Local MINI klub met up and went for a drive Saturday. It was the first time wife and I have been able to run the car after getting it all back together. I was VERY pleased with how it handled itself. We were pulling away from newer S and JCW's and for a 12 year old car that made me happy. As far as handling, it out shined the other cars with the exception of the OG MINI. That little guy was a beast in the curves. I could hang with it, but only because of the power difference and because I'm still learning what the car can do. I'm still timid with how fast you can take these lil things into a curve.



We're the R53 at the front.



View for lunch was awesome as well. Can't wait for MINI's in the Ozarks and taking on the Dragon next year.

 

Nice meet and good looking group! Where was the lunch?... really nice out there.

Love the comment... "that little guy was a beast in the curves"! Original Minis are amazing sticky road machines. You need to find a road course (track) so you can find your R53's limits in a safe environment. Newer Mini's, Gen 2 and 3 are bigger and heavier, so advantage - R53!!

 

We went to a place called Red Apple Inn. Might take the wife up and stay a night or 2 sometime.

http://www.redappleinn.com/

I had never seen an OG in person and didn't know what to expect. It was like watching one of those old movies where it looked sped up.

 

Nice looking place! I need to drive out that way and take look around.

I had the super fortunate chance to drive one of those original Minis for about a month in England a long while back. I was already a Mini fan. That car made me a certifiable Miniac. Never drove a car that was so much fun... especially cool on those twisty narrow English back roads in Norfolk and along it's coast. Thoroughly loved the thing. A brilliant car. BMW did it justice with the first gen BMW Mini you own.

 

That looks like fun and you had a classic show up. MINI meets are a great place to have day drives.