A MINI ONE ADVENTURE (some text hidden) --NONE--

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Introductionword count: 143

For a car that's only been in production since 2001, the MINI ONE carries a surprising amount of historical baggage. Built at Cowley in the UK under the auspices of BMW, the MINI ONE was never off to the easiest of starts. Launched to hysterical public demand in April 2001 the MINI ONE, through clever marketing and sound engineering, managed to exceed expectations. The entry level, 90bhp MINI ONE was priced aggressively and demand went through the roof with used examples initially trading at ridiculous premiums. Despite more powerful versions joining the line up including the Cooper, Cooper S and a 75bhp 1.4-litre diesel version, the MINI One's star remained in the ascendancy. The all new MINI was unveiled late in 2006 to replace this model, but it looked almost identical so dismay amongst the car's enthusiast following was kept to a minimum.

Modelsword count: 25

Models Covered: Three door hatchback - April 2004 to date: (1.6 90bhp, 1.6 116bhp, 1.6 170bhp petrol. 1.4 diesel [One, One D, Cooper, Cooper S])

Historyword count: 143

For a car that's only been in production since 2001, the MINI ONE carries a surprising amount of historical baggage. Built at Cowley in the UK under the auspices of BMW, the MINI ONE was never off to the easiest of starts. Launched to hysterical public demand in April 2001 the MINI ONE, through clever marketing and sound engineering, managed to exceed expectations. The entry level, 90bhp MINI ONE was priced aggressively and demand went through the roof with used examples initially trading at ridiculous premiums. Despite more powerful versions joining the line up including the Cooper, Cooper S and a 75bhp 1.4-litre diesel version, the MINI One's star remained in the ascendancy. The all new MINI was unveiled late in 2006 to replace this model, but it looked almost identical so dismay amongst the car's enthusiast following was kept to a minimum.

What You Getword count: 243

Despite its unashamedly retro appeal, the MINI One has some reassuringly modern foundations. Clamber underneath and you'll spot BMW's Z-axle multi-link rear suspension. There's a wrap-around glasshouse with glazed in side pillars featuring fully flush panes. This creates a 'floating-roof' effect which can be emphasised by the Cooper's options of having the roof painted in black or white. Like the original, the interior of the MINI One is still somewhat cramped, and retro themes abound, from the chrome detailing to the cavernous door bins. The centrally mounted speedometer, winged MINI badging and curved slatted grille all act as visual throwbacks to the Fifties. Other changes have a distinctly modern touch. The laughable boot of the original MINI has been replaced by a more practical hatchback arrangement. Some rather cheap silver-painted plastics are used in the interior, as the original aluminium fittings were ditched on the grounds of cost. Other proposed touches such as the sixties-style starter button and stalk-mounted hazard lights also got the chop due to pricing concerns, showing how tight profit margins are even in this potentially lucrative market sector. Certain items are must-haves, such as airbags and ABS-equipped disc brakes all round. At a time when tall and narrow represents the state of the art, the MINI One is more state of the ark - unashamedly squat, with bulging rear wheelarch extensions and a raking, low roofline. Unless you place a premium on space and practicality, the design works beautifully.

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