2003 Mini Cooper S Review, Price, Specs & Road Test

Pop quiz: What do you get when you blend retro styling, supercharged power, and the reflexes of a go-kart? A Mini Cooper S, of course. Our dark silver-and-black S came loaded with leather ($1250), the cold-weather package (heated washer jets, seats, and mirrors: $300), premium package (with steering-wheel controls, panoramic sunroof, trip computer, and automatic climate control: $1250), sport pack (Dynamic Stability Control, sport seats, foglamps, rear spoiler, Xenon headlamps, and 17-inch alloys: $1250), and a Harmon/Kardon sound system ($550). Tack on an extra $400 for the metallic paint and $550 for destination, and our Cooper S' $19,425 base price finished at $24,975. So far, we're enjoying the Cooper's crisp handling, but its lack of bottom-end torque takes some getting used to--seems a few editors have stalled it on an incline. You've got to bloody rev it, eh?