2012 Mini Cooper Coupe gets up close and personal

We present to you the 2012 Mini Cooper Coupe, which is the automaker's first production two-passenger automobile and also the fastest box-stock Mini ever.

The exterior of the Coupe is undeniably Mini, yet very new at the same time. This is the first Mini to be built with a "three-box" design concept, which means the body, wraparound glass and roof are three boxes built upon a horizontal plane. The face is familiar, and looks aggressive in John Cooper Works guise (shown here) thanks to the chin spoiler that flows into the large fenders. The posterior, along with its bubbled-up roof, are where the spots where observers will quickly tell Coupe from standard Cooper. The stepped rear end hides a bit of active aero in the form of a wing that automatically deploys at 80 km per hour. The spoiler goes back into hiding when speeds dips below 60 km/h, and the technology is not just a first for Mini, but for the BMW family as a whole.

Mini will offer the 2012 Cooper Coupe in three flavors; base Cooper Coupe, Cooper S Coupe and the John Cooper Works Coupe. All three employ a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, and come paired with a six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic is also available for the Cooper S Coupe and Cooper Coupe. The entry-level mill produces 121 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 118 pound-feet of torque at 4,250 rpm, which helps it run from 0-100 km per hour in 8.3 seconds, and on to a top speed of 205 km/h. The EU standard lists fuel economy at 5.4 liters per 100 kilometers.

The two spicier variants, the S Coupe and JCW Coupe, add a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct-injection to the 1.6-liter four-pot. Power for the S is rated at 181 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 177 pound-feet of torque at 1,600 rpm through 5,000 rpm. A temporary overboost function allows for a jump to 192 pound-feet from 1,700 rpm through 4,500 rpm. In JCW trim, the Coupe takes advantage of 208 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 192 pound-feet of torque from 1,850 rpm to 5,600 rpm. Overboost is also available here, and pushes torque to 207 lb-ft from 1,700 through 4,500 rpm. The S coupe runs from 0-100 km per hour in 6.5 seconds, and the JCW Coupe needs just 6.1 seconds for the same trip. Each will crest 225 km per hour, with the S Coupe capable of 228 and the JCW able to nick 240 km/h.