The guys from the Fast Lane Car might’ve gotten a lot of things wrong when they started out but they kept at it, and now they’re ‘mash-ups’ are beginning to make more sense. In their latest, they pit the MINI Cooper S in 5-door guise against a BMW 228i xDrive.
Now, I know that the two can’t be compared in any way, and the guys know it too. However, they did manage to show us a thing or two by doing this.
First of all, the MINI was a manual, and it’s the most hated model since the BMW Group took over. To old-school MINI aficionados, the new models are way too big for what the brand ‘stands for’ and making a 5-door version was just the last drop.
There’s also a different demographic out there that actually considers the model an absolute win and they claim it’s the best invention since the original came out. Of course, the two sides will never see eye to eye but the important thing (if you were to ask me) is how the new MINI drives.
We know that the 2 Series Coupe is a perfectly handy and enticing car to take around a track. That’s true in both M235i and 228i guises, no matter what you may think. Yes, the 228i has a lot less power but it’s also lighter on its feet and packs plenty of punch to have fun.
Therefore, when the guys took them around their track they did us all a favor. You see, the MINI is down a good 50 HP here and yet, on the short, twisty go-kart track they had at their disposal, it proved that combined with a manual gearbox it was fun to drive and, essentially, faster around the circuit than the more powerful BMW. The go-kart feeling is alive and kicking!
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