Maximum fun in the new Mini

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Sept 19, 2003

Byline: By Bill McCarthy

Think of the swinging 60s and you will probable picture Carnaby Street, The Beatles, mini skirts and . . . the Mini.

As a fashion statement the British Leyland baby said as much about the owner as the wearers of the other mini.

As fashions go, the small-but-perfectly-formed Issigonnis icon was just as audacious and daring as the bottom-skimming creation of Mary Quant.

Their fame and popularity culminated in a spectacular chase scene in the Michael Caine film The Italian Job and driving one meant you were hip and cool - very cool in fact. This was because driving a Mini could be a very draughty and bone-shaking experience.

It was about as sophisticated as Vinnie Jones and had all the creature comforts of an open-top bus in a blizzard. But it didn't matter because the Mini was fun and cheap.

Times have changed. The Mini is still a firm ride, but in terms of build quality the new BMW-owned marque is light years ahead of its predecessor. A real smoothie - more Pierce Brosnan than Michael Caine.

At more than pounds 10,000 for what is barely a four-seater, it is a big investment, but the waiting list of buyers shows that the appeal of the marque is still strong even 40-odd years on. Residuals are bound to be good with the car holding its price on the second hand market.

This car is Mini by name and mini by nature, just ask anyone who's been in the back seat. If you have an extended family or intend to use the car for a weekly trip to the rubbish tip then you may need to look elsewhere. The boot is the size of an envelope, but most Mini drivers simply don't care.

It comes in three models, the One, the Cooper and the Cooper S.

The model I tested was the Mini One - but this entry-level car was fitted with more than pounds 3,000 worth of extras to the basic model. And the car looked a million dollars - the gold metallic paint, semi-opaque tinted rear windows and huge alloys of the test car complement the slightly bulbous design perfectly.

The interior makeover is even more impressive with high-quality leather upholstery, multi-function steering wheel, air conditioning and six-CD changer give it the feel of a much more expensive car. The brushed aluminium-look trim complements the leather upholstery perfectly and it retains the huge central dial that was synonymous with the original.

To many purists the new model is simply not a Mini, but to a new generation it is as desirable as gold bullion. This version is more affordable than the Cooper and it turns heads in ways its predecessors could only dream of.

It may not be the same car as the 1960s legend, but there is no doubt that, with the new version, the legend will continue.

Facts and figures

Make: Mini

Model: Mini One

Price: pounds 13,595, (inc extras)

Mechanical: 90bhp, 1,598cc, 4 cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual transmission

Max speed: 112mph

0-62mph: 10.9sec

Combined mpg: 43.5mpg

Insurance group: 5

C02 emissions: 158g/km

Warranty: 3 years/unlimited, 6 years anti-rust