As it appeared in the National Post on Friday January 25, 2008
Small, sporty cars that can fit in the bed of a pickup truck leave a lot for the large man to desire.
Nothing is less cool than pulling into your driveway and watching your neighbours’ jaws drop as they crane their necks to get a better look at the slick ride you’re driving only to see you using both hands on the A and B pillars as leverage to get out of said small, sporty car.
Such was my worry when I booked a week with the Mini Cooper. I had driven one three years and 18 kilograms ago and, while it was roomy for me then, I was concerned that my advanced age combined with my new-found size would make it an uncomfortable fit.
Everyone knows the Mini has successfully tackled the cool retro modernization look the way a lot of other manufacturers could only hope to achieve. People know it’s nimble and quick, but did they know interior space for a driver and passenger is quite ample?
That said, plenty of room both north, south, east and west up front is at the sacrifice of room for anything other than small people to sit comfortably, but who the heck cares?
You bought that Mini for yourself, not to tote around your bus pass-carrying friends.
The Mini sure is a lot of fun to drive, too. While the S version is definitely worth the extra dollars for the extra pep, the base version — priced at $25,000 — feels sporty on its own.
But when you add the 17-inch, multi-spoke wheels and maybe a fancy-pants contrasting cap colour to the roof, you look very sporty, too.
The Mini isn’t going to take down too many Civic Sis in a drag race, but where it does excel is when it’s thrown into corners. I took my father out for some spirited driving behind some abandoned factories downtown. Whenever I dropped a gear and booted around the 90-degree turn we set up with some cones, it looked like he was the kind of guy who e-mails in capital letters.
You know, that “HOLY COW THAT WAS FREAKIN’ AWESOME” smile.
The Mini looks good and is fun to drive.
