Just when you think BMW has milked the MINI idea for all it’s worth and couldn’t possibly wring out any more variations, along comes the Paceman. In fact this is the seventh version of the ‘original’ MINI which has gone through several transmogrifications with the Hatch, Clubman, Convertible, Countryman, Coupé and Roadster styles, and that’s not counting the Clubvan.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and if you like the Evoque, there is something about the mini Ranger Rover in the Paceman if you approach from the rear. However, once you get around the side and the front, it’s definitely MINI.
And once you get up close, you realise something else, this is very big for a small car! The proportions of the car disguise its bulk pretty well, so what you get is something that is almost attractive on the outside and roomy on the inside – but only for four! That’s because the two rear seats are shaped and split so there’s no room for a skinny one in the middle.
The cabin is traditional MINI though, especially the dashboard, with its Cyclops speedo/info dial in the middle of the dash and the rev counter mounted on the steering column behind the wheel plus an almost bewildering assortment of buttons and switches on the central console – but that’s all part of the fun.
Also part of the fun, are the moodlights, a series of colour changing lights inside the cabin and door trim. Or maybe this is an anti-drink-driving measure. The subtly changing glow might mesmerise a drunk and have him pulling over to fertilise the verge. And who knows, after a visit to the local fast-food emporium, those with tender tummies might just find the moving rainbow rather boaksome! Still, the kids will love it.
Fortunately, there’s something for the grown-ups to love too, especially those who like to get away from it all – quickly. Up front is the 1.6 litre Turbo and in Cooper S mode this punches out 184 hp compared the standard 122 hp Cooper engine. That’s good for 0 to 60 in under 8 seconds and a top speed of 135 mph. There are a couple of diesel options too, but the car on test was the Cooper S.
Performance is brisk, especially once you get it up the rev range and the turbo starts working its magic. And this is where the car excels. It’s fast, and it’s fun.
As for ride quality, it’s a bit jiggly over the bumps on its 225/45 tyres and 18 inch rims. Grip levels are huge and the fun factor enormous, but it’s not a car for the sightseers who like to see how big a queue they can collect behind them on twisty roads. Having said that, the faster you drive it, the better it feels. It can be twitchy and tuggy driving at slow speeds, although the ride and the flow smooths out the faster you drive
Where the ride quality became most noticeable was at night. There’s a stretch of road near Castle Bunnet with ripples running across it. It’s not subsidence, or earthquake damage just an uneven surface and it’s a good test of any car’s suspension. Driving the MINI over it had it pitching quite a bit.
It’s not a bad ride, but it had one noticeable side-effect at night, and that was down to the Bi-xenon style headlamps. They are so bright and have such a sharp cut off that as the car pitched over the ripples the dipped lights swayed up and down like searchlights looking for a formation of bombers overhead. In fact it was so noticeable that some oncoming drivers thought I was flashing them.
With a 70 mph speed limit in this country there is no need for such bright and dazzling headlamps. I know they comply with the Construction and Use rules about auto-adjusting and non dazzle but at times I don’t think the self-levelling, auto adjusting system is quick enough to respond with some rippled and uneven surfaces, hence the flickering beams experienced by oncoming traffic.
I’m not a fan of these lights at all, keep them for Le Mans.
That’s not just a criticism of MINI, it’s a criticism of all modern cars with these overly bright headlamps up front. They’re not needed and they’re annoying, especially if the front end of the car has a had a minor bump and the lamps are out of true – like a certain local taxi driver who is constantly looking for pennies in the gutter on one side, and checking the flight arrival trajectories of potential passengers with the other!
I digress, the MINI is a quick and capable four seater, but it’s more fun to drive fast than drive slow. Would I have one? No, but my daughter would.