Review: MINI F55/F56 Cooper (2014-on)

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• Excellent dynamics
• Sensitive steering with sharp turn-in
• For Cooper S, responsive 2.0-litre B48 turbo engine and refined manual transmission
• For Cooper D, frugal 1.5-litre B37 turbo-diesel engine

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• Firm ride (though optional adaptive dampers help)
• Thicker front pillars reduce forward visibility
• Cabin lacks sound insulation
• In-cabin rattles and vibrations for some examples
• Small speedometer and tachometer are difficult to read

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Review: MINI F55/F56 Cooper (2014-18)

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Overview

The three-door MINI F56 Cooper hatchback was released in Australia in April 2014, with the five-door F55 Cooper hatchback following in October 2014. Manufactured in Cowley, England, the front-wheel drive F55 and F56 Cooper ranges initially consisted of Cooper, Cooper D and Cooper S models. The MINI F56 John Cooper Works (JCW) was released in Australia in July 2015.

Engines and transmissions

Of the engines,

• For the standard Cooper, the 1.5-litre B38 B15 three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine had an alloy block and cylinder head, direct fuel injection, double overhead camshafts, variable intake and exhaust camshaft control (double VANOS), four valves per cylinder, fully variable valve control (Valvetronic) and a compression ratio of 11.0:1;
• For the 2.0-litre B48 A20M0 four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine had the same alloy construction and technologies, albeit with a twin scroll turbocharger and an 11.0:1 compression ratio; and,
• For the John Cooper Works variant, the 2.0-litre B48 B20 turbocharged petrol engine is understood to have higher boost pressure and a compression ratio of 10.2:1; and,
• For the Cooper D, the 1.5-litre B37 C15 three-cylinder diesel engine had a variable geometry turbocharger, common rail direct injection (with maximum injection pressure of 2000 bar), double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and a compression ratio of 16.5:1.

All engines were available with either six-speed manual or automatic transmissions, and compliant with Euro 6 emissions standards. Models with automatic transmissions also had an engine start/stop function which enabled the engine to shut down when the vehicle was stationary.

To minimise fuel consumption, the F56 Cooper had on-demand operation of the alternator, fuel pump, coolant pump and other ancillary units. The F56 Cooper S also had selectable drive modes – MID, Sport and Green – which provided distinct settings for throttle response, steering sensitivity and engine acoustics (and for the Cooper S, Dynamic Damper Control where fitted). For models with automatic transmissions, the Green driving mode included a coasting function which could decouple the drivetrain to reduce engine braking. [su_table responsive=”yes”]

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Dimensions

Compared to the R56 Cooper , the standard three-door F56 Cooper was 98 mm longer (at 3821 mm), 44 mm wider (1727 mm), 7 mm taller (1414 mm) and had a 28 mm longer wheelbase (2495 mm). Relative to the three-door models, the five-door F55 Cooper was 161 mm longer (at 3982 mm), 11 mm taller (1425 mm) and had a 72 mm longer wheelbase (at 2567 mm).

Suspension and steering

The MINI F55/F56 Cooper had a single-joint MacPherson spring strut front axle with aluminium swivel bearing and a multi-link rear axle with trailing arms. the Cooper S was also available with Dynamic Damper Control as an extra-cost option which provided selectable comfort and sport settings. As standard, the MINI John Cooper Works was equipped with ‘Dynamic Damper Control’ which consisted of electronically-controlled dampers that enabled the driver to select from ‘Comfort’ and ‘Sport’ modes. As an extra-cost option, the Cooper S could also be specified with Dynamic Damper Control.

The MINI F55/F56 Cooper had rack-and-pinion steering with electric power assistance.

Safety equipment

Standard safety equipment for the MINI F55 and F56 Cooper included dual front airbags, front side airbags, full length curtain airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control, corner braking control and front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters.

The F55 and F56 Cooper were also fitted with an active bonnet which, in the event of a pedestrian collision, triggers a pyrotechnic mechanism to raise the bonnet. By creating additional deformation space with hard points in the engine bay, the active bonnet reduces the risk of pedestrian injury.

Euro NCAP testing

In Euro NCAP testing , the three-door MINI F56 Cooper received a four star safety rating which included a 79 per cent adult occupant protection rating and a 73 per cent child occupant protection rating. In the offset crash test, protection of the driver’s head, thighs and feet were rated as good, while chest and lower leg protection were rated as adequate (i.e. a slight risk of serious injury); front passenger protection was rated as good for all areas. In the side impact test, forces were transmitted to parts of the crash test dummy that were not representative of a human body and the chest protection score was therefore downgraded from good to marginal; loads on the abdomen also indicated marginal protection. In the pole test, protection of the driver’s chest and abdomen were rated as adequate.

Features: MINI Cooper and Cooper D

Standard features for the MINI F55 and F56 Cooper included 15-inch ‘Heli Spoke’ silver alloy wheels with 175/65 R15 tyres, a four speaker sound system with auxiliary inputs (USB/iPod), Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity and audio streaming, air conditioning, cruise control, ‘Cloth Firework’ upholstery, rear parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, split and folding rear seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, remote central locking, power adjustable and heated mirrors, power windows, tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, height adjustable front seats, push-button start, velour floor mats, a 12 volt power socket, a trip computer and an immobiliser.

Beyond this, the Cooper D was further equipped with 16-inch ‘Victory Spoke’ silver alloy wheels with 195/55 R16 tyres, a 6.5-inch central display, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, front fog lights and ambient lighting. Both the Cooper D and Cooper S were fitted with clear indicator lenses.

Features: MINI Cooper S

The Cooper S was distinguished by its 17-inch ‘Tentacle Spoke’ alloy wheels with 205/45 R17 tyres, satellite navigation, front sports seats and ‘Diamond Carbon Black’ cloth/leather upholstery. Visual cues for the Cooper S included an engine compartment bonnet scoop and black honeycomb grille insert.

As an extra cost option, the Cooper S models were available with a ‘sports’ automatic transmissions that provided faster gearshifts and was accompanied by steering wheel gearshift paddles, a John Cooper Works-style steering wheel and launch control function.

June 2016 update

In June 2016, standard features for the MINI Cooper were extended to include halogen front fog lights. Furthermore, the MINI Cooper S gained LED headlights (for high and low beam), LED daytime running lights, LED front fog lights and a reversing camera with guidance lines.

MINI F56 John Cooper Works (JCW)

Released in Australia in July 2015, the MINI F56 John Cooper Works (JCW) was powered by BMW’s B48B20 engine which produced peak outputs of 170 kW and 320 Nm. As a result, the F56 JCW was capable of accelerating from rest to 100 km/h in 6.3 and 6.1 seconds for models with the manual and automatic transmissions, respectively.

Compared to the Cooper S, the John Cooper Works was fitted with 18-inch John Cooper Works Race Spoke alloy wheels with 205/40 R18 run-flat tyres and upgraded brakes with four-piston Brembo calipers for the front wheels. The John Cooper Works also had retuned suspension and electromechanical power steering.

Inside, the John Cooper Works featured bucket seats with integrated headrests in Dinamica/fabric, a 410 watt Harman Kardon HiFi system with an eight-channel amplifier and twelve speakers, digital radio tuner (DAB+), MINI’s ‘Professional’ navigation system (included an 8.8-inch screen with split view function, 3D maps, touchpad controller, voice recognition and 20 GB hard drive), LED headlights, front parking sensors, reversing camera with guide lines and head-up display (HUD); models with automatic transmissions were also fitted with steering wheel gearshift paddles. The John Cooper Works also had a ‘Park Assist’ function which could provide automated steering inputs for parking manoeuvres.

Visually, the John Cooper Works could be identified by its LED headlights with white indicators, front apron with large cooling air inlets, unique radiator grille, wheel arch surrounds, side scuttles and rear apron with ‘JCW’ badging and JCW rear spoiler.

2017 MINI Cooper Seven

From May 2017 to July 2017, the MINI Cooper, Cooper D and Cooper S could be specified with an optional ‘Seven’ package which had a retail price of $2000. Visually, the MINI Cooper Seven models could be identified by their premium paint finishes – Lapis Luxury Blue, Midnight Black, British Racing Green and Pepper White – which were complemented by a contrasting roof and door mirror caps in Melting Silver, Melting Silver bonnet stripes, fine Malt Brown pinstripes and chrome side scuttles with the ‘Seven 7’ emblem. Inside, the Seven package consisted of upgraded upholstery, Piano Black interior surface trims and ‘Seven 7’ branding on the instruments and door sills. While the MINI Cooper and Cooper D Seven models were fitted with 17-inch ‘MINI Seven’ two-tone alloy wheels, the Cooper S Seven had 18-inch ‘MINI Yours Vanity’ alloy wheels and a John Cooper Works rear spoiler (in Melting Silver).

Interior features for the MINI Cooper Seven models were extended to include the Multimedia Essentials package (navigation, ‘Visual Boost’ multimedia interface, a reversing camera and Bluetooth audio streaming) and cloth/leather upholstery in Carbon Black that was complemented by Malt Brown detailing. The MINI Cooper S Seven models, however, featured a ‘MINI Yours’ leather lounge upholstery in carbon black, a ‘MINI Yours’ steering wheel and a panoramic glass roof.

Related links

• Press Kit: MINI F56 Cooper (January 2014)
• Press Kit: MINI F55 Cooper five door (January 2014)
• Specifications: MINI F55 Cooper (5dr) (July 2014)

Review: MINI F55/F56 LCI Cooper (2018-on)

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Overview

Released in Australia in July 2018, the MINI F55 and F56 LCI Cooper introduced seven-speed double clutch transmissions, an eight-speed automatic transmission for the John Cooper Works variant and subtle styling changes. For the engines,

• Fuel efficiency was improved through enhancements to engine electronics, oil supply, intake air ducting, the cooling system and the exhaust systems. The engine covers were also be made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) to reduce mass;
• For the petrol engines, maximum pressure for direct fuel injection increased from 200 bar to 350 bar; and,
• For the three-cylinder diesel engine in the Cooper D, maximum fuel injection pressure increased from 2000 bar to 2200 bar.

Like the automatic transmissions in the F55/F56 Cooper, the double clutch transmissions for the F55/F56 LCI Cooper supported the ‘auto start/stop’ and ‘coasting’ functions in the ‘MID’ and ‘GREEN’ drive modes.

Visually, the MINI F55/F56 LCI Cooper could be identified by an outer black panel for the standard halogen headlights and a new ‘flat design’ MINI logo which appears on the bonnet, tailgate, steering wheel and central instrument display; the Cooper S and John Cooper Works variants also had:

• LED headlights which had integrated LED daytime running lights and LED turn indicators; and,
• A ‘Union Jack’ design for the LED tail-lights.

The F55/F56 LCI Cooper was available with five new paint finishes (Solaris Orange, Emerald Grey metallic, Starlight Blue metallic, Melting Silver and Chili Red) and three new alloy wheel designs (Roulette Spoke 2-tone, Propeller Spoke 2-tone and Rail Spoke 2-tone).

Inside, the MINI F55/F56 LCI Cooper had a new three-spoke steering wheel with multi-function buttons, while the standard audio system had a 6.5-inch colour screen, USB input and Bluetooth interface. [su_table responsive=”yes”]

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Safety equipment

From April 2019, the MINI F55/F56 LCI Hatch was fitted with a ‘Driver Assistant Package’ as standard. The Driver Assistant Package consisted of:

• Forward Collision Warning: a camera-based system which could anticipate collisions with vehicles or pedestrians ahead. If this occurred, a visual warning would first appear in the instrument cluster, followed by an acoustic warning if the collision risk persisted. Furthermore, the braking system would be prepared for rapid response;
• City Crash Mitigation (CCM) if the driver failed to react to the collision warnings, the brakes would be automatically applied to reduce vehicle speed and the severity of the collision;
• High Beam Assistant: controlled the high beam headlights according to prevailing light levels and oncoming vehicles to avoid dazzling other drivers; and,
• Speed Limit Info: a camera-based system which could detect road signs and display the current speed limit to the driver.

Features: MINI F55/F56 LCI Cooper

For the MINI F55/F56 LCI Cooper, standard features were extended to 16-inch alloy wheels (previously 15-inch wheels) with 195/55 R16 tyres, a six speaker HiFi system (previously four speakers) with digital radio tuner, a 6.5-inch touchscreen display with navigation and real-time traffic information, Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, dusk-sensing headlights and a reversing camera with guidance lines,

The MINI Cooper S and John Cooper Works gained LED headlights, Bluetooth connectivity with wireless phone charging, a USB audio interface and front armrest with secondary USB port. For MINI Cooper S models with the double clutch transmission were also equipped with a John Cooper Works sports leather steering wheel and launch control function.

2018 MINI Cooper Kensington and Cooper S Kensington

In October 2018, the MINI Cooper Kensington and Cooper S Kensington were released in Australia (in three and five door bodies). Visually, the Kensington editions could be identified by their Pure Burgundy metallic paint finish with black roof, LED headlights, Union Jack tail lights, white indicator lenses, black door mirror caps, panoramic sunroof, black JCW roof spoiler and ‘K’ identifiers on the side pillar. The Cooper Kensington had 16-inch black ‘Victory spoke’ alloy wheels, while the Cooper S Kensington had 17-inch black ‘Cosmos spoke’ alloy wheels.

Inside, standard features included the MINI Navigation Plus system with an 8.8-inch touchscreen, a MINI Yours leather steering wheel, Chrome Line interior highlights, Piano Black interior surfaces and an Anthracite-coloured headliner. Furthermore, the Cooper Kensington had cloth and leather combination upholstery in Diamond Carbon Black, while the Cooper S Kensington had MINI Yours Lounge Leather upholstery in Carbon Black and heated front seats.

As standard, the MINI Kensington editions were equipped with a Driver Assistance Package which consisted of –

• Forward Collision Warning with visual and audio warning signal, plus braking pre-conditioning: if a collision was anticipated, the driver was initially provided with a visual warning in the instrument cluster, followed by an acoustic warning The braking system is also prepared for rapid response;
• City Collision Mitigation (CCM) with pedestrian detection (also known as Autonomous Emergency Braking or AEB): if the driver failed to react to the collision warnings, the brakes would be automatically applied to reduce vehicle speed and the severity of the collision;
• High Beam Assistant: controlled the high beam headlights according to prevailing light levels and oncoming vehicles to avoid dazzling other drivers; and,
• Speed Limit Info: a camera-based system which could detect road signs and display the current speed limit to the driver.

Australian deliveries of MINI Cooper Kensington and Cooper S Kensington were limited to 60 vehicles.

2019 MINI John Cooper Works Millbrook Edition

The MINI John Cooper Works Millbrook Edition was released in Australia in early 2019. Based on the MINI John Cooper Works hatch, the Millbrook Edition could be identified by its ‘Ice Bluet’ paint finish, bonnet stripes, black roof and door mirrors caps, ‘Black Line’ exterior trims, additional driving lights and covers, and black-painted 17-inch alloy wheels with performance tyres. As standard, the John Cooper Works Millbrook Edition had ‘Lounge’ leather upholstery, heated front seats, ‘Piano Black’ interior surfaces, a sunroof, sun protection glazing and a Launch Control function.

With a recommended retail price of $57,275, Australian deliveries of the MINI John Cooper Works Millbrook Edition were limited to twenty (20) vehicles.

April 2019 update

From April 2019,

• The MINI F55/F56 LCI Cooper S and JCW were fitted with ‘Comfort Access’ (i.e. proximity key) as standard; and,
• The MINI Cooper S was fitted – as standard – with a ‘Professional Navigation System’ which had an 8.8-inch touchscreen.

Specifications

• Specification Guide: MINI F56 LCI Cooper (March 2018)
• Specification Guide: MINI F55 LCI Cooper (March 2018)

Related links

• BMW Press: the new MINI 3 door, 5 door and Convertible (January 2018)
• BMW Press: double clutch transmissions in the MINI (December 2017)
• MINI Australia: MINI Cooper
• Wikipedia.org: MINI F55 and F56 Cooper