Some people give the Mini a lot of crap, but we love it. It's practical, and it's a ton of fun to drive. Now there's a new version of the Mini Cooper Hardtop, which is now called the "original" due to the existence of the Clubman, Countryman, Paceman, Convertible, Coupe, and Roadster.
All in all, the changes aren't huge, the headlights are a bit more pronounced, the tail lights seem exaggerated compared to the older cars, and the stupid central speedometer is finally gone, but there is one big change, and that's the size. Compared to the outgoing Mini, this new one is huge. It's still a small car, but the name "Mini" is starting to sound a bit off. Despite the larger size, the new car is lighter and more aerodynamic than its predecessor.
The engines in the new car are a 1.5L I3 that makes 134 horse and 162 lb-ft of torque in the Cooper, and a 2.0L I4 that is good for 189 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque in the Cooper S. Both engines use TwinPower turbos (read: twin scroll) and direct injection and should be good for an improvement in fuel economy, although numbers haven't been released yet.
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[via Mini]