Top 10 Cars of the 2013 LA Auto Show

8. 2015 MINI Cooper / Cooper S

For its second generation, the MINI Cooper and Cooper S grow longer, taller and wider with more powerful engines to boot. Using BMW “TwinPower” turbo technology, the powerplants both benefit from output increases.

For the Cooper, that means moving to a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine, while the Cooper S comes with a 2.0-liter turbo four. Both six-speed manual and automatic transmissions are available in either model, and MINI made some practical changes to the cabin as well. The window switches move to the doors and the cars finally get a more traditional gauge cluster rather than the oversized indicator mounted mid-dash. Jolly good.