My New Mini 13/10/2000 - ever?

So, what's it like?

In a word: Great.
The black and silver seats, the alloy dash, the drilled alloy gear lever and door furniture just make you think your driving something just that little bit different from your average car.

It may still only have a four speed box, but first will take you up to 50mph.
It does lack a bit of agility that the 12ins wheels have, with a bigger turning circle, but its still a fun car to drive. And now I'll get cheaper road tax as well!

My next plans are to make it just that bit extra special. No performance mods, as the insurance would cripple me, but little things like chrome door handle recesses, headlamp peaks, headlamp stone guards. Together with the new front bumper, chrome washer jets and wiper blanking plates I've already added

With the Mini's production coming to an end on 4 October 2000, I knew if I wanted to own a new Mini that I could look after from the start then I would have to buy one soon.

There were three versions that I had to pick from:

• Mini Se7en
• Mini Cooper
• Mini Cooper Sport

I knew that I didn't want the retro styled Se7en. As nice as it looked it just looked too plain in its red, white or black paint with no coach lines. The other thing of cause, it wasn't a Cooper.

This left just the Cooper, or the Cooper Sport. Both were available in my two favourite colours: British Racing Green or Tahiti Blue. My current Mini was BRG so that ruled that out. That was also the problem with the Cooper as well - I already had one. Besides the Cooper Sport with its four spotlamps and the special Platinum Silver roof, bonnet strips and wing mirrors just made it look... well... special!

Read about other Mini Cooper Sports at www.minicoopersport.com