First drive: BMW's captivating new Mini

GET ready for a BMW product like you have never seen before.

The new Mini, launched to the international media in the picturesque Umbrian hills in Italy, represents a whole new ball game for the German car-maker.

Like Volkswagen's New Beetle, the new Mini draws its inspiration from a car that first saw the light of day in the late 1950s.

Viewed from any angle, the newcomer is unmistakably a Mini - despite the fact it has grown in every direction. It measures 3626mm long, 1688mm wide and 1408mrn high.

BMW's design team has maintained the car's links to its ancestor by incorporating big bug-eyed headlights, imitation rain channels, stubby rear end and, of course, the wheel-at-each-corner layout that endowed the original model - affectionately known as the "brick on wheels" - with such a squat stance.

The car goes on sale in Europe in July but we have to wait until next March.

It will be sold through 23 dealers around the country - six in Sydney, four in Melbourne, two in Brisbane, one in Canberra and one each in the other state capitals. It will also be offered in seven regional dealerships in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

European buyers can choose from three variants - Mini One, Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S - but we will get only the latter two.

BMW Australia spokesman John Kananghinis said the car would be positioned as a niche product - hence the decision not to offer the entry level Mini One.

All three models use a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine jointly developed with Chrysler but power ranges from 66kW in the base model to 85kW in the Cooper and 115kW in the supercharged Cooper S.

BMW Australia says pricing will start under $35,000 for the Cooper, positioning it against the likes of the Peugeot 206GTi, Renault Clio Sport and Alfa Romeo 147.

The range-topping Cooper S is likely to cost around $40,000.

Transmission choices in the Cooper will comprise a five-speed manual or a CVT automatic - which adds about $2500 to the price - but the overtly sporty Cooper S will only be offered with the manual.

Standard safety features will include six airbags - front, side and head - anti-lock brakes CBC (cornering Brake Control) and EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution).

BMW said it aimed to provide the Mini with similar active and passive safety levels to its 3 Series line-up - which explains the raft of driver aids and airbags.

Air-conditioning, electric windows and mirrors, remote central locking and alloy wheels will also come at no extra cost.

Mr Kananghinis said BMW Australia aimed to sell between 1500 and 1700 Minis next year, slightly more than the volume the New Beetle managed in its first full year on the market.

Buyers seeking to personalise their car will have plenty of options available to them, including being able to specify a white or black roof, 17-inch wheels, on-board TV and satellite navigation monitor, xenon headlights and park-distance control.

Although most buyers are likely to be swayed by the Mini's visual appeal, BMW says practicality was also high in the design criteria.

A 50-litre fuel tank endows it with a range in excess of 750km - based on the claimed overall consumption figures of 6.7litres/100km. Service intervals have also been stretched to between 16,000 and 20,00km.

Seating is for four as BMW opted against trying to make space for three individuals in the rear-seat.

BMW says the Mini Cooper is capable of accelerating from standstill to 100km/h in 9.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 200km/h - quicker than any standard Cooper has travelled before.

The 115kW Cooper S, yet to be launched to the media, should be appreciably faster.

DRIVE IMPRESSION

IT is hard not to be captivated by the looks of the new Mini.

Despite having to engineer the car to meet modern safety and packaging standards, BMW's designers have managed to endow it with the true character of the Alec Issigonis-designed original.

It is beautifully proportioned and well executed no matter from which angle you look at the car.

The wide track, long wheelbase and flared guards combine to give the car a decidedly sporting presence.

The character of the original Mini is reflected by the interior, which features a tachometer mounted above the steering column and a large speedometer mounted in the centre of the dashboard.

But the positioning of the two dials will be reversed for Australian-spec cars in order to comply with local design rules.

Overall, the Mini's cabin is a comfortable place to be and the high standard of fit and finish means it feels more German than British - surprise, surprise.

But on the road is where the car's fun factor shines through.

Although the weight is biased 63/37 over the front and rear axles, the Mini never feels nose-heavy - far from it.

It turns in sharply and can be hurled into corners with confidence, the driver secure in the knowledge that backing off the throttle results in the nose tucking in nicely should understeer begin to make its presence felt.

The host of driver aids also perform their role relatively unobtrusively, allowing the driver to feel in charge of proceedings. The electro-hydraulic steering does its job well, relaying plenty of feedback to the driver's fingertips.

Rowing up and down the slick five-speed gearbox is a pleasure, thanks partly to the progressive, well-weighted clutch. The four-wheel disc brakes are also reassuringly strong.

Suspension tuning is firm - in keeping with the car's sporting aspirations - but this means ride quality is a little busy over some surfaces.

Front seat accommodation is ample for most shapes and sizes but the two rear seats are best suited to small children.

Boot capacity is a bit small at 150 litres but this can be boosted to 670 litres by folding down the 50:50 split-fold rear seats.

Overall, the Mini Cooper is an enticing proposition.

Not only is it stylish and well-built, but its taut and nimble chassis means you will walk away grinning like a fool after a blast down your favourite country road.