Make mine Mini

The Mini One is a car that I have always wanted to own — but haven’t been able to. It’s that car I love to drive because it is so easy, swift and small — with a whole lot of room inside. And, Mr. Bean makes the Mini such a lovable car — really.

The Mini One, which I got to drive some time before 2019 carries forward its predecessor’s aspiration to remaining the leading original of the premium small car segment, underpinning its outstanding position with significant advancements in all areas relating to driving fun, quality and individual flair.

On the outside the Mini One sets out to continue the global success story of the first ever premium car in the small car segment. The Mini One’s compact and powerful appearance symbolize its agile character, geared consistently towards inspiring driving fun. And driving this MINI One is so much fun.

When you step into the Mini it always feels like you just stepped into a bigger sedan —because inside the Mini it feels large. The car’s brand styling and the three-way separation of body structure that is so typical of Mini contribute to its unmistakable appearance.

Sure there are the traditional design features such as the hexagonal contour of the radiator grille, the side indicator surrounds known as side scuttles, the circular headlights, the upright rear light clusters and the black periphery around the bottom edge of the body are reinterpreted. The visual effect of the side scuttle elements and the additional headlights in the front apron is enhanced by means of striking lines on the adjacent surfaces in each case.

LED headlamps and adaptive light

Top down: Mini Cooper S conververtible

The Mini One is the first car in its segment to offer the option of LED headlamps. The bright white LED units provide the light source for both low and high beam. A LED daylight-driving ring, the lower section of which reaches down to the white turn indicators, also surrounds them.  

Key insertion, which was previously required is no longer necessary in the cockpit of the Mini. As soon as the key is inside the car, the engine can be started by pressing the toggle-type start/stop button located in the middle of the center console, which lights up red. Above the toggle switch there are three circular control switches for heating and air conditioning. The operating switches for the headlamps and fog lamps have also been repositioned and are now located on the instrument cluster next to the steering wheel. 

The center of its interior surface is a color screen up to 8.8 inches in size, which shows operating feedback for vehicle functions, air conditioning, infotainment and communication. The selection and control of these functions is facilitated by a controller in the center console, which comes in conjunction with the Radio Mini Visual Boost. Rotary, pressure and shift movements as well as one-touch buttons allow for intuitive, safe and convenient operation based on the principles of the BMW iDrive system — a ground-breaking force throughout the entire automotive sector.

There is actually nothing that I dislike in the Mini One. It is a car that dreams are made of.  Imagine it even has optimized suspension technology that makes it more go-kart feeling. The refinement of suspension technology keeps to the well-established design principle of the single-joint spring strut axle at front along with a multilink rear axle that is unique within the competitive environment.

The electromechanical power steering has also been subjected to extensive further development. So-called torque steer compensation prevents self-steering tendencies caused by differing degrees of torque at the drive wheels. Steering precision has also been optimized for sudden avoidance swerves and when taking bends in very sporty style. Standard features also include the speed-related steering assistance system Servotronic.

It is a loaded small car — what more can I say?

The best part, it drives really well and is easy to handle.

Keep ‘em coming

Love that console: Take a look inside the Mini Cooper S

Here in the Philippines, Mini Asia and British United Automobiles introduced the Mini 3 Door, the new Mini 5 Door and the Mini Convertible late last year.

A modified design for the characteristic circular headlights in front view of the new   make these units powerfully expressive. In the LED headlights, the high-quality technology is underscored by means of an entirely newly design of the light sources. The latest generation of the LED modules for low and high beam offers increased brightness. The LED daytime driving light and the turn indicator light are generated by a ring, which surrounds the entire contour of the headlight.

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For information, call Mini Global City   856-7555, Mini Pop-up Store Alabang 834-8982 and Mini Cebu (032) 272-7856 or visit www.mini.com.ph.