John Cooper Works Mini Cooper S

[gord]

Just had the first go in my Mrs' new motor - a full house Cooper S Works. Feels just like you're in the Italian Job - Ace!
GM

[ICE]

Just bought my other half a mini cooper s cant wait til its done its first 1000 miles so it can be given a bit of stick.
Did you get the works kit fitted to a cooper s you allready owned ? or did you buy it allready done
[img]images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[runrowsam]

I'm a now ex-owner of a proper Mini Cooper S Works (only 300 built apparently), and thus I can't agree that the new one's any good at all! It's terrible, slow, ugly, characterless and just a modern version of the Trabant [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Nah it's ok. The S and particularly the S Works are pretty nippy, although I think the fuel consumption is a little scary, particularly if you give it some welly. Such is life when you're supercharged!

I just hate the fact that it's called a Mini, and when people talk about it like it's got all the character of the real one. It hasn't! It's a German company shamelessly buying out English heritage so that they can sell more of their own products! I'm not saying it's not a good car, but it's not a real Mini. But then the same would be said by virtually any old Mini owner!

Plus I'm not that impressed with the looks, or the safety record etc. I've seen one that crashed head-on into an old Morris Marina at about probably about 30mph impact speed (both were negotiating a roundabout-damn French people coming to England and driving the wrong way round roundabouts!). The Marina was a bit of a mess but the Mini was totalled. The driver had to be cut out, and he wasn't exactly in good shape. It was probably one of those one-off accidents, and not a fair representation, but it put me off. And the handbrake circuits are dodgy and have failed on numerous occasions. And for a while if you filled one up it "might" explode [img]images/graemlins/rant.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/jump.gif[/img]

Rock on
Sam [img]images/graemlins/thumbs.gif[/img]

[gord]

It was already done by Mini. Not sure about the value for money (nearly £24k as it has all the toys). The alternative was an R32 which was also great to drive but "didn't have a smiley face or a zebraskin decal on the roof" (it was bought by a female remember!).
And I'm not saying I'd want to travel very far in it (or have an accident in it) and you have to rev the b*llocks off it, but its roaring fun especially round roundabouts.
GM

[runrowsam]

I'm in a more Nazi-friendly mood today [img]images/graemlins/icon_lol.gif[/img] Although I've not actually driven one, I hear they are a good laugh to drive, but only really in short bursts. Bit like the old one then really.

I still maintain that the most rewarding car to drive in terms of the inane grin on your face at the other end, for the money, is a rust and rattle free old style Mini Cooper Si, a works one like mine if you can find it. Stupidly small and light, good grip, reasonably potent etc. Mine weighed in at just under 700kg, had 91hp, a throaty exhaust with "interesting" flame-inducing cam timing, and a suspension set up like no other. I've not met ANYONE who knows of a Mini that oversteers naturally. Mine did [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Hell yeah. Straight into a lamppost once, hence it's not mine anymore. Oops. But lots of fun was had with much bigger, more powerful cars, and not one of them came near it. You know it's special when you own a car for 18 months, and still everytime you get in it you turn into a little kid again with a stupid smile. Damn I miss that thing! But would you miss the new one?...

Dammit I'm off again [img]images/graemlins/rant.gif[/img]

Rock on
Sam [img]images/graemlins/thumbs.gif[/img]