Issue 27

We don't know about you but the Dog Days of Summer tend to bring out the crazy motor nut hiding in most of us and in our August 2010 issue, writer Marilyn Stemp waxes poetic on MINI USA's bit of summer craziness: The MINI vs Porsche Challenge. 

Yep, those wacky car aficionados at MINI were at it again this summer at Road Atlanta with an AutoX setup and a shoot out between the Porsche 911 and the MINI Cooper S.  It is the stuff from which automotive legends are born, but in this case it was more about motoring fun than serious competition. Still a contest is a contest and a winner must always be crowned. In this case, it was... well, to find out who took home the trophy, you'll have to read the story starting on page 24. The infamous sports car shootout was the brainchild of Jim McDowell, leader of the faithful at MINI USA. Marilyn Stemp spent 10 Minutes with Gentleman Jim and asked him about the hows and whys of this fantastic automotive public relations stunt on page 27.

With the debut of the all-new Countryman and the introduction of the coupe and roadster models to follow shortly, Rob Marshall, our UK Correspondent, journeyed to Plant Oxford in the UK to find out what's up with MINI for 2011 and beyond. Rob toured the plant, saw the new models and even managed a short chat with Gert Hildebrand, head designer for MINI. In Quo Vadis MINI?, starting on page 28, Rob divulges his findings, comments on the new models and gives us a real insight to where the company is heading.

We all know that that the MINI is capable of delivering significantly more horsepower to the front wheels than that coming from an OE model. Car company's must walk that tightrope between fuel economy, emissions, and largest common denominator of consumers whenever they build a new model and MINI is no exception. Finding the Hidden Performance, however, isn't difficult, if you know where to look and how to get it. On MC2's Project Clubman, Publisher Barry Brazier installs N-M Engineering charge and discharge pipes and gives his car has more oomph, and a better running sound. Read all about it starting on page 32.

Believe it or not, your choice of tires can make a big difference in performance and handling. The problem is that while one set of tires may be great for the street, they may not do well on the track. Wanting to see just how big a difference a set of Yokohama S. Drivetires would make to to his 2006 Cooper, writer Jeff Zurschemide put them through their paces, comparing them against Kumho Ectsa and Dunlop DSSTs. His findings begin on page 36.

Everybody "auto" learn to drive and Marilyn Stemp took that to heart when she attended Chick School,a performance driving school for women sponsored by the Tar Heel Sports Car Club. According to Marilyn, learning the ins and outs of performance autoX driving not only improves ones ability to control the car, but it is also great fun. Read about her adventures and insight starting on page 38.

Speaking of autocross, if you are a serious enthusiast, then you'll want to read about Allan Zacharda's 2006 JCW, a car that's been called the ultimate autocross weapon. In Evolution Revolution,on page 41, Jeff Zurschmeide details Zacharda's modification of his MINI from fun machine to hard core contender. The changes are many, and the car is built for competition, but it is still street legal.

Although life can be a bumpy ride, there's no reason that your MINI should deliver one. In The Ups and Downs of Shock Absorber, beginning on page 44, our technical editor, Matt Richter explains how dampers work, why they do what they do, and presents a few tips for the auto enthusiast wanting to upgrade the factory setup.

In Mini Meet West (page 47), publisher Barry Brazier travels to Penticton, BC for a gathering of Mini faithful in Canada's wine country. According to Barry, the meet, which featured mostly classic Minis, attracted over 118 entrants with cars arriving from as far afield as Eastern Canada, Southern California and Arizona.

If you've ever wondered what it might be like to grow up as the son of a famous car builder, then read Mike Cooper's biography, Growing Up Cooper, on page 51. Mike's Dad, the famous John Cooper taught Steve McQueen how to drive, hob nobbed with celebrities and princes and won more than a few races with his Mini Cooper sports cars. Mike was in the shadows for all of this and he imparts a few tales of his childhood and says he has no regrets.

Even though the Mini was designed by Alec Issigonis, the car would never have been built, if it weren't for the strong management style of Len Lord and his right hand man, George Harriman. In The Man Who Built BMC (page 54), automotive historian, Graham Robson, details what British Motor Corporation was like with Len Lord at the helm and the contributions of George Harriman to the overall success of the company.

With this outline of the main features of Issue 27, one can see that this latest edition is packed with fun reading, and don't forget our usual departmental columns such as The Doctor Is In, Keep 'Em Running, Mini Cindy, the Mini Calendar, Club News and our crossword are also included, plus Your Wheels and, of course, all the latest MINI News. We hope you enjoy this issue. Happy Motoring! ~ Peter D. DuPre, Editor-In-Chief