Fun Track Day with new 5-Door Mini

One of the images is not a captured photo of a perpetrator about to go for a vicious kill that this writer fortuitously caught and downloaded from some random Facebook thread.

Instead, what seems to be a hit-man about to hurl death to a rival political candidate this upcoming 2016 was part of the fun activities during Mini Philippines' sensational salvo recently held at the sprawling Clark International Speedway in Pampanga.

British United Automobiles, exclusive distributor of Mini's in the country gathered the media and its club members to a day of fun under the sun.

"We're here to try the latest offering of Mini: the first-ever five door hatch," Mini Philippines president Willy Tee Ten enthused.

"We would like you to personally test the performance of this historic Mini, available in 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engines in a fun-filled environment here in Clark. Surely, with more foot space, legroom and luggage space added, as well as the introduction of two rear doors and three separate back seats, this new Mini 5 Door has achieved greater comfort and practicality without compromising on typical MINI go-kart handling and characteristic," he added.

Tee Ten explained, "The Mini 5 Door has preserved Mini’s signature driving fun, its distinctive character and refinement of the third model generation. And we like you to personally experience it."

Now bigger, the body of the Mini 5 Door is 3,982 mm long while the Mini Cooper S 5 Door extends up to 4,005 mm. Both are 1,727 mm wide and 1,425 mm tall. This makes the Mini Cooper 5 Door 161 mm longer and 11 mm higher than the 3-door version. Meanwhile, the Mini Cooper S 5 Door is 155 mm longer than its older version.

Inside, rear passengers now have 37 mm more legroom available to them. Not to mention the luggage compartment, too, has a volume of 278 liters, an increase of 67 liters or around 30 percent compared to the 3-door model. The car’s masterful versatility is also supported by the 60:40 folding split in the rear backrest that it craftily enables room space increase to 941 liters.

The Mini 5 Door comes with both 4-cylinder and 3-cylinder engines, all featuring Mini Twin Power Turbo Technology. The petrol engines include turbocharging, direct fuel injection and variable camshaft control on the intake and exhaust side.

The 2.0-liter Mini Cooper S 5 Door can unleash 192 horses which go stream between 4,700 and 6,000 rpm, delivering its maximum torque of 280 Nm from 1,250 to 4,750 rpm. Moreover, torque can even briefly be increased to 300 Nm by means of an overboost function. As a result, the gallop from 0 to 100 km/h takes just 6.8 seconds, while speed tops at 233 km/h. The average fuel consumption, on the other hand, is only 5.5-liters for every 100 km.

Meanwhile, the Mini Cooper 5 Door's 1.5-liter 3-cylinder petrol engine delivers 136 hp at 4,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 220 Nm (230 Nm at 1,300 rpm with overboost). It sprints in 8.1 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, with a top speed of 210 km/h, while enjoying an average fuel of  5.0-litres per 100 km and a CO2 emissions level of 115 g/100km (per average EU test cycle).

Like a top ivy league scholar, this witty Mini intelligently optimizes shift dynamics and efficiency. Its six-speed automatic transmission, which comes standard for both the Cooper and Cooper S offer improved efficiency, enhanced shift comfort and increased shift dynamics. These innovations have been achieved through key underlying elements such as a more efficient transmission control system, a straight-forward direct connection and optimized hydraulics. This 5-door hatch also combines automatic transmission with the automatic engine start/stop function, preventing unnecessary fuel consumption caused by idling at junctions or in congested traffic.

And what better way is there to test these key features than personally taking this sleek and sporty five door through three challenges during that whole day fun affair: the lapping sessions, the slalom course and the "Italian Job", a test wherein one drives while the other shoots a target from a moving 30-kph speeding car.

True enough, after all the tests, the Mini 5-door didn't disappoint. And like what Tee Ten said, despite the longer body, the Mini's signature driving fun, undeniable distinctive character and world-class suave were all still palpable.

Text and photos contributed by: Ronald Delos Reyes