>>>> I haven't regretted any part of owning my Cooper instead of something faster.
>>
>>I did start wishing I owned something faster... so I got a Works S!
>>
>>I test drove a few other "competitors" (RSX, WRX, RX8, older 3-Series and A4, etc) before ordering the new S, mainly because I felt I had to. All had their good points, but none had the same "intensity" of the Mini. I'm not even that big a fan of the Mini's design but, at street-legal speeds, the driving experience rules.

I'm cracking up, because I'm doing the same thing. My CR/W JCW MCS is ordered, I'm just waiting for an estate to clear probate- arggghh! After it does, I'll be driving close to twice my current horsepower and no doubt smiling all the while.