(raises hand) Mine, for one. Ordered April, built June, delivered July '02. In March 2002 I was researching small cars looking for a fun commuter. I didn't even know there was such a thing as a "New MINI" until I saw a crappy b&w pic in the Consumer Guide magazine I was using to find candidates. It looked interesting so I added it to my list. When the list had six cars on it I started shopping. First I drove a Focus SVT but wasn't impressed so I scratched that off. Then I drove a Cooper (non-S). I got out of the car with a grin on my face and never looked at that list again, just crumpled it up and threw it away. I love this car! Nearly 10 years later I still jump at any excuse I can think of to drive it, even makes trips to the grocery store enjoyable.
Nope, but assuming you mean here in the U.S. I do know where one of the very first MINIs landed. Eric at Helix took delivery of one from Europe and had it shipped here before they started selling them in the US. If he still has it, odds are it's the earliest new MINI on M/A.
I might be one of the few on here that didn't really want a MINI when they first came over here. I saw the Italian Job and thought great movie. I had my heart set on a VW R32. It was more powerful, AWD and as a VW guy it really appealed to me. However the $32,000 base was a little much for me. So I waited. Meanwhile my mom was looking at getting a MINI in 04' we went to the dealer and they had a few there but the only one that i actually liked was the MC40 they had on the floor. The color, the wheels and that interior really made the car look nice. (I really don't like the S-lites) I said to myself if I got a MINI it would be that. My mom did find a Cooper and I really liked how it felt on the road and how the interior felt. It reminded me of a modern Rabbit GTI. It had the similar character, not alot of power but handled extremely well. Well I was going to school and my 90 Jetta wasn't doing very well and I was driving my moms van. One day the local car lot had a MC40 sitting out front so a I stopped in and then drove it home. I am really glad I ended up with a MINI it has been a great car and has introduced me to alot of my friends. I now couldn't imagine my life with out it.
OK, I am a bit less observant than most. About 1 month ago I was visiting a friend in MN and he asked me to look at his new car, a MINI Clubman S. I declined cause I thought they were just stupid little cars. I checked his out, and my wife and I both decided we needed to look into one. We test drove a 2008 at a local used car dealer who wanted way too much money. Bought one on the Net a few weeks later. Lots of fun on the Blue Ridge Parkway and neighboring mountain roads. Need I say more?
You are right Steve. Now that my wife has a CMS, she does not object when I talk about JCW anymore . Jim