Mini Comes To Kansas City
Less is more for BMW's newest driving machine.

"Oooh!" cooed the assistant editor, as we wheeled into the dealership. “It's soooo cute!"

Whereupon I spied the object of her ecstasy, a silver Mini Cooper headed out for yet another local test drive with a bemused sales rep in the right seat enjoying the all-too-rare experience of letting a new car sell itself.

We had driven four hours north to Kansas City's Baron BMW to check out the very first of the Minis to arrive in America's heartland. I had called Baron the week before to confirm the arrival date of the Mini, and was told that some 75 buyers had laid down $500 each for the privilege of being placed on a waiting list to buy BMW's newest road warrior.

One week later, the list had grown to 250. And as SKS and I walked into the very cool art deco showroom that is normally home to high-dollar Bimmers, we immediately saw why buyers were clamoring to get onboard.

There in yellow/black and blue/white sat two new Minis, resplendent in all their British glory. Gathered in ones and twos around the cars were an assortment of amazed Mini-gawkers who just couldn't get enough of BMW’s little wonder, wrought by the maestros in Munich but built in Her Majesty's homeland.

Approaching the car, you notice the very tight seams, the tasteful chrome trim and a top that seems to float suspended above the car. The 15" wheels look perfectly proportioned on the little bulldog body. You think, "Cool car, but I'll never fit." Whereupon you pull open the driver's door, settle into a very comfortable leather seat (heated, no less), adjust the wheel and seat to your liking and proclaim to the assistant editor, "I want one!" My 6'3" frame felt right at home behind the wheel, although I noticed the resulting leg space for any would-be passengers behind me was nil.

More than anything, the interior reminded me of an airplane cockpit. From the chrome rocker switches to the industrial-strength speedo sitting in the center of the dash, this little rocket ship oozed integrity, fun and the kind of character that seems impossible to buy, fully loaded, for $19k.

I watched as a late-20s-something gave the yellow Mini a good going over for about 15 minutes, then walked up to a sales rep with checkbook in hand asking where might she pay her deposit?

At that moment and to this day, it seemed a perfectly sensible thing to do.

As much as we wanted to, no test drive ensued this trip thanks to a backlog of reserved drives through the weekend. The lucky testers I saw coming in from their drives were all smiles.

Will a Mini one day occupy silbersix's place in our garage? Certainly more than any other new car I've looked at in years, including BMW's latest and greatest, the Mini maximizes the cool quotient at a truly affordable price. Even the assistant editor loves it. I don't think it would take either of us long to get used to the idea, if we put our minds (and hearts) to it.

The Mini is very hot in Europe, and it's sure to be so in America. For the first few months allotment, dealers must take their Minis optioned as BMW chooses, but from what I saw, that's not a problem with buyers. It is notable that nearly half of those placing deposits in Kansas City are reserving the ultra-hot 163hp supercharged Mini S, debuting this fall. It is also notable that the nice folks at Baron (they treated us like buyers, though they knew we weren’t) are selling their little British jewels at MSRP, with the sole addition of $900 for a trunk-mounted CD changer, premium sound system and some mighty fine rubber floor mats. Considering the steep demand for the car, that's a steal. It's too bad that not all Mini dealers will be so price-friendly.

Overall impression? I love it. As much criticism as Munich is getting right now for the new 7 and future series' styling, BMW is to be saluted for the courage to go with their heart on the Mini. It is an instant classic, a great little car that captures the essence of the joy of motoring. If you need further convincing, check out www.miniusa.com.

Where do I sign?  -Rick Sparks

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