Mini Coopers Roar

Mini Coopers can snarl. Rent the movie "The Italian Job" and watch the little car leave 'cute' behind in the sewers of Los Angeles. Original was released 1969 and in year 2003 you could see remake. If you love cars and haven't seen these two, I would strongly recommend them.

The Mini is a good car as it comes from the factory. However, 'Good' doesn't put a smile on the faces of most car enthusiasts. You can move the Mini from 'Good' to 'Oh, Sweet Mother of Pearl' by buying the right new Mini or getting a used one and injecting it with money, talent and the right aftermarket parts.

The new John Cooper Works Mini delivers 208 horsepower and 192 lb-ft. of torque from a turbocharged 1.6 litre, four cylinder engine. You can choose a six speed manual or automatic transmission. This Mini goes from zero to 100km/h in 6.2 seconds and handles like the go-kart it reminds us of. The John Cooper Works Mini isn't simply a bolt-on upgrade. It includes an upgraded turbocharger, bigger exhaust and performance upgraded computer chip and Brembo brakes with bigger pistons, pads and discs. Select the four-door Countryman version of the Mini and you can have all-wheel drive which eliminates torque-steer and reduces understeer.

The new Works Mini comes with electronic stability and traction control, 17 inch alloy wheels and electronic differential lock and standard and optional equipment such as a dual-pane sunroof, heated front seats, parking sensors, a ten speaker stereo system and smartphone integration. You can get a Mini in convertible and hardtop configurations. They all look stunning, especially the convertible. It suggests a Fiat 500 with a police record.

If you want to tailor the Mini to your personal needs, you can find a good used one and make changes. At this writing, Carzoos has two good candidates, a 2009 R56 and a 2008 S R56. Both come from the dealership with excellent performance due to the turbocharged 1.6 litre, four cylinder engines that produces 172 horsepower. Both have six speed manual transmissions. Nice, but then, we already decided that 'nice' doesn't make us happy.

Let's deal with the turbocharged engine. Swap out the stock computer chip for something more aggressive, install a bigger exhaust system and a better intake setup, a more performance-oriented fuel delivery system and cylinder head, an intercooler and you have an engine producing 265 horsepower in a car that weighs 2,888 pounds. The total cost is less than $3,500. By comparison, moving from the standard Mini Cooper to the John Cooper Works Mini costs more than $6,000 if you buy a new one.

Don't forget that all drivers turn corners and stop. Replace the stock springs and shocks to lower the car and bigger anti-roll bars to tame body roll. Replace the wheels and tires with something bigger and more effective. Go for the best with a brake kit from Brembo or StopTech.

Whichever way you decide to go, the Mini-Cooper will give you and experience you'll remember for the rest of your life.

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