The day earlier than, I’d been behind the wheel of a BMW M3 Touring — extensive, quick, and somewhat misplaced in Tokyo’s slim streets. The following morning felt utterly totally different. I swapped brute energy for one thing smaller and way more suited to town: two MINIs and a plan to flee towards Hakone, the place the roads open up and Mount Fuji often peeks by the clouds.
Leaving Ginza after dawn, Tokyo was already in movement — calm however fixed. Driving right here retains you alert; there’s not a lot room for error or further width. In that sense, a MINI feels utterly at dwelling. Japan’s had a comfortable spot for small automobiles for many years, and MINI suits proper into that mindset — fast, compact, and straightforward to position even when the streets shut in. You continue to see traditional Minis tucked away in facet alleys, sitting subsequent to their modern-day variations like household pictures. Japan has all the time understood that, which might be why MINI has such a loyal following right here.
Beginning With The John Cooper Works Convertible
I began the journey within the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible. Roof down, heater on, clear skies — about pretty much as good because it will get for late autumn in Tokyo. The two.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder makes 231 horsepower and 320 Nm of torque, which doesn’t sound wild on paper, but it surely’s loads for one thing this small.
The JCW feels tight, even at low velocity — stiff suspension and pretty partaking steering. Within the metropolis, the sportier suspension can really feel a bit an excessive amount of for a day by day driver. On lower than splendid pavement and uneven surfaces, it’s bouncy and a bit unforgiving. However as soon as I obtained previous Yokohama and the roads opened up, it began to make sense.
Visitors on the way in which to Hakone was gentle, only a few sluggish stretches close to the tolls. As soon as the street started to climb, the temperature dropped, and the noise of town light behind. The bushes thickened, the corners tightened, and for a quick couple of minutes, Mount Fuji appeared by a spot within the clouds earlier than disappearing once more.
That’s the place the JCW actually shined. The identical stiffness that made it jittery on the town was a extra partaking driving expertise on the mountain. It’s not the automobile you’d decide for an extended commute, however for this type of street, it’s excellent.
Swap it into Go-Kart Mode, and the entire automobile adjustments its conduct. The throttle sharpens, the steering tightens, and instantly it feels prefer it’s connecting along with your palms. The Hakone Turnpike is the right match — extensive lanes, sweeping hills, and corners that stream simply sufficient to maintain you within the second. The JCW is alive on the market. It’s enjoyable and responsive, the type of automobile that desires to be pushed to offer you again loads of smiles.
Swapping Into A Cooper S 3-Door
For the return journey, I swapped into the MINI Cooper S 3-door. Identical primary engine, tuned all the way down to 204 horsepower, however a completely totally different perspective. Softer experience, lighter steering, calmer driving conduct — it instantly looks like a automobile you possibly can drive daily.
The place the JCW retains you on edge, the Cooper S allows you to calm down. By means of the lengthy freeway stretches and again into Tokyo visitors, it simply labored — snug, composed, nonetheless playful whenever you wanted it to be. It’s the candy spot within the vary: a correct day by day that hasn’t forgotten what makes a MINI enjoyable.
I’ve all the time most well-liked compact automobiles in busy cities. They simply make sense. You see it all over the place in Tokyo — for many individuals, the MINI isn’t a second automobile; it’s the one one. It suits the rhythm of the place. Within the U.S., we deal with automobiles like this as toys or weekend escapes, however right here, they’re a part of on a regular basis life. After a couple of days driving by Japan, I perceive why. A small automobile doesn’t restrict you — it frees you up.
Night time Drive at Tatsumi
That evening, I took the MINI JCW out once more. Tokyo appears to be like utterly totally different after midnight — quieter, emptier, virtually cinematic with out attempting to be. I ended up on the Tatsumi Parking Space, one of many metropolis’s most iconic automobile spots. Some JDM legends lined the lot, together with a couple of fashionable sports activities automobiles and tuned imports. And naturally, we had been there, like many, for the scenic pictures of the Tokyo Skyline.
From there, we went for a late-night drive by town. The streets had been almost empty, the lights nonetheless vivid, and for as soon as, Tokyo felt unhurried. The JCW’s exhaust echoed off the tunnels, the skyline reflecting within the windshield. It was a cool expertise that reminded us why all of us love enjoyable automobiles, particularly after they have an engine.
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