Mini Cooper S (R53) | Spotted
A quarter of a century ago, this was the overweight, overwrought Mini - now look...
Yes, you read that right - 2026 marks 25 years since the first ‘new’ Minis made it onto British roads. You may well still see the odd ‘Y’ and ‘51’ plate car around and think little of them, given how ubiquitous Minis are and how well designed that first generation was. It looks an awful lot more modern than you’d credit a 25-year-old car with being.
Really, there ought to be a special edition to mark the occasion, maybe even something twee and Silver Jubilee themed because Mini can get away with that sort of thing. There’s still chance for that to happen, of course, given it’s only still February. But fun Minis seem less of a priority now. We should be grateful that a petrol-engined JCW still exists, complete with more torque than any Mini really needs and a snappy DCT. It just feels a bit much, even by Mini standards, like it’s trying to convince you it’s something it’s not with hyperactive responses and overwrought features. Beyond the initial sheen of silliness, it’s not very much fun. And the less said about the electric equivalent, the better.
There’s still time for improvement, of course, and continued N24 involvement would suggest that motorsport does matter. Yet with so many great 21st-century Minis having existed, it’s really noticeable when a Cooper S or JCW doesn’t necessarily hit the right note. On the other hand, maybe we’ll look back fondly on the current car in 20 years time, a final throw of the combustion dice before Minis with engines were entirely consigned to the history books.
We say that because, in 2026, it’s those first R5x Minis - the Binis, the not proper Minis, the assortment of names directed their way in the early '00s - that look absolutely brilliant. Obviously far more accommodating and faster than the originals, still probably the prettiest of the bunch, and with the kind of old-school charm that a new one could only dream of. Plus, in the grand scheme of Minis and modern classic hot hatches, still a bit of a bargain as well.
Take this one, for example. It’s one of the last supercharged Cooper S Minis, a facelifted car from 2006, with just one owner and less than 40,000 miles from new. Yes, really. As a later car with the Chili pack, it’ll have a limited-slip diff, to take full advantage of that famously chuckable handling. Without the nav screen, it retains the giant central speedo that caused such a stir at the time. And the thing looks barely used, without a scratch to those toggle switches or much more than a crease on the half leather seats. While the spec might be sombre by Mini standards, the spotlights look cool, and the paint seems good bar a couple of parking scratches. You’d want an inspection in the dry to be sure, though the signs are good.
And it’s £8,000. Imagine what a sub-40k-mile Clio of the same era might cost, or even Civic Type R, for that matter. In fact, you don’t need to imagine: a 25k-mile Clio is up at £17,995, and a Civic with almost 60,000 miles is £12,495. Maybe the not-a-proper-hot-hatch stigma still applies. Definitely some concerns still linger about maintenance - the supercharger service and a clutch change are labour-intensive - remain. You’ll go through a lot of oil and super unleaded, too. Whatever the reality, the Mini Cooper S hasn’t quite skyrocketed like some of its contemporaries. Great news for those after something fast, fun, affordable and stylish. Best get in before everyone else wakes up to the big birthday…
SPECIFICATION | R53 MINI COOPER S
Engine: 1,598cc, inline four, supercharged
Transmission: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 170@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 162@4,000rpm
MPG (official combined): 32.8
CO2: 207g/km
Year registered: 2006
Recorded mileage: 37,765
Price new: c. £15,000
Yours for: £7,989
Flaws were she liked a drink and the ride was very harsh on 17", but who cares!
Ours was ace - red convertible, red dash, chrono pack, cruise, heated seats and I bought and fitted a pair of brand new grey/black factory Recaro seats for £500 off eBay from the original suppliers when the R53 ended production. Sold the originals on for virtually the same price
Same wheels on this one as ours was - Bullets? I fitted Toyo non runflats as well - that made a massive difference to the ride.
Miss that car. OH experienced an attempted carjacking - masks, the lot - so we sold it.
Absolute go karts!
It definitely doesn't get any super unleaded in it.
It cost me a total of £50 to purchase it as a non runner from a mate who had kept it on his drive for about 3 years. I initially cut off the aux belt and put a fresh battery in it and it fired straight away, I trailered it home and put on a new alternator and a new belt and some new brakes and did an oil change and it passed an MOT.
It's currently sat in my garage and has been stripped out and has a couple of bucket seats in, harnesses and a half roll cage and some Mini Challenge spec TD 1.2 wheels and it's a track car, it could do with a suspension refresh but otherwise it's pretty solid.
These do rust, usually on the boot hatch and around the rear lights but amazingly mine doesn't have those issues, I think mines just running on spite at this point, I thought it would be a fun project and a cheap track car for a summer but i'm into my 3rd year of owning it now.
If anyone does want to consider buying one the owners groups on Facebook are probably as good and helpful as any owners group I have ever joined and I recommend starting there.
This looks like a bit of a bargain surely it’s got to start appreciating if kept in nice fettle, well spaced as well with the mentioned LSD and heated front screen being another great addition.
A little stunner
my wife had one from new, you’d be lucky to get 22mpg!! - needless to say she had it for, oooo, all of six months! Paid £5k for it back in 2011/12. Sold it 2017 for £2k after putting 100,000 miles on it, other than a manifold cracking it was cheap ish to service and run, I d get 350 miles on a tank. Though the road tax was £350! Oh and ditch the run flats, improves the ride considerably.
Interior: if the driver and passenger was above six foot became a 2 seater.
Boot could handle a about 4 bags of shopping
I upgraded just about everything including adding the Gp recaros, cam, intercooler, pulley upgrade, custom tune, had the head ported also a reliable 270hp for over 100k, it didn't drink oil, but was maintained correctly.
Absolutely reliable, comfortably more than 30mpg when not on track or in stop start traffic.
Sold if for F56 SD, trying to be sensible but added a second mini R59 for fun within 18months.
I Could never buy another one as it would never be as good as the one I sold.
There are some poorly maintained dogs for sale, but if looked after I would consider it bulletproof it was in my experience.
One word of advice get shot of the factory wheels or get the lighter options in 17/16"
The factory brakes are underwhelming on the S, so check any wheels can accommodate an upgraded caliper
I picked up a 2005, 96k miles with FSH, supercharger service done, full leather, cruise, no rust on the boot and chronopack for just over 2k a year ago. I looked for ages for a good one as there are some dogs about. Tax is £415 though! I get about 30mpg, usually b roads, I use a different car on the motorway.
It's been an absolute workhorse and comes in handy so often when you know you are going somewhere with crappy car parking or just nipping to the shops etc. It's a hoot to drive and I would struggle to let it go now I think.
I recently ruined it by fitting a malian exhaust. Mine is a 06 (standing from 05 onwards)so has the "acoustic feedback" feature so, with this exhaust it pops and bangs like a good 'un. Now my wife won't drive it and the children won't travel in it.
They’re wonderful little things, that’s for sure!
However, £8k sounds strong for a non-JCW. It does look clean; obvs low mileage/1 owner adds value and it has a squeaky clean MOT history, but you could get a nut and bolt refreshed JCW for that kind of money via the owners groups.
Not a classic yet, probably because there are still so many on the road, but the combination of VED cost, unnecessary modification and the maintenance costs associated with 25-30 year old cars are steadily shrinking that number I think.
What's not to like?
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