A Mini Pocket Rocket

Think Mini, and immediately, an early 60's bright yellow Bullnose Mini and Rowan Atkinson, aka Mr. Bean, come to mind. But this is anything but.

A little history lesson: Sir Alec Issigonis was tasked by Morris to create a car with four parameters - small, economical, seating four adults, and affordable to the masses. Before long, the Mini was born. It was brilliantly engineered, with welds joining the body on the exterior to maximize interior space. The wheels were mounted at the edges of the chassis, and the engine was turned transverse to create sufficient cabin space. These characteristics made the Mini a world-beater.

Putting the wheels at the ends made the car sit squat in the bends, coupled with a short wheelbase, giving the "go-kart feeling" Mini enthusiasts rave about.

Fast-forward to this century, under BMW's German helm, the new-generation MINI was launched. Taking delivery in early 2001, it became the car for "hipsters." BMW didn't keep the recipe simple; the Mini got chubbier, fancier, and more advanced, straying from the original principles. Die-hard Mini fans initially hated it, but after a drive, the Mini magic prevailed.

After all, BMW knows how to make a car handle. Despite being front-wheel drive, it was fantastic on B-roads, retaining the trademark go-kart feeling.

Part two of MINI History:

John Cooper, a British racing driver, and his father, Charles Cooper, built cars in their garage, working with notable names like Brabham. Seeing potential in the Mini, they collaborated on old-school tuning, producing the Mini Cooper, an instant hit. The Coopers made the Mini a cult classic, dominating rally scenes and winning the Monte Carlo Rally three times.

When Mike Cooper sold the rights to his father's name to BMW in 2007, special models arrived on our shores. I drove the 2013 R56 Mini Cooper JCW manual.

THE DRIVE:

It's perfectly balanced; it clings to the road like a screaming infant clinging to your jeans who doesn't want to go to school. The Mini didn't compete with the GTi's 173kW output in the Edition 35. Instead, it avoided the power struggle plaguing the hot hatch world.

We now live in a world where a Mercedes Hatchback produces 310kW; I think that's ridiculous for a hatchback. Anything over 200kW in a hot hatch is overkill.

The MINI ignores this, offering 155kW, a genuine 6-speed manual gearbox, traction control (which can be turned off), Limited Slip differential, and 4-pot Brembo brakes. It's a real event.

Despite having half the power of the Mercedes, the excitement factor is immense. The chassis is compliant, turning in hard and cornering flat on the track. One criticism is the harsh ride.

The interior is fantastic, with racy embellishments. JCW badges adorn the inside; seats provide sufficient support through bends, and red piping adds a touch of boy-racer flair. The 6-speed Getrag box slots in directly, with precise changes and minimal play.

To summarize, this now-classic hatch embodies everything great about performance hatches: balance, power, drivability, and practicality. It's not a point-and-squirt robot-to-robot drag racer. These will undoubtedly bcome future classics, perfect investments for Sunday blasts.

Let's not forget the people behind this incredible machine - BMW.