2008 MINI Cooper S Athens GA
706-549-5340
Athens, GA
478-757-7000
Macon, GA
404-292-1400
Decatur, GA
678-832-4600
Roswell, GA
2008 MINI Cooper S
November 18, 2009 By Alison Lakin, Associate Editor
2008 MINI Cooper
DriverSide Overview
Comparing the Mini Cooper S to the Mini Cooper is a bit like comparing a German Shepherd and a Beagle. Sure they’re both cute and you can take them for a walk, but the adorable Beagle will happily trot along attached to its leash while the German Shepherd will drag you across the park if a particular tree smells enticing, leaving you grass-stained and flustered. That’s not to say the base model Cooper performs poorly, quite the opposite actually, but when you add over 50 horsepower to an already competent car, the results are pretty fantastic. The 2008 Mini Cooper S, available in hardtop and convertible form, modifies the Cooper’s formula of classic looks, a low, grounded stance and the ultimate customizable interior by adding more power, more stability and even more excitement. Sounds like we’d all enjoy a good walk in the park with this mean puppy.
2008 MINI Cooper
Convertible 
What's to Like
Go-kart looks and a zippy ride make the average cruise to the grocery store a lesson in how to have fun. Fuel-efficiency – even with the turbocharged engine – bests most cars on the market right now. Customizable interiors and exteriors give everyone exactly the car they want.
What's Not to Like
The never-ending multitude of trimmings makes your little Cooper a pricey purchase. The convertible has a less powerful and less fuel-efficient supercharged engine compared to the hardtop’s turbo boosted inline-four, leaving sun worshippers with a somewhat raw deal.
The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions
For the 2008 model year, choosing between the hardtop and convertible S doesn’t just involve sun exposure levels; their engines are boosted by a turbocharger and supercharger, respectively, leaving you with very different drive experiences. The turbo can throw you back in your seat, but only when you really stomp on it and the softly whirring supercharger delivers power throughout the power band, albeit in a more controlled fashion. The decreased ride stability found in many convertibles is apparent in the Mini as well, but it is only marginally noticeable thanks to its super-rigid chassis. The Cooper S excels in urban locales; its size makes it easily maneuverable through city streets, where most Mini Coopers spend their time and the sporty multilink suspension softens potholes and bumps effectively. Gearshifts in the CVT automatic are impeccably German – so efficient you hardly notice them - and the manual gearbox lets you milk the engine for all its worth.
Engine and Drivetrain
The Cooper S Hardtop is powered by an impressive 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 172 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. The ragtop has a 1.6-liter supercharged OHC transverse four-cylinder engine, giving you 168 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. Both engine...