The new Mini Cooper D 3-door and 5-door have reached Indian shores. Their basic design is reminiscent of the previous models, but the Minis that have been launched today are all-new, and have actually grown in length, width and wheelbase.
For now, the Mini is available with just one engine in India – a 3-cylinder, 1,496cc turbo-diesel unit that produces 114bhp and and 270Nm of torque. The motor is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that sends all the power to the front wheels. The Cooper D is sold as a CBU unit.
We expect the Cooper S, which is powered by a new 2.0-litre 4-cylinder, turbo-petrol unit that produces 189bhp and 280 Newtons, to hit Indian showrooms by the first quarter of 2015.
It is claimed that the Cooper D (the 3-door, as well as the 5-door) will go from 0-100kph in 9.2s, while the Cooper S will breach the mark in 6.7s. The diesel-powered Mini has a top speed of 200kph, while the petrol can do 33kph more.
The latest generation of Minis, according to BMW Group India president, Philipp von Sahr, represent vehicles that exceed the demands of modern, 21st-century motoring, while holding true to the original Mini design philosophies of being ‘compact, agile and unmistakably Mini’.
Well, we’ll have to wait and see how these new Minis fare when they square-off against Indian roads and conditions when we take them out for a spin. Watch this space.
Ex-showroom, India prices:
D 3-door - ₹31.85 lakh
D 5-door - ₹35.20 lakh
Convertible - ₹34.80 lakh
ONE Countryman - ₹26.55 lakh
D Countryman - ₹28.55 lakh
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