Despite one of the worst U.S. auto sales slumps in more than a decade, the BMW-owned Mini brand is on a roll. The Mini Cooper hatchback offers the best of both worlds in the white-hot compact segment -- a car that's both tossable and fuel-efficient. Mini's U.S. dealers are selling nearly every Cooper and turbocharged Cooper S they can get into showrooms. In addition, the well-received Cooper Clubman variant -- which arrived in the midst of the recent gas-price crisis -- has just joined the Mini lineup.The slightly larger, second-generation Mini was all-new for 2007, so not surprisingly the 2009 Mini Cooper lineup isn't changing too much, save for a couple updates. Those seeking the open-top Mini experience will have to wait, however; the Cooper convertible remains on hiatus until the version based on the updated model arrives sometime next year.
For 2009, the automaker's relatively simple lineup continues: the Cooper and the performance-themed Cooper S version of its three-door hatch (the larger Clubman shares the same model designations). Just two engines are offered: a base, 1.6L four-cylinder mounted over the front axle making 120 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque and a version of the same mill fitted with a twin-scroll turbocharger in the Cooper S, bumping power to 172-hp and 177 lb-ft of torque.
A base Cooper can reach 60 mph in approximately 8.5 sec with a top speed of 126 mph while the S does 6.7 sec and 139 mph, numbers made more impressive when considering the Mini's EPA fuel-economy ratings of 28 city/37 highway and 26/34, respectively. Both models do require premium gas, however. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the Cooper and Cooper S, while each car also can be ordered with a six-speed automatic featuring a sport mode and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Famed for its "go-kart" handing, the 2009 Mini Cooper continues to offer a responsive suspension featuring MacPherson-style spring struts on the front axle, a central-arm rear axle, and anti-roll bars to aid performance. The S takes these principles even further with harder springs, stiffer shocks and anti-roll bars, and larger vented disc brakes to give the company's go-fast model serious canyon-carving credentials, especially for a front-drive car. For 2009, the brand's DSC stability-control system is now standard on all Minis, with Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) an available option. Essentially a sportier version of DSC, the DTC system adjusts its level of interference during spirited maneuvers to maintain safety, while still allowing a good amount of driving fun. Base Cooper owners can also order up an optional sports suspension.
