Mini Coupe revealed as two-seat pocket rocket

by Steven Mostyn - Sep 26 2011, 13:43

The bizarre classic Clubman and its weird wooden exterior detailing aside, there was once a time when the Mini deserved its iconic status because it was truly one of a kind. Not any more.

Moreover, after spawning yet another Clubman, a pumped-up pseudo SUV and a summer-friendly convertible, the ‘modern Mini’ is now being rolled out as a two-seat Coupe. Please, someone stop the madness.

Clearly designed to offer compact edge-of-the-seat driving, the new Mini Coupe includes ‘go-kart handling’, and optional John Cooper Works performance that apparently makes it the fastest Mini to date.

Looking not unlike a little Lotus, other fixtures and fittings crammed into the two-seat pocket rocket include allow wheels, a three-spoke sports leather steering wheel, air conditioning, parking distance control, a self-adjusting rear spoiler, a DAB digital radio, and prerequisite ‘go-faster’ stripes.  

In terms of grunt, the Mini Coupe offers petrol engine sizes ranging from a modest 1.6-litre power plant pushing 122bhp, a turbo-charged version capable of 184bhp, and the muscular John Cooper model, which promises a tarmac-chewing 211bhp of performance.

Meanwhile, fuel consumption ranges from 39.8 miles per gallon on the upper-tier petrol Coupe, to a solid 65.7 miles per gallon on the 2.0-litre turbo diesel model (143bhp).

Expect a starting price in the region of 16,650 GBP when the Mini Coupe launches on October 1. The desirable John Cooper version comes with a more testing price tag of 23,795 GBP.

Ouch.

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