My son drove his 911 over from Houston this weekend. It's a 2003 996. Sounds awesome on start-up and at full throttle. Obviously totally different feel than the MINI, more power/less nimble. Fun to drive, though. The wing is part of the factory aero kit. I'm not a big wing guy, but this looked pretty good.
I love my Chili Red R53 but.......:idea:........Na I would stick with the MINI unless that Porsche is Red or Silver.
Nice car but they are too tail happy compared to the MINI for my taste (although I could get used to it I'm sure).
I'll go against the group and say I would take the 996, dancing with one on the track is blissful. The MkII aero kit is nice, but it doesn't have the taco wing of the MkI that I love. The only sound better than a water-cooled flat 6 is an air-cooled flat six to me. My R53 surprised me at how much fun it is to drive from the first test drive, but I don't think I'll be sliding it around like I have some 996's.
The sound is awesome. Acceleration is very linear, was doing 90 on the I-10 on ramp before I knew it....effortless quickness. Good thing it was early Sunday morning. Did I mention the sound? But there is something about R53's, in red. Nimble. More of an extension of the driver. Son wants to do a driving school in Austin this summer. Father and son. Cooper S and 911. I'm game.
Gramps, enjoy the driving school with your son. Being the younger part of a father and son duo doing HPDE's, it has been some of the best times I have shared with my dad, whom I get my gearhead drive from.