Wasn't the TT called "A Hairdresser's Car" by Clarkson?

 

IMO when you get into the similarly priced >$33k plus performance cars it's a matter of styling and handling preferences, not dyno/skidpad numbers. In that range "it's not the arrow, it's the Indian". A good Mini JCW driver will leave an average Audi TT driver in the weeds every time (and vice versa). We all know that.

 

While there are things I would agree with in the article, I had a hard time understanding what they were trying to say? It seemed to be "Cars that cost more than the Mini Coupe are better than the Coupe, but a less expensive Mini Coupe is better because, even though it's not as good, it costs less.", or something?

I had a chance to take our JustaCoupe out to the Shenandoahs this past weekend and we did some "spirited driving" with a few aged Triumph sportscars. Compared with those old rigs, the Coupe kept up nicely, and was just as much fun, though I missed the top-down experience that others enjoyed.

Taken by itself, the Mini Coupe, at least, with the automatic, has a few quirks I wouldn't expect from an enthusiast's car. Throttle response has an early flat spot. I gather that other Mini's do this as well? The auto trans shifts a little early. Though setting it in Sport mode made a nicer range, you have to work the stick to really get the engine to wind. That said...I had a lot of fun with it.

The most telling remark in the article, however, was where they said the Mini Coupe, with all its lack of "aplomb" gave them the biggest grin while driving. To me, THAT is the whole point. You can have similar fun in a TT Coupe, but I daresay you have to be way above the posted limit to do so. You can bounce around in a Mini Coupe, have fun, and the ticket you get will be several hundred bucks less.

Huck