Agent 001 Heads To The Caribbean To Sample Britain's Latest All-New MINI Cooper

Our very own top Agent 001 headed down to the Caribbean — Puerto Rico, to be precise — to sample an all-new ride. The car in question? The all-new MINI Cooper.

Of course it may not look much different from the current-gen product, but we assure you it's changed significantly. That's because not only has the vehicle grown in size, it's also received an all-new three-cylinder motor.

And according to 001, the three-cylinder is a remarkable powerplant. That's because it obtains the mpg of a diesel with absolutely none of the tradeoffs. AND, we know that gasoline fuel is less expensive than diesel fuel.

In typical AutoSpies tradition, we've documented the launch of the all-new MINI Cooper with pictures. Lots of them. Over 720, actually.

I've compiled a selection of hand-picked photos below. Make sure to check out the FULL gallery yourself!

**Disclaimer: No animals were harmed in the making of this photo gallery. 001 stumbled upon the already deceased iguanas.


The New MINI Cooper Launch

MattDarringer - 1/31/2014 8:58:37 AM

+2 Boost

The basic question is whether they have finally tamed the torque steer. A friend has a 2012 Cooper S and on uneven pavement with moderate acceleration it is a nightmare. A GTI can be had for the same price and has infinitely better manners. BMW's lack of experience with FWD showed way too much in the 1st and 2nd generations (the latter being just a mild restyle anyway). Also, I hope they have improved not only the quality of the interior but also the fit and finish. His cost $32K and the interior looks $18K.

Agent001 - 1/31/2014 10:19:35 AM

+3 Boost

MUCH better. This is a SERIOUS driving machine now. And I would buy the 3 cyl. over the 'S'.

Well done MINI. A VAST improvement. Make sure you go test drive one!

001

pcar4evr - 1/31/2014 11:16:34 AM

+1 Boost

And did they fix the buckboard ride? Mini stills owes me a couple of new fillings after putting 30K miles on my wife's (long gone) Cooper S over crappy NJ streets

carsnyc - 1/31/2014 10:31:20 AM

+1 Boost

Am I mistaken or are they no selling well?

I don't see any new Smarts at all; a few new Minis, and maybe a little more 500s

mini22 - 1/31/2014 5:34:29 PM

+1 Boost

I've read a few other publications and web sites that also state that the base Mini Cooper is better to drive than the Cooper S. For one they say the 3 cylinder engine is sweeter sounding and more flexible. It also has an improved ride and improved handling. Further the base Mini Cooper does not suffer from as much torque steer as the S does. The 2.0 S is a better car than the one it replaces but is is not that much of a step above the previous S the way the new base Cooper is above the previous Cooper.Having owned a 2006 S I would have expected that BMW would have offered an S with the torque steer technology of the 2015 VW GTI.I don't think this bodes well for the Coopers Works model as thats supposed to get a 230 HP engine.It seems like the base Cooper is the one to have now.

pcar4evr - 2/1/2014 9:23:46 AM

+1 Boost

It say something that when an above average looking blonde in a bikini gets more views than the car 001 was sent to evaluate. Pick a)we're a bunch of horn dogs b) New Mini ain't that interesting c) all of the above

Agent001 - 2/1/2014 8:37:36 PM

+1 Boost

@pcar4evr That usually happens on any gallery we post. And yes MINI kind of went south for a while on the buzz factor. But the reason we're worth our salt over anyone else is we're the best at predicting success and failure of a model after covering it. The new car is a revolutionary step in drive improvement and we promise you EVERY manufacturer will someday be competing with a 3cyl. The new one from BMW/MINI is THAT good. May even win engine of the year.

001