Editors' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2002

Most Significant Vehicle of the Year

Winner: Mini Cooper
"An entirely new twist on an unforgettable old friend."

How can a car that's been around for 40 years be significant? Isn't this the category reserved for vehicles that change the rules of a given segment, create a brand-new niche or redefine an automaker's image? Of course, we're not talking about the 40-year-old Mini Cooper. No, this is a brand-new design from the ground up and, even more significant, it's technically not a product of the British Empire (though it will be built in Oxford). The 2002 Mini Cooper, and its more powerful sibling, the Cooper S, were designed by the Teutonic wizards at BMW. While Rover began the work of redesigning the Mini several years ago, the task fell to BMW after it first bought, and then sold, most of the Rover group. The Germans decided to hang onto the Mini project, figuring it would give them a high-profile/low-cost car (something the company sorely needed).

For U.S. buyers, the base Cooper comes with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 115 horsepower and is connected to either a five-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The CVT is a high-tech automatic that promises both better performance and fuel mileage than a typical slushbox. Step up to the Cooper S, and you get a 1.8-liter engine making 163 horsepower hooked to a six-speed manual. The S will scoot to 60 mph in just over 7 seconds, but no automatic version is currently planned. And while neither Mini will compete for sports car supremacy, BMW has given the vehicle a nimble and confident demeanor. With the wheels pushed out to the far corners, much like the original Mini, the 2002 version offers a stable ride and excellent steering feel that should keep buyers smiling even before passersby start their pointing and waving.

Starting price for the Mini Cooper is targeted around $18,000, with the Cooper S priced just over $20,000. Those prices include multiple airbags, a CD player, ABS and stability control; but you'll have to pay extra for items like a navigation system, upgraded Harman-Kardon audio, larger wheels and sport seats. And, of course, none of those prices take into account the inevitable gouging that occurs whenever the number of buyers for a particular vehicle far exceeds the number of available cars. If you thought the New Beetle and PT Cruiser were expensive when first introduced, you ain't seen nothing yet.