The new MINI is the first small hatchback to have an aspirated engine fitted with fully variable valve timing. Which means more poke, reduced emissions, and lower fuel consumption now all come as standard.You'll also find a new six-speed gearbox with synchronised reverse for even slicker gear changes. And as of December 2006 you'll also have the option of six-speed auto, which adapts torque and power to give you all the thrilling sportiness you expect from a MINI.

Catch It If You Can
A punchy engine, crisp transmission and lively acceleration make the MINI Cooper S an all-round star. And with cutting edge suspension, low ground clearance and precise go-kart handling, you're guaranteed as much fun as mechanically possible.

A Modern Classic
The new MINI has been completely re-designed. It now has a new British built engine, new front and rear suspension and new six speed manual transmission. There are also a host of new innovations, and extra safety and security features as standard.

The Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s,[3][4][5] and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout (that allowed 80% of the area of the car's floorpan to be used for passengers and luggage) influenced a generation of car-makers.[6] The vehicle is in some ways considered the British equivalent to its German contemporary, the Volkswagen Beetle, which enjoyed similar popularity in North America. In 1999 the Mini was voted the second most influential car of the 20th Century, behind the Ford Model T.
This distinctive two-door car was designed for BMC by Sir Alec Issigonis.It was manufactured at the Longbridge and Cowley plants in England, the Victoria Park / Zetland British Motor Corporation (Australia) factory in Sydney, Australia, and later also in Spain (Authi), Belgium, Chile, Italy (Innocenti), Portugal, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yugoslavia. The Mini Mark I had three major UK updates: the Mark II, the Clubman and the Mark III. Within these was a series of variations including an estate car, a pickup truck, a van and the Mini Moke—a jeep-like buggy. The Mini Cooper and Cooper "S" were sportier versions that were successful as rally cars, winning the Monte Carlo Rally four times from 1964 through to 1967, although in 1966 the Mini was disqualified after the finish, along with six other British entrants, which included the first four cars to finish, under a questionable ruling that the cars had used an illegal combination of headlamps and spotlights.Initially Minis were marketed under the Austin and Morris names, as the Austin Seven and Morris Mini Minor, until Mini became a marque in its own right in 1969.The Mini was again marketed under the Austin name in the 1980s.