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Dave Tuckett on the refined new MINI for business – that’s lost none of its driving edge

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MINI product manager Dave Tuckett at the launch of the new MINI - with his new 'baby'

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18 November 2013

 

Dave Tuckett, MINI product manager
MINI product manager Dave Tuckett at the launch of the new MINI – with his new ‘baby’

 

AMONGST the throng of journos at the launch of the new MINI, I managed to pick out Dave Tuckett among the cameras, notebooks and people.

Not that Dave is a journo. Dave is the product manager for MINI.

So if you want to know anything about MINI – as I found out when I met him at the launch of the MINI Clubvan – then Dave is the man to ask.

So I did.

“Let me tell you,” said Dave, “the new MINI is just great to drive. I know you’ll have to wait for your turn, but I’ve had the chance to drive plenty of miles in this.  And it’s fantastic.”

Having met Dave before I’m quite prepared to take this on trust. And I can’t believe that BMW would let a new MINI out onto the market that was worse to drive than its predecessor.

“However,” continued Dave, “what really impressed me was how much better the car is acoustically. The noise inside the cabin is four decibels lower than previously. Overall you notice how much quieter the car is.

“That’s a real benefit to business drivers doing long journeys – in addition there’s more comfort because the seats are improved, there’s more range from the fuel tank, three’s better driving flexibility from the engine and the ride is more refined.”

One of the big beneficiaries of the MINI’s new efficiency is the MINI Cooper. It’s seen a 27% improvement in fuel consumption.

New MINI action
New MINI – remains a brilliant roller skate

OK, it’s not as fuel efficient as the diesel Cooper (now 80mpg) but for small business users and company car drivers who spend their time toodling around the city – as you might expect a MINI driver to do – then the petrol Cooper could be a very good option now. It also won’t suffer from the diesel particulate filter becoming blocked thanks to all those local journeys.

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Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton is an award-winning journalist and the founder of Business Car Manager (now renamed Business Motoring). Ralph writes extensively about the car and van leasing industry as well as wider fleet and company car issues. A former editor of What Car?, Ralph is a vastly experienced writer and editor and has been writing about the automotive sector for over 35 years.

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