im wondering what the turbo 200HP+ 2004 Saturn Quad-coupe might be like as well but the design of the quad-coupe looks a little cheapish.

I guess the other thing appealing about the Mini is that it will be completely different experience. Why spend $30,000 on a 2002 Camaro SS thats almost the same as my modiied 94 Z28 that I bought for less then $20,000 eight years ago.

I have been very happy with the Camaro and this is why Im have been hanging on for a glimmer of hope from GM. A regular cab Silverado SS looks good if it would be under $25,000 and the Pontiac GTO would be fantastic if it was $25,000 as well but thats not going to happen with its limited production.

I just want to get a sub-$25,000 new sporty car that allows me to have money left over so that I can spend the next 8-10 year slowly modifing it like I have done with my Camaro.

There is plenty of mini aftermarket stuff even though is been out for less then 8 months.

www.minimania.com - they produce 200HP+ turbo mini as well
www.mossmini.com

 

It was a rhetorical question.

BMW does in fact make the Mini in the UK.

 

heres some picture of some slightly modified mini’s


red- http://www.mini2.com/gallery/persona...er/sparkye.jpg

silver http://www.mini2.com/gallery/persona...silver_blk.jpg

yellow- http://www.mini2.com/gallery/persona...i/dcp_0642.jpg

blue- http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/MINIVB/mini-g.jpg

blue- http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/MINIVB/mini-a.jpg

white- http://www.mini2.com/gallery/persona...a/dcp_0864.jpg

green- http://www.mini2.com/gallery/persona...a/dcp_0845.jpg

dark-silver- http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/waynef/2.jpg

black - http://www.mini2.com/gallery/persona...ndowsangle.jpg

red & black- http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/pabs911/306.jpg

 

johnsocal...it's obvious from the homework that you have put into this thread that you have been bitten by the Mini bug.

Go get one and enjoy it.

 

I prefer buying AMERICAN MADE cars but all this globalization-stuff has me more confused then ever. I really wish GM would come up with a real bang-for-the-buck performance car for under $25,000 that doesnt look like or feel like a sub-$10,000 car.

Maybe I should go buy a 8 year old Geo-metro and supercharge it.

 

Johnsocal, just my 2 cents, but the black or blue one looks pretty good.

Evil, you just made me realize that I don't think I've seen one woman driving a Mini Cooper. I've seen women all over the Eclipse, the Beetle, and half the Escalades and most of the midsize SUVs out here. But not one in a mini. Strange.

 

Same with me. I've seen dozens on the road, and all I've seen have had male pilots.

 

Here some more nice pictures

silver with black stripes- http://www.mini2.com/gallery/MINI%20...OpxFIDISA3.jpg

silver with white stripes- http://www.mini2.com/gallery/MINI%20...OpxFIDISA2.jpg

top view of blue with white stripes- http://www.mini2.com/gallery/MINI%20...OpxFIDISA4.jpg

interior with nav-system- http://www.mini2.com/gallery/MINI%20...erior-dash.jpg

 

I have seen e-nuff women in them to notice. If I were going to get a small silly car I would buy a Feiro and do a motor swao to a S/C 3800 or a SBC. I drove one today with a mildly modded RAM JET 350... it moved and was awsome. It had zero rattles and was tight....

 

I actually see more women driving camaros (mostly v6's) around here in southern california and that goes for Mustangs too.

Even big Chevy SUV with big 20 inch chromed rims is a 50/50 splt between men and women but Suburbans and Excursions are mostly driven by women to transport kids and stuff.

The only cars that I could say are the mostly driven by men are El Caminos, Corvettes, Porches, Vipers, Ferraris or any totaly trashed-beater-truck or old muscle car.

 

From your "underpowered" reference, I'll assume that you're thinking about the base Mini Cooper. I personally think that theres nothing wrong with wanting a Mini, especially if an urban commute is part of your daily drive.

However, if you can get past the image thing, a far better ride would be the Dodge Neon SRT-4. I have a hard time beating the logic of buying a $20k vehicle that will do 150mph+!

 

That turbo engine that they are putting in the Neon is the same one they also put in the Turbo PT cruiser. According to an ethusiast PT cruiser site they dynoed PT's with those engines and they are producing closer to 250 HP stock.

It appears that Chrysler is rating the HP much lower then it really is to keep insurance down

 

Sounds alot like the LS1 F-bodies - they dynoed 15-20hp above the factory rating. Maybe I'm grasping for straws, but MOPAR might be coming back as a SERIOUS performance manufacturer. It makes me wonder how powerful a new Hemi-Charger might be

 

I would be more likely to get a turbo PT before I would buy a turbo neon. While the neon would be faster the PT can be modified to look really cool either going with the retro 1940's theme or keep it modern looking by going with modern-day hot-rod aftermarket stuff.