Mini Cooper S makes its return

THE BMW Group has pulled the wraps of its much anticipated Mini Cooper S just days before the car's official unveiling at the Tokyo motor show.

Due to arrive in Australia in April next year, the Cooper S will sit at the top of a two-model Mini range as the performance variant - the base model will be the Mini Cooper.

Pricing is yet to be confirmed for the Cooper S, but it is expected to be around $40,000.

While the Cooper will be powered by an 85kW, 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine, the Cooper S raises the performance bar by adding a supercharger to the powerplant.

It will be good for 120kW of power and 210Nm of torque, which BMW says will push the hot hatch from 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds on the way to a top speed of 218km/h.

The engine is matched to a six-speed manual transmission while a more sports oriented suspension set-up has been fitted to cope with the extra power.

Externally, the S stands apart from the regular Cooper model courtesy of a scoop in the bonnet designed to feed air to the engine's intercooler, unique front and rear bumpers, rear roof spoiler and 16-inch alloy wheels finished in either white or silver.

Other minor detail changes include dual chrome exhaust extensions, a chrome fuel cap, chrome side grilles with an integrated "S" logo and white side-indicator lenses.

On the inside, the Cooper S features two-tone leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, aluminium trim on the doors and dashboard and a stainless steel footrest.

BMW Australia has not yet announced final specification for the local version, but standard equipment levels are sure to be beyond the wildest dreams of original Cooper S owners.

In Europe the car will come with front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes (ABS), Automatic Stability Control and traction control (ASC+T), runflat tyres incorporating a tyre defect indicator, remote central locking, electric windows, electric mirrors and sports seats. BMW's Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system will be available as an option.

As is the norm with most BMW models, expect a long options list for the car in Australia, including satellite navigation, a premium sound system, electric sunroof and an alarm.