In support of The Children’s Hospital and their great cause, 303 Magazine is launching our new automobile blog – A Woman’s Perspective by Alissa Barry – with a review from Schomp Automotive. Schomp is holding their 21st annual Children’s Hospital Sales Event through the end of this month! (A percentage of proceeds go toward the Children’s Hospital Burn Unit.)
It’s in, it’s out, and it’s gone. Mini Coopers are cute and fast. With BMW behind their production line, this a snappy ride with an under-the-radar feel. Driving this car reminded me of why these vehicles were featured in the movie, “The Italian Job.” I’m not saying that I’m an advocate of committing crimes, but the Mini Cooper would certainly make a formidable getaway car.
I had the opportunity to drive the Mini Cooper S Convertible for a few days. It’s a 4-cylinder, turbocharged, sporty young grasshopper with many features to make a female smile. The 1.6L, 6-speed manual transmission comes standard. The Dynamic Stability Control is a great friend for someone like me who takes fast, tight turns whenever possible. I can see how this standard feature would help a sister out when her thoughts are focused on the next thing in-line demanding her attention. Working in conjunction with this feature, is the optional Dynamic Traction Control. This gives the driver the choice between 3 different driving modes, and with so many drivers on the road, the more options we have, the more we seem to appreciate the ride.
Some of its convenient technological toys include a push start and stop, a remote control key that charges itself while it sits in the ignition lock, hill assist for when we find ourselves in steep situations and a ‘sport’ button option for extra responsiveness when we’re craving a little more attention to detail with gear shifting and steering response.
Some women love surprises, but we hate the surprise of crazies on the road. Safely escort a few good friends with the peace of mind of four airbags covering the front and sides of this peppy new ride. I didn’t realize this until it was time to return the car, but the Mini Cooper gave me a new perspective at parking in the city. Parking issues are majorly minimized since it turns on a dime giving me a great appreciation for how compact this vehicle is. Any stress about fitting into a spot on the street becomes a distant memory. I also felt myself feeling less claustrophobic in high traffic situations.
Driving around the city and outer areas of Denver, I liked having the opportunity to open the sunroof or use the drop top as a full-blown convertible. It gives a sense of openness that a city girl craves every now and again. As far as the interior, there is a lot of room inside the cabin, for a vehicle that doesn’t take up a lot of room on the road. You can’t put a lot of junk in the trunk, but that’s part of the charm. It’s a go-wagon, not a swagger wagon. Jump in and get the heck on the road with it.
The Mini handles well and seems to accept unexpected situations well. I drove over an uneven part of some road construction on I-70, at one point. It crept up on me and when I hit the uneven surface, it put a smile on my face when I sort-of got some air. This is a good car with a good vibe.
Financial Facet: Starting around $29,000.
Bottom Line: Got stuff to do? It’s great for getting there in a hurry, but not created to stuff a bunch of things in the trunk. Perfect, happy vehicle for a single female with little baggage.
Zoom Factor: A convenient choice for women who like to put the hammer down.
The Denver Angle: Made for city driving on warm Denver days.
Dealership: Ralph Schomp MINI
5700 S Broadway, Littleton CO 80121 • Phone: 877-331-9182
