Why is my MINI Cooper S getting so hot?

I own a 2008 MINI Cooper S with approx 70,000 miles on it. Last night, after a 10 minute drive without going above 3000 rpm, I stopped the engine and noticed the hood was burning hot and the cooling fan did not start working. MINI vehicles always get hot because of the heat from the turbo but is it normal for my car to get this hot and the fan not to work?
The car has a watercooled turbo and the system in a Cooper S sensibly includes a pump to circulate coolant through the very hot turbo after the engine has been switched off. When this system fails (especially if the engine loses coolant, or the radiator fan sensor/sender switch fails) you get the situation you are experiencing. I think first step is to check that sensor/sender switch.
Answered by Honest John on

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