It is this spirit of the original Mini that has been carried over to embody the next generation of the MINI Cooper. Using the same design ethos, the center of gravity has been kept very low with weight distributed 63 per cent on the front axle and 37 per cent on the rear. This has two advantages: the front of the car is heavy enough to give excellent traction, while the weight distribution between the front and rear axle guarantees excellent dynamic balance, particularly when cornering. These qualities are further enhanced by the torsionally rigid body, the multi-link rear suspension and the extremely direct steering.

2006 MINI Cooper is powered by an extremely agile, normally aspirated four-cylinder 1.6 liter 16-valve engine. The engine delivers approximately 115 hp at 6,000 rpm and 111lb/ft of torque at a very useable 4,500 rpm. The MINI Cooper achieves a 0-60 acceleration time of 8.5 seconds, a top speed of 124 mph and a fuel consumption of 28/36 mpg city / highway (U.S.). 2006 MINI Cooper comes with a 13-gallon (U.S.) fuel tank, bigger than all similar sized cars, and offers over 500 miles of out of town motoring. 2006 MINI Cooper's engine is a very clean unit, meeting the EU4 emissions requirements, and is one of the few on the market that requires no secondary air injection or exhaust re-circulation to achieve this.

2006 MINI Cooper's engine has an aluminum cylinder head with chain driven overhead camshaft operating four valves per cylinder. The roller tip rocker arms are hydraulic and require no adjustments, and the cast iron engine block ensures low levels of noise and vibration while offering a very durable configuration. The transmission, water pump and air-conditioning compressor are attached directly to the engine block, making optimum use of the engine compartment space. This also creates maximum space for the critical impact zones.

Active Knock Control allows the engine to run on lead-free fuel between 87 and 98 octane. The same engine tuning can therefore be used almost anywhere in the world, no matter what fuel grade is available. In addition, customers can choose freely if various fuel qualities are available in their market.

The MINI Cooper features throttle-by-wire electronic technology, which replaces the direct mechanical link between the accelerator and the engine. When the driver presses the accelerator, the action is transmitted to the control unit, which then determines the ideal amount of fuel to supply to the engine. The system can determine the best fuel feed for maximum performance and minimum emissions. The most important task for the control unit is to monitor the engine torque and optimize torque values and fuel intake. If the required torque is below the maximum value available, it is possible for the unit to retard the ignition timing and create a torque reserve. The driver experiences this in the form of improved driving characteristics at varying speeds.

Service Interval Indicator
MINI's running costs are kept to a minimum. The Cooper has a service level indicator, which determines the best time for the car to be serviced, taking into account the manner in which it is being driven. The first service is between 10,000 and 12,500 miles. After this, the interval is every 15,000 to 20,000 miles.

Warranty Coverage
All MINIs come with a four-year / 50,000 mile new vehicle warranty, with a 12 year / unlimited mileage corrosion rust-through warranty. Also part of the warranty package is MINI's free maintenance and Roadside Assistance programs for a period of 3 years, 36,000 miles

The MINI Cooper comes standard with a Getrag 5-speed manual transmission. This transmission is fully synchromeshed and offers smooth, responsive gear changes. The unit is optimized to compliment the torque and horsepower of MINI Cooper's normally aspirated 1.6 liter engine and the gear ratios are ideally matched to maximize performance in the power band. 

Automatic MINI: Continuously Variable Transmission with Steptronic
The automatic transmission offered on 2006 MINI Cooper is a continuously variable transmission (CVT), with Steptronic. The driver can choose between normal automatic setting and a sportier setting with the Steptronic feature. While being responsive to drive, the continuously variable transmission is compact and lighter than a conventional automatic transmission.

previous page | go to page5