Some scepticism greeted BMW’s plans to reinvent the Mini in 2002, but the naysayers are a little quieter as the little retro car remains a stable part of today’s landscape. The second-generation R56 version introduced here in 2007 came with a subtly changed body, new engines and new transmissions. The Mini works today because it combines the visual charm of the original with contemporary safety. The first Minis today look ludicrously small and vulnerable, although the new one is more 2+2 than four-seat hatchback. The nifty, base 88kW/160Nm engine can be had with manual or auto six-speed transmissions.