Even four years later, I still say that driving a 1965 Mini Cooper S was one of the best drives of my career. It was a combination of the incredible old Mini and the stunning roads of Monterey, California that cemented it in my brain. Another thing that struck me about that day was how much less I enjoyed driving a technically classic Mini from the 1990s. See, Mini kept building the classic Mini up until 1998, long after it was ancient, right before BMW took over. And the ’90s one I drove was decidedly worse than the ’65, it was still far more fun than modern sports cars. In this new video from Throttle House, you get to see why.
Minis from the ’90s were worse than the older counterparts because Mini was trying to stuff more modern gear into a frankly archaic package and it made the car worse. Power steering, a thicker steering wheel, air conditioning, and a more modern looking interior were all added but never quite felt right. To get the proper Mini experience, you need to drive one from the ’60s or ’70s. However, if you can’t a Mini from the ’90s is still going to be a blast.
In this video, the two Throttle House hosts drive the ’90s Mini and seem to have so much fun. In a classic Mini, even driving around a suburb is hilarious good fun. It’s so small, light, and responsive that it feels like you’re actually driving a go-kart on the road. Modern MINIs use the go-kart analogy but it isn’t actually accurate. However, for the classic Mini, it is.
Of course, Minis are quite dangerous because they have the crash protection of a beer can and they aren’t very comfortable (those rubber suspension cones are brutal). However, if you can find one that you can afford, buy it. I promise you, you’ll have more fun in a classic Mini than a BMW M4 Competition, without question. Dammit, now I’m gonna have to look for Minis.
