IF YOU can imagine it, the Mini becomes even more desirable in its second iteration. With a sharper definition of all it previously stood for, a classier interior and even better road performance, the new R56 Mini shows that improvements can be wrought even on a car so tightly locked in to a revered past. The big change is that the Cooper version, once a little disappointing in terms of engine performance, now has a raspy edge that at least makes it sound the part even - if the figures don’t indicate any accelerative advances. The reality is that the Cooper actually feels quicker on the road, and so it should because the all-new engine includes a lot of BMW technology to improve general and mid-range response. It’s quite a bit more economical and cleaner too, which counts for a lot.