By: Elena Williams

Summary
2007 MINI Cooper is a sports coupe, family coupe, convertible sports car, or convertible. It can seat four passengers and has two doors.

Price
MSRP: US$18,050-US$25,400
Invoice: US$16,327-US$22,942

What is New in 2007 MINI Cooper?
Changes include complete overhauling with better engines, interiors, exteriors, and special packages offering center armrest, leather upholstery, and similar options.

Introduction
2007 MINI Cooper is an exquisite combination of style, comfort, and practicability, well within affordable costs.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
2007 MINI Cooper is available in four trims ranging from HT to S Convertible. Options include sunroof, Harman Kardon sound system, and rear parking sensors, firmer suspension tuning, run-flat performance tires, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and stability control.

Powertrains and Performance
2007 MINI Cooper offers standard 168hp 1.6-liter I4 turbo engine with six-speed manual transmission and overdrive or 118hp 1.6-liter I4 engine with six-speed manual transmission and overdrive. Six-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional. It delivers 25 to 32-mpg in city and 32 to 40-mpg on highway.

Interior Design and Special Features
Interiors offer distinct style with ergonomically arranged switchgear, saucer-sized speedometer on dash, and attractive combination of leather upholstery. Some plastics are of poor quality.

Safety Features
Standard safety features include tire-pressure monitor, antilock disc brakes, full-length side curtain airbags, side airbags for front occupants, Dynamic stability control, and traction control.

Driving Impressions
Responsive steering, good handling dynamics, run-flat tires, and revised suspension offers stable and comfortable ride.

Pros
Excellent comfort and safety features, soft suspension

Cons
Lacks spaciousness, insufficient horsepower

I have to admit to a bias when it comes to the Mini Cooper. This car, a tiny, innovatively designed character, is reminiscent of old movies in which the cars talked and the headlights blinked intelligently. I have a certain love for little cars, the kind of car that you can park sideways in front of the grocery store and still have room on either side without double-parking. Like all European cars, though, it’s expensive and hard to fix, so that has to be taken in mind when investing in this adorable little number.

The Cooper comes with 120 hp, 170 in the Cooper S, and in the Cooper S as well its supercharger has been replaced with a turbocharger, which generates 177 feet of torque from 1700 to 5000 rpm, a big improvement from before.

Designed to comply to strict English standards for auto safety, the Cooper is significantly more safe than the more laxly built American cars. Even its panels have been built to be pedestrian-friendly. Even though the Cooper is the smallest four-passenger car in this country, it has been given more space this time around without changing its tiny, smiling features and comfortably fits four adults. Although you might not expect it, once the rear seats are folded down, it can even load quite a bit of stuff.

The Cooper comes with lots of possibilities for upgrades, so there’s an option to buy the more bare-bones but still great economic version, or you could go all out and all the way up to luxury prices. Some of the options are

• six-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic controls
• sport package (rear spoiler, sports seats, sport tires)
• slip differential
• premium package (sport steering wheel with wood/leather trim, electric sunroof with front and rear shades, climate control)
• convenience package (universal garage door opener, keyless access to unlock and start, rain sensor, auto headlights, mobile phone readiness, auto-dimming rear mirror)
• cold weather package (heated headlamp, washer jets, heated seats)
• navigation system

Even without all of those features, the Cooper is a fantastic car to have, but with them, you’re really treating yourself to a great buy.

Cheers,

Fashun Guadarrama.