Mini maximises on power

GreenFleet’s pint-sized road tester, Ian Bond, finds out how Mini’s 
ultimate performance car, the Cooper S, gets a green makeover
in the diesel Cooper SD

Having won the Monte Carlo rally three times and countless other races and rallies since 1963, the Mini Cooper S is known as the ultimate performance Mini. Now the ‘S’ badge has tagged onto a new diesel model – the Mini Cooper SD. But this time power combines with fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions.

The Cooper SD houses the largest engine ever to go in a Mini model. The two-litre, four-cylinder power unit produces 143bhp at 4,000rpm, almost 28 per cent more than the Cooper D and nearly 60 per cent above that of the One D. What’s more, the powerful turbocharger gives the car an extra boost, helping it to reach a top speed of 134mph and a 0-62mph acceleration time of 8.1 seconds.

Green Technology
Given its power, you’d be forgiven for thinking this gulps fuel. But it is actually quite efficient, with a fuel economy figure of 65.7mpg and a CO2 level of 114g/km of CO2. This is thanks to a raft of green technology, such as Brake Energy Generation, Auto Start/Stop, Shift Point Display, Electric Power Steering and demand‑based ancillaries such as the alternator.

I achieved 57mpg on the motorway, shy of the manufacturer’s official figure but not bad nonetheless.

The interior of the SD is very quirky and unmistakably ‘Mini’. Of particular note were the lights illuminating certain areas such as the door handles; you could choose the colour and change the ambience of the car to suit your mood. The central multi-display circular panel is operated by the Mini joystick which flicks through the applications, such as the sat nav, multimedia, telephone and radio settings. You can also view general vehicle information giving you an update on how it is performing on fuel consumption and so on. A nice touch is the built-in DAB radio on top of the standard AM and FM options.

Step on it
Driving the Mini was very enjoyable. Step on the accelerator and you feel the power of the two-litre, four-cylinder engine. As it’s a small car with a big engine, I found it very nippy in traffic with excellent handling and response.

There is a six-speed manual gearbox and shift paddles on the steering wheel for when you want to feel sporty.
   
Testing the car in sub-zero conditions and snow, I was impressed with the way the car gripped the roads with confidence and retained its excellent handling and response. What’s more, I found the heating system to be excellent; the front and rear windows cleared in seconds along with the heated wing mirrors. I had the heating set to ‘auto’ which meant that the fan increased and decreased until it reached the preset internal temperature.

DETAILS
ENGINE: 2.0-litre
CO2: 114g/km
MPG (COMBINED): 65.7
0-62MPH: 8.1 seconds
TOP SPEED: 134mph
PRICE (OTR): £18,870