2006 MINI Hatch (R56) Cooper SD 2.0L 6MT FWD (143 HP)

Vehicle Overview

After BMW took-over the Mini brand, it relaunched the famous British name on the market in 2000 with a fresh vehicle, but with a styling that resembled the former Monte-Carlo Rally champion.

The second generation of the Mini hatch was released in 2006 and it didn’t need too much introduction since it looked almost the same as its predecessor. Underneath the similar design, it was a completely new car.

The new headlights incorporated the turn signals. They looked similar to those from the 2000 model year, but they were not the same. The short hood and the vertical A-pillars were characteristic of the Mini hatchback. The black pillars created the impression of a floating roof.

Inside, the Mini featured the same layout as its predecessor, with a big speedometer on the center stack. Behind the steering wheel, there was a big tachometer with an LCD on the bottom for the on-board computer, which moved up and down with the steering column, which was adjustable for height and reach. In the front, there was a good amount of space for the passengers, but in the back, the legroom was very tight. A 50:50 split backseat extended the trunk.

Under the hood, the 2006 Mini featured a new generation of engines developed together by BMW and Peugeot. They replaced the older 1.6-liter units provided by Chrysler. Depending on the engine version, they were mated to a standard 5- or 6-speed manual. An automatic transmission was on the options list.