I used to seriously rally many years ago using BMWs - sometimes in a friend's Mini. We even tore down a MINI engine, blueprinted it, and put it back together to give us the max power we could get at the time. It really scooted. <skip many boring driving years including suburbans and SUVs> Now I have my first MINI, an ALL4, named Fenton. I've added the Detroit Tuning skid plate so playing in the dirt is less risky - and it's really fun. I have enjoyed tracking down twisty roads I can drive at lunch time in the SF Bay Area. A couple of weeks ago I reran a monte carlo style rally route from long ago in the nearby mountains. I found that the twisty little roads are still fun and much more roomy in a smaller, capable car. The extra 1000 pounds over my earlier fun car shows, however. I've done some long drives, some short fun ones, and introduced many friends and family to the MINI (some have already gotten theirs). I'm looking forward to a long, happy motoring experience with my first MINI! :biggrin5: