It Just Might Change Your Life

When my editor told me that the MINI Cooper S would change my life, I didnt believe him. I wondered how such a small machine could make such a big difference. But after a week of putting it through its paces, Ive shifted my views.

It didnt take long for me to fall in love with the tiny two-door, and even less time for gawking pedestrians and drivers of surrounding cars to acknowledge its presence. True, the MINI is one of the smallest cars out there but it might just be the one with the biggest heart.

It seems like everywhere I went the MINI was a hit. Whether filling up at the gas station or waiting at a stop light at a busy intersection, people responded with pointing fingers and big grins. Kids walking on the street would smile and yell "MINI", then giggle and go on their way. Fellow MINI drivers offered nods and waves of camaraderie, while people would just start talking to me at random about

A small car with a big heart, the Mini is sure to turn heads wherever you go. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

My next door neighbor even told me that her "car wanted to make love to my car," a rather odd but charming statement coming from an elderly woman. Maybe it was the Indie Blue Metallic exterior sporting the Union Jack on the roof that caught peoples eyes, or possibly its 17-inch 8-spoke alloy wheels enticed the car lovers in the crowds, or could it have been the twin chrome exhaust tips poking out from the center position of its lower rear fascia. Whatever reason, the feisty hatchback emanates the most positive aura when compared to any other car on the road.

But the biggest grin

Numerous eye-catching details set this car apart. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

During my test period the Cooper S experienced a myriad of road conditions. I planned a "mini" golfing road trip from Vancouver, BC, Canada to Kelowna, smaller city in the provinces desert-like interior. Rather than the usual route I chose to take HWY 99 from Whistler (yes North Americas #1 ski resort) up to Lillooet, driving

Its supercharged SOHC 16-valve I-4 engine makes the Cooper S a blast to drive. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

The road I took was not the smoothest, but was definitely the most fun. All the dips and bumps turned a Sunday drive into a rollercoaster ride, but without

Snow in May, thats even crazy weather for Canada? The Mini Cooper S handled like a dream anyway. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

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