Here's a picture with both cars. A couple of days later a guy from Virginia flew in and took the green one home.
Today my car still looks great but it now has 140,000+ miles and I'm beginning to have doubts about whether it makes sense to trust my faithful friend on long vacation trips.
I went today to look at the newly released 2014 MINI hardtop models. I just breaks my heart to see that BMW is bringing the car further back toward the automotive mainstream. The new one is more than five inches longer and more than two inches wider. It also is taller. They've extended the grill section in the front as if the car is growing a proboscis! They've even moved the speedometer over where it goes on a typical car, behind the steering wheel. I can see why they're doing it. They're trying to sell cars to the largest target audience and my voice is out voted.
I went and drove a Fiat Abarth yesterday. What a kick that was but I can tell it would not be as practical as my MINI has been. It just won't haul as much in the back. I'm seriously considering the Ford Focus ST as well. Boy is that a wonderful car for the money! But.... it's not a MINI.
Keep your fingers crossed for me!