Luckily, about 3 blocks from where I live, there is a BMW dealership. Even more luckily, there is now a Mini Dealership in half of that BMW dealership. First off, i want to say that this is the coolest dealership i've ever seen...it's kinda like an art museum, they have neat displays for everything, lots of die-cast models etc...and of course some shiny Minis sitting around. It's also required policy that they have a regular mini and a Mini S available for test drives at all times....this is an excellent policy. I showed up with a friend, we're both wearing T-shirts and shorts...i ask to test drive an S and he just hands us the keys, shows us a few things inside, and says "you've got a license & insurance, right?" "yep" "have fun!" ...I think i might have freaked him out a bit when i confirmed that 6800 was the Redline, but he showed me that the car was fairly new (150 miles) and i told him I wouldn't tach it out too hard for the sake of whoever buys it next (and I did not, 5000 was the cap....maybe i believe in Carma).

First off, the car is just frickin fun. It's fun to look at (this one was the electric blue, which is too light for my tastes but still looked fantastic and showed off the cooper's taut body well). The details, interior and exterior, are just sweet...the little S grille on the side, the toggle-switch interior controls seperated by curved bars...it's like a 1950s aircraft. The stereo, like most new cars, shamed my 2-speakered stock R quite thoroughly...the seating position is kind of high, but you've still got several inches of headroom (i'm 6'3"), plenty of space for a helmet. Even without using all of it, the engine has some grunt....it's a little weak off the line (i stalled twice, once on a flat surface where my friend laughed at me, the next time on an uphill..amazingly, it requires a bit more throttle than the R off the line) but the controls had a similar feel. Once you get it going, it starts to pack air through the supercharger and it gains power in a linear way. Sounds pretty good, not as raw as the R of course but not too shabby. 155 lb-ft of torque is nice. Brakes were strong, the seats were very comfortable. Handling is incredible...for a car on it's stock wheels & tires (although these were the optional 17s), it just flew towards whatever direction you wanted...i've never driven a car this willing to change direction. The R has more grip, but for a slalom i can't imagine many cars will beat the Mini...short wheelbases rock. Very neat car, i would highly recommend one, at least give one a test drive. Wish i could have afforded this for my GF, it would be a great runabout car to have. I was definately grinning when i turned it back in....even the manual is fun. on the page with specs about the cooper S engine "0-60 in 6.9 seconds / Top Speed: 135 MPH, Electronically limited by a small computer chip whose location will remain a secret."

 

Aleph, which bimmer ealership? I'm so ther on my next day off
Jody

 

the one in oakland....P&W Foreign Car

 

sweet....

 

i kno exactly wat you're talking about. i remember the first day i saw the car there, it was wonderful. me and my friends were dining at the chinese restaraunt across the street from the dealer. how come i never seen you're type-r before?

 

First one to find the speed limiter wins a cookie!