The legend goes on, faster and smarter

By Maxmilian Wechsler

SINCE my first time behind the wheel of a car – a Volkswagen Beetle more than 40 years ago – I have driven a great many makes and models but never one I’ve enjoyed more than the new Mini Cooper S Clubman Hampton - Limited Edition, which I recently had the opportunity to test drive for three days.

It has to be said from the outset that this model is very impressive in many aspects and one of the best – if not the best – in its category. This opinion was shared by Nina Hastings, Associate Editor of The BigChilli, who is about half my age and has been driving since she was 18.

The Mini Cooper performed admirably on Bangkok’s congested streets and expressways as well as narrow, curvy mountain roads in Kanchanaburi province, where we also took the car for a spin.

Claims by some reviewers that the car is suitable only for short distances and for youngsters, and that it has a noisy engine and hard suspension, had kept me away from this model; at the age of 61, I prefer a softer ride. Anyway, this is absolutely not the case with the Mini Cooper.

It was a real pleasure and thrill to drive because of, among other positives, its ease of handling – parking was a breeze, as was a U-turn on a narrow road – remarkable acceleration and excellent breaking capability on various surfaces and in different weather conditions.

The first Mini was produced in 1961. Since then it has gone through countless permutations before this legendary brand was purchased by Munich-based BMW in 2000 from the Rover Group.

The Mini Clubman Hampton - Limited Edition was built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original model. Designed in Germany and manufactured in Oxford, England, it combines German precision with immaculate British finishing. Production is limited to one year.

The car comes with an exclusive reef blue metallic exterior, black roof and pillars, 17-inch light alloy wheels with twin blade spokes and dark red trim. The interior sports black leather lounge seats with red edging and contrast stitching. The letter H is tagged on front seats, while the word ‘Hampton’ appears on the B-pillar and ‘Mini 50 Hampton’ on the door entry strip. The front grill displays a 50th Anniversary badge.

The Mini Hampton we tested was equipped with a 1.6 litre engine with Twinscroll Turbo and 184hp; awesome power considering the car’s net weight is 1,305 kilograms. It was officially launched by the MINI (Thailand) on June 10, together with two other new models.

I collected the car from Millennium Auto – the sole authorized Mini dealer in Thailand, located on Ekkamai Road Soi 7. The company opened the first Mini dealership at Soi Lang Suan in 2002 with only a showroom, while servicing was done some distance away. They moved to the 150 million-baht six-storey dealership on Ekamai in 2007, at that time the largest Mini showroom in the world with a total area of 6,000 square meters and everything under one roof.

I couldn’t resist taking a close look at the other models displayed in the showroom. In contrast to the dealerships of most brands, which stock cars almost exclusively in black, white or silver, a Mini showroom is alive with color, and many models are two-tone. Most of the customers that day were young, along with a few couples and several stylish ladies who had come to service their cars.

After a 10-minute crash course by the sales representative during which he explained in good English the purposes of various buttons and other vital information, I was on my own, leaving the centre. It took only a few hundred meters for me to realize that this car was very different from anything I’d driven before, and it was with reluctance that I returned it three days later.

This model is a sports car even if it is not officially branded as such. It’s fast, going from 0-100km/h in 7.7 seconds, with a top speed of 222 km/h. I managed to get it up to 180km on the expressway and there was plenty of power to spare. Hitting the breaks at high speed, the car came to a quick stop without sliding or spinning, thanks to the Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Break Assist (BA) systems.

It’s equipped with a cruise control and a 6-speed steptronic transmission. Two paddles shifts are located on the steering wheel but I rarely used them. While in the mountains the automatic transmission was sufficient and did its job perfectly. Therefore, it wasn’t necessary to employ the manual transmission.

There’s a small net on the passenger side to keep small items but Nina complained – and rightly so – that there’s no space inside the cabin to keep a bag or other carry-on items. (The car has bluetooth, USB and auxiliary ports to connect with an MP3 player or Ipod.

The tank can store about 50 liters of fuel and consumes about 15.62 liters per 100 km.

At high speed the car is well balanced and grips the road. There are some interior design similarities to a BMW, and some of the buttons and lettering are identical.

Nina appreciated the mirrors with lights above the driver and passenger seats. “This is very good because I don’t have to move to the passenger seat when I want to put on make up,” she said, a comment I’ve heard from other ladies.

Other strong points are the firm and responsive steering and the leg room in the front. It is also fairly roomy in the back, although some critics have faulted the Mini in this respect.

A small ‘Club door’ on the right rear side enables passengers to climb in and out of the back without disturbing the driver. The only drawback is that you have to step over a seat belt when entering the car.

The side mirrors are large, well shaped and compensate for the small blockage of view due to the design of the rear ‘Split door’ at the back of the car. The height of the cabin is good, so you don’t have to worry about hitting the roof with your head if you decide to jump a pothole.

Nina loved the panoramic glass sun roof at the front and rear of the car. On this point, for once I disagreed with her. I would have preferred an optional cover to stop people from peering in from buses and buildings.

The luggage compartment in the back is surprisingly large and you can even increase it by folding the rear seats. It will then fit a golf bag. There is, of course, no compartment for a spare tire because the car has run-flat tires, as do all currently produced BMW models. If the tire is not severely damaged you can still drive alone for about 250 kilometers at 80km/h. With one passenger you can drive about 200km, and with three passengers about 150km. If there’s a loss in the pressure in any tire, a warning sign appears on the dashboard.

The interior is tasteful and the seats are comfortable. The cabin is quiet, visibility and accessibility of all instruments is good, with the exception of the window switches. These are placed in the centre of the dashboard, below the large-face speedometer. To open or close a window, you have to take your eyes off the road to make sure you touch the right switch. Plus, unless you have very long arms, you have to bend your body to reach the switch. This can be a nuisance, for example, when paying an expressway toll.

The clicking sound of the indicators is pleasant, as is the sound of the sensor that is activated when reversing.

The sensor, called PDC (Parking Distance Control), is only installed at the rear of the car. We would have preferred it in the front as well.

The convenient Comfort Access Mode (keyless system) opens the door and starts the engine with the push of a button. It works for a distance of not more than 1.5 meters.

The steering wheel is firm, exactly as Nina and I preferred. The doors are easy to close without extra pushing. The acceleration and breaking pedals are large and easy to find.

Of course, every car has its negative points. Nina and I agreed that one of the Mini’s is the absence of electric seats. The sales rep claimed that the manual function is deliberate, to give the feel of a classic car.

The sales rep also said that the Mini does not have the sensor installed for the front because “it is a small car and therefore not necessary.”

Perhaps the biggest drawback, though, is the price tag – almost 3 million baht (about US $100,000). Classed as a luxury vehicle, the car attracts an import tax of 186 percent. Seen another way, your car will get you a VIP parking spot.

In Europe and United States, the Mini costs less than a million baht, about the same
as a mid-range Japanese model here in Thailand, For US$ 100,000 over there, you can buy a Jaguar, Mercedes or even a Porsche.

Mini owners in Thailand come in two groups. “The first are those who come with the express intention of buying a Mini. They focus on the distinctive design and walk straight to the Mini showroom,” says a sales rep. “As for the second group, they already own one or more cars like BMW or Mercedes Benz. They have three million baht to spare and they go shopping for another car.”

Some customers go first to the Ekkamai showroom and then to the grey market importers, who sell for about 20% less. However, many return to the authorized dealer because the grey market representatives are unable to explain the specifications and details of the car, and they’re left with an uncomfortable feeling that they will face problems in the future by going this route. There is also the possibility of a hefty fine if authorities discover that the customer has not paid the proper import taxes.

I wrote an article on the subject: “Going Grey: The threat to Thailand’s luxury car business” for the April edition of BigChilli which is also posted on the magazine’s website.

“The customers worry about after-sales service. They prefer to pay more for peace of mind,” said the representative.

“We absolutely will not service cars purchased on the grey market. Even if we wanted to, we can’t because we have to key the particular vehicle into the card reader for our (hi-tech) diagnostic system to uncover all relevant information. The information will be transmitted to the system to release any parts needed to fix the car.
 
“I would like to also mention that all our cars are especially made to perform well in tropical weather conditions. This includes the cooling and air-conditions systems.

“We are the only dealer in Thailand. We have three authorized service providers upcountry, in Chiang Mai, Korat and Phuket. They will change oil and do other small maintenance, but anything serious has to be taken care of in Bangkok.

“We have a special service for our customers upcountry called ‘Mini Come Home.’ We send our people with a trailer twice a year to regions in Thailand where we have customers who need major maintenance. They pick up cars at our expense, transport them back to Bangkok and fix them. This service can also be used by Mini owners who’ve had accidents, but there may be costs involved for owners in this case.”

When the time came to return the Mini, Nina declared: “The longer I was behind the wheel, the more I liked the Hampton,” which was my feeling exactly. For both young and old, the Mini Hampton is a pleasure to drive.