You'd have to be a detective of Sherlock Holmes calibre to spot the changes to the latest Mini. As a policeman I was an abysmal failure, so as you can imagine detective work on the new Mini sent for road test was a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, BMW had posted me a list of what they'd altered so making out the new bits was not quite so difficult. You can, if you have a keen eye, detect changes to the main section of the grille at the front, which now sits on the bumper instead of being dissected by it. And the front wheelarch flares are now attached to the body not the bonnet, making them stronger (I brushed one with a hand on the first Mini I ever drove and almost knocked it off). There's very little that's carried over from the old BMW Mini to the new apart from the general style. All the panels are fresh and the waistline has been raised to create a narrower glass area. But, most important of all, is a major change to the oily bits with a new engine. In the past, Mini engines were made in Brazil by BMW arch-rival DaimlerChrysler, otherwise known as Mercedes Benz. That must have seemed a bit odd to BMW high-ups, who instead have now jumped into bed with Peugeot Citroen for the latest engine design. But rather than source the engines from somewhere in France, BMW is creating them at its Hams Hall engine plant in the Midlands so the British content of the new car is much greater than that of the old. BMW says it has also made the car more roomy on the inside but blow me if I could spot the difference. Rear seat passengers will still be required to have no legs below the knees to fit in unless they are small children or the front seat occupants are as small as children. What can never be taken away from this car, though, is that it's great fun to drive. It's in the same mould as the original Issigonis car but the engine is now virtually twice the size. The latest car has a 1.6 litre engine while the original A Series engine in the old Mini was 848 cc. That may sound puny, but I can tell you a hard driven Mini could get just about anywhere in double quick time if you went at it hell for leather. I don't class myself as a great driver, but in my time with the boys in blue I was on patrol just after 10 at night in the city centre in an unmarked Mini 850. A call came from a colleague in trouble in a village four miles away and everyone set out to get there, including the traffic boys with lights and sirens. I had none of those, but did have a passenger for ballast, and I got there first! There was no such fun with the latest Mini Cooper while I had it, although I did enjoy a good cross country thrash to a business meeting on a wet day. I discovered that the car can't cope well with standing water as it launched me briefly sideways on a bend towards a lorry coming the other way. Quick change of underwear and I was fine again! Although the Mini is compact, tall drivers are OK when they shove their seats right back against the base of the rear seat. The driving position is then very good, with none of the slewed sitting position that was endured in the original Mini. But even with this fundamental change, nostalgia freaks will still be able to get their fix as the interior is dominated by the huge central speedo. Economy enthusiasts will be pleased to know that this new £12,995 Mini Cooper can achieve 43 mpg - but even with that, after 270 miles it's nagging to refill the 40 litre tank. Maurice Hardy Annette's View You might think that six years after its launch in 2001, the BMW Mini would be losing its fashion appeal. But far from it. Demand is strong and used prices remain firm, reinforcing the fact that some trends never die. The original Mini was classless. No matter who you were, from rag-dressed to royalty, you could drive one and look great. Those with the mega money used to customise their cars, or have it done for them, and BMW has capitalised on this with a vast range of options and accessories that only starts with fancy paint, stripes, and roof decals. One thing you must buy is the TLC pack, a servicing deal that comes for little money and all used Mini buyers will want to see in place. It's been so successful that many other makers have copied it. It's difficult to copy the character of the Mini, though, although it has been captured brilliantly in this latest generation car. The Cooper is likely to be the biggest seller, although the new 1.4 litre Mini One is about to arrive, along with a diesel Cooper. The 1.6 litre engine in the Cooper is great, even if it's not as sporty as the 1960s Cooper, but the big speedo doesn't convince me - it's too big yet still not easy to see. Car: Mini Cooper Does it fit your ego?... 0-62 mph: 9.1 secs Top speed: 126 mph Bhp: 120 @ 6000 rpm Torque: 118 lb ft @ 4250 rpm ...and your wallet?... Price: £12,995 Urban: 36.2 mpg Extra urban: 61.4 mpg Combined: 48.7 mpg CO2 emissions: 139 g/km Insurance Group: 9 Best bits: small package; big heart; huge fun.