Late 2004, the Mini got its mid-life or LCI (Life Cycle Impulse in BMW language) facelift, and the Cooper S R53 received a power hike to 170bhp, with 0-62mph acceleration dropping to just 7.0 seconds.

History shows that BMW was bang on the money insisting that the new Mini be a fun-to-drive, upmarket car rather than the utilitarian replacement for the Metro/Rover 100 that the Brits had wanted.