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 Being an owner of a 2006 MINI Cooper S JCW GP 0101 (Limit of 400 imported to the US) I have a fondness like no other car I own. When I heard MINI was coming out with a Coupe I was really excited.
My first driving experience in the MINI was at Auto Club Speedway during the Motor Pres Guild Track Days. The manufacturers bring out their cars for journalists to drive on the street and on the road course.
My first pick to hit the race track was the MINI Cooper S Coupe, Getrag 6-speed manual, equipped with the Sport options, which enhances the suspension and the performance. This Coupe goes around 12 turns with straightway speeds of over 100 miles per hour, followed by a hard right hander! Glad I wore my Piloti’s!
What a car is all I can say — Go-kart with doors, a Indy car with a body. Use any comparison as long as it has great handling and performance. Plus by keeping a light foot on the gas pedal and run premium fuel, mileage could be up to 27 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the open road.
The rear wing over the back window, which looks like a baseball cap worn backward, blocks out the headlights of the vehicle behind this car. Did MINI engineers do that on purpose?
 It is small, but it has all the safety gear MINI has been known for. However in my book, it is all about the drive. My MINI does not have a back seat and neither does the Coupe. But it does have a massive cargo area under the large hatch. If the load is long, there is a trap door for the things that need to stretch.
Although it does not come with a spare tire, it has performance run-flat tires. They are great on the track and fine on the city roads. There is a little noise from the tires resonating though the hatch area, but with the option of the Harman- Kardon Sound System, the noise won’t be noticed.
My tester had optional black wheels with John Cooper Works emblems in the centers — loved it! Loved the look, painted optional Lightning Blue Metallic, with black stripes the run the length of the Coupe.
Interior is all MINI, big large gauges, Blue Tooth, XM all the comforts of home. Go to www.miniusa.com and build a custom Coupe or visit Brecht MINI and they will help put a smile on your face!
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