Mini

Mini Cooper

The Mini is a thrill ride that offers extremely excellent handling, enough to kill exotic cars at twisty tracks. It is also one of the smallest cars on the road and can be parked virtually anywhere. Yet it seats four, though with painfully tight back seats, and it can carry a bit of cargo. Engineered by BMW, the Mini has been given a major overhaul in styling and cabin space for 2007, though the basic underpinnings are still the same. New-generation convertibles join the lineup for 2009. Models include the Cooper and the turbocharged Cooper S. The basic One model has been dropped, while the Cooper models use a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine in different states of tune, with the S adding a turbocharger. Gearbox choices include a manual and an automatic. Standard features include power windows and mirrors, along with a number of airbags. Options for the Cooper S include a John Cooper Works package, available from 2008, that bumps up horsepower and handling, while a Sport package offers DSC, bonnet stripes, 17-inch alloys and xenon headlamps.