INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
In a deviation from our usual programming this edition of TheIndianSubcontinent Drives is written by our resident smart home expert Andrew
London who was mostly just glad for some time outside, soaking up some Vitamin D.Ah Mini, the little car that can
When I found out I was going on a trip to drive the new Mini Cooper S 3-door Hatch and convertible, I instantly started thinking about all
history of this car and just look at what it is now, but once you do, you see a little (and sometimes not so little with the Countryman) car
with a lot of buttons, switches and knobs in your face
packed this car is, instead opting to make every dial, toggle and design feature really stand out
Tardis.More than a little crowdedFrom the outside the Mini (both the Hatch and Convertible) look compact
Not quite as small as the original Mini, but still, small
much bigger than it looked from the outside.But then you turn the engine on and all is forgiven
favorable of the two, giving you more space around you, making the closeness of the console seem insignificant and giving you amazing aural
buttonsOnce you get used to the design and actually start exploring, you realize that behind each of the many buttons are brilliant features
like a very capable adaptive cruise control, voice control, fantastic CarPlay integration, and even ambient light functions to change the
need for Android integration
HUD in the infotainment systemOne of the huge standouts for me in terms of the tech was a heads-up display that pops up from out of the
Not only does it show you speed limit thanks to road sign detection, it also gives you navigation information, and pertinent info from the
polarising sunglasses block the light, making it difficult to read, even on full brightness.There are worse places to get a little lost
Yeah, I was at cloud level
larger of the two, an 8.8-inch touchscreen which enables a split-screen function so you can have your map and your Spotify album information
A lot of work has clearly gone into the Mini connect app, allowing you to locate, lock, unlock, and even send maps and apps to your car
notifications about when you need to leave to arrive on time, then will automatically load up the route so as soon as you hop in the car
this drive with so many preconceptions about what a Mini was, I was a bit taken aback by what the Mini Cooper S actually is now, but once I
got used to it, I fell in love with it a little bit.While the Hatch was fun to drive, I have to say, my hands-down favourite was the
From super-fast sports cars to tech-packed hatchbacks, he'll take you through a range of makes, models, power and price tags in his regular
TR Drives column.tEvNYTAtPEuWnJF9yz7rvL.jpg#
