A stagnant automaker that failed to adapt to predict what consumers desire, MINI charges a simply ludicrous $35,900 for the Cooper S Resolute Edition. The Ram 1500 retails at $35,900 before taxes, so what gives?
Because its current lineup fails to impress even the most hardcore loyalists, MINI did what it always does. The Resolute Edition pays tribute to the British automaker’s motorsport success with Rebel Green paintwork, a finish that was previously exclusive to the John Cooper Works. Combined with Pepper White for the mirror caps and roof, this color is complemented by two-tone hood stripes and 18-inch alloy wheels in Pulse Spoke Black.
The visual garnish continues with Resolute inscriptions on the hood stripes and door sill finishers. The grille frame, headlights, taillights, scuttles, hatch and door handles, air intakes, and the filler cap are finished in Resolute Bronze. Brand logos and model inscriptions only add to the look-at-me persona of this car, which is also fitted with two black tailpipe finishers.
On the inside, occupants are welcomed by seats covered in Black Pearl leatherette and Light Chequered fabric. MINI sweetens the deal with an anthracite headliner, a Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel featuring a Resolute Edition emblem on the bottom spoke, as well as black armrests.
Branded floor mats, illuminated handles and entry areas, golden pinstripes on the doors and dashboard, and the mandatory ambient lighting pretty much sum up the list of premium-oriented goodies. Despite its ridiculously high price tag, the MINI Cooper S Resolute Edition comes with a stick shift.
A double-clutch tranny is optional, and given the falling take-up rate for manuals, the Steptronic may prove to be the more popular choice.
Both trannies are connected to a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine that peaks at 189 horsepower and 206 pound-feet (279 Nm) of torque, figures that are obviously lower than Ram’s naturally-aspirated Pentastar V6. Zero to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) takes 6.5 seconds with the manual whereas the dual-clutch gearbox reaches that speed in 6.4 seconds.
MINI sold 302,144 vehicles last year, representing a 3.3-percent improvement cimpared to 2020. Of those, MINI sold 29,930 vehicles in the U.S. versus 28,138 in 2020. A drop in the bucket, as some would say...
The visual garnish continues with Resolute inscriptions on the hood stripes and door sill finishers. The grille frame, headlights, taillights, scuttles, hatch and door handles, air intakes, and the filler cap are finished in Resolute Bronze. Brand logos and model inscriptions only add to the look-at-me persona of this car, which is also fitted with two black tailpipe finishers.
On the inside, occupants are welcomed by seats covered in Black Pearl leatherette and Light Chequered fabric. MINI sweetens the deal with an anthracite headliner, a Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel featuring a Resolute Edition emblem on the bottom spoke, as well as black armrests.
Branded floor mats, illuminated handles and entry areas, golden pinstripes on the doors and dashboard, and the mandatory ambient lighting pretty much sum up the list of premium-oriented goodies. Despite its ridiculously high price tag, the MINI Cooper S Resolute Edition comes with a stick shift.
A double-clutch tranny is optional, and given the falling take-up rate for manuals, the Steptronic may prove to be the more popular choice.
Both trannies are connected to a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine that peaks at 189 horsepower and 206 pound-feet (279 Nm) of torque, figures that are obviously lower than Ram’s naturally-aspirated Pentastar V6. Zero to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) takes 6.5 seconds with the manual whereas the dual-clutch gearbox reaches that speed in 6.4 seconds.
MINI sold 302,144 vehicles last year, representing a 3.3-percent improvement cimpared to 2020. Of those, MINI sold 29,930 vehicles in the U.S. versus 28,138 in 2020. A drop in the bucket, as some would say...