A look at the all-new 2012 Mini Coupe

People who consider Mini a niche brand will understand why the all-new Coupé was created.

P This rolling fashion statement that dares to sporty two-seater is a thumb its nose at practicality and convention. It's a car you would wear like an Armani suit or Vera Wang dress, which is for the label as much as the look and definitely not for everyday use.

As Minis go, the Coupé is the Miniest. In the marque's storied 50-yearplus history it has never built a twoseat model, much less a model that shuns the squared-off look in favor of a rounded roofline. Still, the car appears every inch a Mini, especially the lower body that looks as if it was lifted from the classic-Mini production line. In fact, the car's basic proportions -length, width and distance between the front and rear wheels - are similar to the current two-door Mini Cooper.

It likely didn't make any sense to reduce these values since the Mini is already mini enough and most owners only rarely use the rear-seat as a passenger repository. The only key value that has shrunk is the height, due to the Coupé's less upright windshield.

The Coupé's signature design piece and easily the most controversial is its helmet-look roof that, for added emphasis, is painted in a contrasting color. The shape appears somewhat jarring and for many viewers will likely remain so. However there's no denying the lid is a truly audacious feature that will cause people to stare wherever the Coupé goes. Edgy shapes such as this odd-looking top take guts to put it into production and the sculptors (and their bosses) at Mini are clearly risk takers.

Although Mini is part of BMW, you'll never see anything this offbeat on any of those vehicles.

In place of the squared-off liftgate on regular Minis, the Coupé features a large hatchback that opens very wide and very high to accommodate a reasonable AU amount of cargo. TThere's Oalso a pass-through for longer items. When the hatch is raised, a significant chunk of the roof goes up with it.

Built into the edge of the cargo door is an active spoiler (with manual override) that automatically extends whenever the Coupé exceeds 80 km-h. The wing isn't just a decorative adornment, as Mini claims it applies up to 40 kilograms of downforce.

Running counter to the Coupé's performance persona is the fact that it weighs some 25 kilograms more than the Cooper. That's likely because the Coupé is actually based on the Cabriolet's (convertible's) reinforced platform, minus some extra bracing behind the seats.

The interior with its large centre information/audio-control pod is familiar territory for knowledgeable Mini fans, but the unique headliner has been scooped out to create some much-needed extra headroom for both driver and passenger.

The Coupé is certainly the sportiest of Minis and the suspension settings have been adjusted to reflect this characteristic. There's also an available sport suspension package with extrastiff shocks and thicker anti-sway bars for those enjoy shaking loose their fillings.

The powertrain lineup should also be familiar to Mini fans. Base models are fitted with a 121-horsepower 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, while the S features a 181-horse turbocharged 1.6. At the top of the scale is the John Cooper Works (JCW) edition that pumps out 208 horsepower from its turbo motor. The JCW also comes with an aero kit, Brembo-brand brakes, distinctive alloy wheels and a fancier interior.

Transmission choices for all consist of a six-speed manual, or optional sixspeed automatic.

Coupé pricing begins at about $25,000, which is about $1,500 more than a base hardtop. But as any fashionista knows, you pay more for trendy bespoke attire than for off-the-rack. For the no-boundaries adventurous, your Coupé carriage awaits.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

TYPE: Two-door, two-seat hatchback

ENGINES: 1.6-litre DOHC I4 (121); 1.6-litre DOHC I4, turbocharged (181-208)

TRANSMISSIONS: Six-speed manual; six-speed automatic (opt.)

MARKET POSITION: The all-new Coupé extends the Mini brand in a whole new direction. This two-seater should appeal to urban singles looking for an exciting and bolder-looking sub-compact that's sporty and fuel-efficient.

POINTS: Oddly shaped roof design will take some getting used to. ? Regular assortment of Mini powertrains should be augmented by a serious performance option. ? Useful cargo area great for long trips. ? Six-seed shifter one of the best; adds to sporting flair.? Hard to fathom why the Coupé is pricier than four-seat model. ? Convertible version due by mid-2012.

SAFETY: Front airbags; side-impact airbags; side-curtain airbags; anti-lock brakes; traction control; stability control.

BY COMPARISON

MINI COOPER: Base price: $23,600 Easy on gas, great road manners and more usable space for less cash.

FIAT 500: Base price: $17,400 Cute econo-car newcomer offers all-adult seating and Italian pedigree.

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF/GTI: Base price: $21,850 Practical, fun to drive and less costly than Mini. GTI adds performance-plus.