Some scepticism greeted BMW’s plans to reinvent the Mini in 2002, but that’s all dissipated as the little retro car today is a stable part of landscape. The second-generation R56 version arrived here in 2007 with a subtly changed body, new engines and new transmissions. Today’s Mini combines the original’s charm with contemporary safety. The old Mini today looks ludicrously small and vulnerable, although the new one is more 2+2 than four-seat hatchback. The rorty, now-turbo Cooper S engine produces 128kW/240Nm for a rewarding on-road experience. Like the Cooper, it can be had with manual or auto six-speed transmissions.