17" without Sport suspension. No standard a/c and needs expensive spe
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below.
Good: 118g/km/104g/km means £35pa tax, potentially Congestion Tax free from 2008, and longer gearing so more relaxed on motorway.
Bad: Quiet engine on motorway makes tyre roar noticeable. No standard a/c and needs expensive spec upgrades. 17" wheels best avoided.
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below.
MINI E models in Bradford will be on UK roads for a twelve-month field trial that will evaluate the technical and social aspects of living with an all-electric vehicle in a real world environment. This year-long project will play an important part in informing future strategic and technological decisions.
Good: MINI with a Toyota Yaris chain cam diesel engine and 6-speed gearbox.
Bad: Bit slow. No standard a/c. Needs expensive spec upgrades to make desirable.
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below...
Good: Entry level MINI and enough for many buyers.
Bad: No standard aircon. Needs expensive spec upgrades to be desirable. Overgeared, so 2nd too low and 3rd too high for suburban corners.
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below.
A 1.6-litre chain-cam atmospheric engine with a variable geometry and a power output of 85 kW (115 hp). Features innovative valve drive and 1.6 litres displacement, the normal-aspiration engine develops maximum output of 85 kW/115 bhp at 5,700 rpm.
It’s how the car goes that has caused a very mixed reaction. Despite a six-speed gearbox, 75bhp isn’t a lot even though it’s backed by 133lb ft torque at 2,000 rpm. 0-60 takes a leisurely 13.6 seconds. And top speed is just over 100.
Good: 1.6 engine same as Cooper, so just needs an ECU remap to give the same power.
Bad: A/c not standard. Plastic wheeltrims are. Needs expensive spec upgrades to make desirable.
Read Honest Johns full review of what's good, what's bad and what to watch out for below.....
Unlike the old MINI One, the new one is a 1.4 rather than a 1.6. So you can’t simply programme out the throttle restrictor to get Cooper performance from it. You have to settle for the 95PS it comes with.
