2012 Mini Paceman Cooper S

THE MINI PACEMAN is a new, three-door, version of the Countryman that has been extensively restyled to give it a sportier appearance.

The two cars share the same bluff-fronted nose, but the Paceman's roof and tailgate are noticeably more raked, creating a look that's reminiscent of the three-door Range Rover Evoque's. In addition, the Paceman's roofline is four centimetres lower than the Countryman's (partly because the whole car sits on centimetre closer to the ground), although Mini says there's only a one centimetre reduction in headroom to achieve this.

Mechanically, the only changes from the Countryman are springs and dampers that have been retuned to deliver more responsive handling.

Mini says the Paceman is aimed at buyers who like the style and sportiness of the regular Mini hatch, but need more space. The range will include the 181bhp Copper S, 141 bhp Copper SD diesel and the 110 bhp standard Cooper diesel.

Our Cooper S test car was one of the lightly disguised prototypes being put through their paces ahead of the car's winter 2012 on sale date.

WHAT IS LIKE TO DRIVE?

A back-to-back drive with a Countryman Cooper S instanly revealed the Paceman's more agile handling and firmer ride.

Ordering it with the biggest wheels on offer is probably not a good idea, given that they'll make the ride even stiffer.
However, the Paceman corners a little more consistently than Countryman, its steering is less prone to suddenly turning light mide-bend and there's less body roll.

That said, if it's excellent handling you're after, the smaller Mini batch is more accomplished. In other respects the Paceman Cooper S is much the same as the Countryman Cooper S; the 1.6 litre turbocharged engine takes too long to come alive below 1500 rpm, but delivers strong acceleration beyond that.

The gearchange is a little stiff and rear visibility is limited due to the shallow rear window. Even more disappointing is the wind noise, which becomes surprisingly prominent at 60mph.

'Many will love the distinctive style of this new three-door Mini'

Still, for all its faults, there's no denying the Paceman's quirky charm - especially because it comes in a wrapper far more attractive than the Countryman's.

What's it like inside?

The Paceman's interior is identical to the Countryman's up front, save for the much longer doors, which are rather cumbersome to handle if the car is on a slope.

In the back you'll find a pair of individual bucket seats with Mini's aluminium accessory rail threading between them.

Getting in isn't too difficult, thanks to the tilt-and-slide front seats, but reversing the process is more of a challange. Rear space is adequate unless you're over six foot, while the boot is as confined as it is in the Countryman.

The Countryman's somewhat scattered controls have been slightly improved following the migration of the-electric window switches and central locking control to the doors from the centre console, but the geography of this quirkily appealing cabin still takes some learning.

The standard of finish is good but not great, with too much hard plastic compared with the rival Volkswagen Scirocco's interior.

Should I buy one?

Many will love the distinctive style of this new Mini variant, and jump at the change to have the sporty three-door look with a roomier interior.

The trouble is, the Paceman is neither as good to drive, nore as refined, as the standard Mini hatch, and it will carry a premium of around $2000 over the Countryman, despite the lower door count. Will those facts put off prospective buyers? Probably not.

BUYER'S FILE

Engine size: 1.6 T , 1.6 TD
Price (est): $35,914 , $32,508
Power: 181bhp , 110bhp
Torque: 177lb ft , 199lb ft
0-62mph: 7.5sec , 10.8sec
Top speed: 135mph , 116mph
Economy: 48.1mpg , 64.2mpg
Co2g/km/tax: 140/19% , 115/17%



Doors 3 , Seats 4
ON SALE: Winter 2012



September 2, 2012, 12:36 pm