▁in ▁glass ▁and ▁have ▁been ▁sh aped ▁to ▁improve ▁aer od ynam ics ▁and ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁t endency ▁for ▁d irt ▁to ▁accum ulate ▁on ▁the ▁back ▁of ▁the ▁car . ▁Much ▁critic ised ▁for ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁rear ▁leg room , ▁M ini ▁added ▁more ▁space ▁for ▁rear ▁passengers ▁by ▁creating ▁sculpt ed ▁cut - outs ▁in ▁the ▁rear ▁of ▁the ▁front ▁seats . ▁An ▁engine ▁start ▁button ▁rep laces ▁the ▁conventional ▁ign ition ▁key ▁and , ▁with ▁the ▁optional ▁' Com fort ▁Access ', ▁the ▁car ▁may ▁be ▁un locked ▁with ▁a ▁button ▁on ▁the ▁door ▁handle ▁when ▁the ▁key ▁is ▁brought ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁car . ▁ ▁Techn ical ▁specific ations ▁The ▁Cooper ▁and ▁Cooper ▁S ▁models ▁offer ▁a ▁new ▁rear ▁ax le ▁and ▁al umin ium ▁components ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁car ' s ▁weight ; ▁and ▁a ▁Sports ▁k it ▁option ▁compr ising ▁harder ▁spr ings , ▁dam per ▁and ▁anti - roll ▁bars ▁is ▁offered ▁with ▁both ▁variants . ▁Another ▁key ▁difference ▁is ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁an ▁upgrad ed ▁electric ▁power ▁ste ering ▁system , ▁the ▁sharp ness ▁of ▁which ▁can ▁be ▁increased ▁by ▁pressing ▁a ▁" S port " ▁button ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁g ear ▁lever ▁( both ▁auto ▁and ▁manual ); ▁addition ally , ▁the ▁" S port " ▁button ▁adjust s ▁the ▁response ▁of ▁the ▁acceler ator , ▁and ▁in ▁conj unction ▁with ▁automatic ▁transmission , ▁also ▁allows ▁the ▁engine ▁to ▁rev ▁almost ▁to ▁the ▁red line ▁before ▁changing ▁g ear . ▁