MINI Coupé: For the select few

MANILA, Philippines - It’s no secret. Despite its admittedly quirky character (or perhaps exactly because of it), the MINI Cooper has one of the most successful and iconic automobile designs in history. The Cooper, in fact, accounts for majority of the more than two million units sold worldwide by the British company. So when that iconic design is tampered with, it’s but natural to hear grumbling and mumbling from both traditional MINI fans and the not-so-adventurous common car nut.

In typical MINI fashion, the company has time and again thrown the figurative middle finger up its critics’ faces and come up with one surprising new variation of the MINI after another. The latest variation in this string of oddball vehicles to hit Philippine shores is the MINI Coupé. As always, it turns heads and polarizes opinions like the rest of its brethren (probably even more so than ever before). With the MINI Cooper in itself being a niche product, you can imagine how much more market specific this iteration is turning out to be. But then that’s fine. This car clearly isn’t for everyone. It’s made to satisfy the longings of a select few.

At first glance, one’s tendency is to struggle to come to terms with what exactly the MINI Coupé is or intends to be. Personally, I thought that the car’s even more constricting dimensions pointed to the fact that it was meant to be a drop-top. But it really isn’t. It is a coupé through and through – a hard-top two-seater the design of which was inspired by a racing helmet. Did I like it? Initially, I had trouble grasping its appeal, but the darn thing tends to grow on you, especially from the side. Like I said, it’s a polarizing one, this MINI Coupé. Even I had two different opinions of it!

So, what’s it like fitting one’s self into a MINI devoid of backseat? To be honest, it felt quite natural. The Cooper’s de facto second row is actually best used as a receptacle for stuff rather than people. So not having seats that would be comfortable only for children or midgets in the Coupé did little to make me feel uneasy. As I said, it even felt natural.

Of course like any coupé one’s rear vision in the MINI Coupé is limited by a tiny, restrictive rear windshield. Thankfully, all the blind spots are addressed by a standard rear sensor, the sound of which is uniquely MINI (yes, it’s cute and not at all annoying the way most rear sensors tend to be). Forward vision is another thing altogether. Just like the Cooper, you get a decent view of the road in front of you despite the smallish front windshield.

As for driving dynamics, despite being about an inch shorter than the Cooper, you really won’t be able to tell the difference where cornering, acceleration and road handling is concerned. The local variant of the MINI Coupé also comes as a standard “S”, which means that it’s sport-tuned and can thus sprint like a freaking projectile. Well and good, we say. The fun factor isn’t compromised at all in this car.

Surprisingly too, the MINI Coupé’s trunk space is quite adequate considering its size. When the car was with me, I was able to squeeze in a couple of week’s worth of groceries for five adults, a baby and a puppy. Not bad for something that’s not exactly built as a hauler.

Will all this goodness be enough to sway the common guy in the MINI Coupé’s direction? I think not. Like I said, while it shares its attitude and capabilities with its Cooper brethren, the MINI Coupé still has its own unique, endearing charm – the kind which attracts only a select few. Plus, individuality has its price to the tune of P2.95 million. I honestly still feel that this car is for either the dude (or dudette) who already has a MINI and is willing to spend a bit more for even more fun, or for that dude (or dudette) who simply wants to be different even amongst the already select few – which isn’t bad at all. The MINI – any MINI – is not for everyone, after all.

The Good

• Peppy engine

• Surprisingly ample luggage space

• Stand-out factor

The Bad

• Polarizing design

• A bit price-y

The Verdict

• The MINI Coupé is the kind of car for those who want to stand out amongst those who already stand out.