I'm a Miataholic...I've got three...all quite different but I'm selling two to get a Cooper. I had a 67 Cooper S, TRs and a bug eye when younger and I love the new MINI Cooper but....it does not handle like a decently dialed in Miata. The Cooper rolls a lot more, giving me less confidence and certainly lacks the power of my Miatas (Supercharged and turbocharged.) They feel different and they behave different but they are both a bunch of fun. The Miata may have the edge over the Cooper in that it can be made a lot more powerful than the Cooper because of the limits that the 5 speed tranny will put on power (150hp.) The S tranny will handle more power but it doesn't look as good as the Cooper. The feeling that you get when the top is down is irreplacable even with the huge sunroof that will be in my MINI. The MINI may be faster in the slalom but it will take more time behind the wheel to feel as confident as I do in my Miatae. The Cooper became a necessity when we rescued a second greyhound as I take them to work daily. One grey in a Miata, OK, but two greys no way! You will have to find your own excuse for getting your MINI as this one is already taken.
