The countryside in Karnataka is a mix of green glades, rocky hills, acres of farmland and gleaming criss-crosses of India’s vast road network. And when seen from on top of a hill, like the one I’m parked on right now, it is quite a breathtaking sight. It’s even more of an event, this moment at the summit, owing to the drive that’s led up to it. And that is where the story starts.
The latest-generation Mini Cooper that was recently launched in India is a cracker of a car. Even the diesel version that’s currently on sale here is quite the hot hatch to commandeer. There’s a new three-pot under the hood and this latest-gen car has also grown in terms of dimension. With a 0-100kph time of 9.9 seconds and a top speed of 204kph, it’s a lot of ability packed into the cutesy package that is the new Mini.
So what road would you want to drive this car down, to justify the horses on tap, and to push to the brim the Mini-typical dynamics?
Our search narrowed down to the outskirts of Bengaluru, on Nandi Hills. The location for the famed king of Mysore Tipu Sultan’s summer palace, Nandi Hills is today a popular spot for tourists. The road from Bengaluru to Nandi Hills is a smooth one, and if you time it right, quite free from the traffic. It’s a little over 60km from the main city and you’ll be on NH7 most of the way. But it’s exiting city limits that is the challenge.
The crawling traffic the city is infamous for is in full swing when I pick up the 3-Door Mini from the showroom. Thankfully, in the thick of urban traffic, this nifty little performer is a blessing to drive. The small dimensions make squeezing into gaps easy, and overtaking is equally effortless, with just a prod to the throttle. As happy as I am about the car’s urban capabilities, I can’t wait to get out on the open road. The little bursts of power mid-traffic are a pointer to the kind of pace I can build up.
