This is the latest 2021 version of the Mini Cooper S, making its debut almost exactly 20 years after the first BMW-engineered version of the car appeared as a 21st century reinterpretation of the original.
Since then the 'new' BMW Mini has been through plenty of iterations, up to and including EV and PHEV variants and even a crossover. But in this 3-door hot hatch Cooper S derivative it still feels like arguably the purest kind of Mini to us.
The latest Mini Cooper S makes 175bhp and 207lb ft from its generously-sized 2.0-litre turbocharged engine. That lets it hit 0-62mph in 6.8sec and gives it a top speed of 146mph. It'll return 43.5-45.6mpg and has a CO2 output of 140-148g/km.
Those are the headline numbers. But join Autocar's special correspondent James Disdale as he finds out some of the more important things - how does the 2021 Mini Cooper S feel, and how much fun is it to drive?
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