Mini Works very well

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Sept 17, 2004

Byline: By Edward Stephens

In the world of MINI enthusiasts it's the icing on the cake. The one to aspire to. No, not the MINI Cooper S but the all-powerful MINI Cooper S Works.

It will cost you an extra pounds 3,000 yet apart from a small badge on the front and one on the boot there is nothing to distinguish your pride and joy from other S models.

But on the open road and it's a different story. For what you have paid for is all under the bonnet - and it pushes the power up from 163bhp on the standard Cooper S to a very hefty 200bhp.

At normal driving speeds don't expect to notice much difference apart from an exhaust note but if you wind up the Works version it delivers with a vengeance.

It comes with the standard six-speed Cooper S gearbox but in this version 70mph comes up on the speedo just before you hit the red line on the rev counter - and that's just in second gear.

Officially MINI gives the top speed as 140mph, 5mph more than a standard MINI Cooper S. The 0-62mph comes down from 7.4 seconds to 6.7 but that doesn't tell the whole story. For the mid range power is startling too, with a 50-75 mph time of just 5.6 seconds.

On the other side of the coin the insurance jump is even more startling: from group 15 on the Cooper S to 18 on the Works which makes premiums expensive.

The Works MINI, or, to give it its full title, the John Cooper Works MINI, came about through a joint venture by BMW - which builds the MINI - and the Cooper Car Company, a company and name which became synonymous with the original Mini and has gone on to specialise in hot versions of the new one.

You can order the Works version when you buy a Cooper S or have the special kit, which includes everything from a new cylinder head to a specially made twin exhaust system, fitted retrospectively.

Whether its worth the extra pounds 3,000 plus fitting is up to the individual. After all the standard Cooper S packs a real punch. But if you are one of those people who has to go the extra mile you won't be disappointed.

Make: MINI Cooper S Works

Price: pounds 18,079

Mechanical: 200bhp, 1,598cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 6 speed manual gearbox

Max speed: 140mph

0-62mph: 6.7 seconds

Combined mpg: 33.6

Insurance group: 18

CO2 emissions: 202g/km

BiK rating: 26%

Warranty: 3 years/ unlimited mileage; 6 years anti-rust