Guys Gab, which says it is "
Giving Guys What They Really Want!" reviews the 2012 MINI Coupe S and concludes
So why pick a MINI Coupe (MINI Cooper Coupe?) over the standard MINI Cooper?
Purely for performance. Taking a page from BMW’s book, they followed the same blueprint as the 1-series, offering drivers a slightly smaller car that’s lighter and handles better. The MINI Cooper already has go-kart like handling, and the Coupe just takes it up another notch.
The MINI Coupe puts down some respectable numbers:
Power for the S is rated at 181 HP and 177 lb-ft of torque. A temporary overboost function allows for a jump to 192 lb-ft. In JCW trim, the Coupe takes advantage of 208 HP and 192 lb-ft of torque. Overboost is also available here, and pushes torque to 207 lb-ft.
The S Coupe does the 0-60 in 6.5 seconds, and the JCW Coupe does it in just 6.1 seconds. The S Coupe has a top speed of 142 mph and the JCW has a top speed of 149 mph.
It won’t dominate at the dragstrip, but it’ll clean up at the Auto-X. And that’s what the MINIs have always been about, exceptional handling cars that are fun to drive. If you don’t mind the compromises, the Coupe is probably the best car that MINI’s ever produced.
But for me, I’d stick with a regular MINI Cooper S or JCW and sacrifice the minor performance gains of the Coupe. YMMV.
