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Electric MINI Drag Races Toyota GR86 and Mazda MX-5, the Underdog Wins

When it comes to electric vehicles, legacy brands and electric-only companies have got you covered. But on the other hand, few automakers cater to budget-oriented customers. MINI, for example, is charging $29,900 excluding the federal tax credit for the Cooper SE.
I Didn't Expect This -Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata vs THE Underdog Drag Race Quarter Mile Drag Race! 12 photos
Photo: The Fast Lane on YouTube
I Didn't Expect This -Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata vs THE Underdog Drag Race Quarter Mile Drag Race!I Didn't Expect This -Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata vs THE Underdog Drag Race Quarter Mile Drag Race!I Didn't Expect This -Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata vs THE Underdog Drag Race Quarter Mile Drag Race!I Didn't Expect This -Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata vs THE Underdog Drag Race Quarter Mile Drag Race!I Didn't Expect This -Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata vs THE Underdog Drag Race Quarter Mile Drag Race!I Didn't Expect This -Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata vs THE Underdog Drag Race Quarter Mile Drag Race!I Didn't Expect This -Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata vs THE Underdog Drag Race Quarter Mile Drag Race!I Didn't Expect This -Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata vs THE Underdog Drag Race Quarter Mile Drag Race!I Didn't Expect This -Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata vs THE Underdog Drag Race Quarter Mile Drag Race!I Didn't Expect This -Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata vs THE Underdog Drag Race Quarter Mile Drag Race!I Didn't Expect This -Toyota GR86 vs Mazda Miata vs THE Underdog Drag Race Quarter Mile Drag Race!
What do you get for your money? Tipping the scales at 3,143 pounds (1,426 kilograms), this little runabout comes with quite a lot of standard equipment. Whatever spec you pick, the Cooper SE flaunts a front-mounted electric motor with 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet (270 Nm) on tap.

Those figures may not be impressive at first glance, but 6.9 seconds to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) is alright for a small car that seats four. The MINI tops 93 miles per hour (150 kilometers per hour), as expected of a cost-conscious electric vehicle. Something that few people could’ve predicted is the quarter-mile time of this fellow. The Fast Lane’s Tommy Mica squeezed out 15.67 seconds at 91 miles per hour (146 kilometers per hour), besting the new Toyota GR86 and Mazda MX-5 RF.

Bonafide sports cars, the GR86 and MX-5 need revs to belt out peak torque. Powered by 2.4-liter boxer and 2.0-liter inline powerplants, these guys develop 184 pound-feet (250 Nm) at 3,700 revolutions per minute and 151 pound-feet (205 Nm) at 4,000 revolutions per minute. Fitted with manuals, the GR86 and MX-5 are better suited to corners rather than straight lines.

The ‘Yota finished the quarter mile in 16.14 seconds at 92.1 miles per hour (148.2 kilometers per hour) while the Mazda couldn’t do better than 16.4 seconds at 86.8 miles per hour (139.7 kilometers per hour). The GR86 retails at $27,700 while the MX-5 RF will set you back at least $35,350.

MINI will redesign the Cooper SE in 2023 as a 2024 model with help from Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor. The MX-5 is also due a replacement given that Mazda introduced the fourth gen back in 2014 as a 2016 model.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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