MINI compared with Mini by Dave Newman

Posted on by Ian C.

During the Mini Lap Of Plymouth County this past Sunday, Dave Newman (the organizer) swapped the keys of his (wifes) (classic) Mini with Faiths MINI!

Dave’s classic Mini
Faith’s MINI

Dave has written a nice comparison article for NEMO which he has kindly allowed me to repeat here:

We covered about 100 miles in three hours of driving on twisty wet roads. This was my first drive in a new Mini and what a blast! Bruce got to drive my wife Barbara’s British Open Classic Mini in exchange …
This Mini is … a fully modern car and any direct comparison to the classic Mini, designed in 1957 and released in 1959 is not possible. The new Mini has one thing in common with its forebear, its name …
My impressions of the drive: This car really moves, up to about 50 mph. Then the CVT (constantly variable transmission) goes into the equivalent of an overdrive and bogs down. You can shift it manually by holding it in “gear” for more revs and more acceleration. It has no shift points as such. When in “DRIVE”, you never feel a shift. It’s electric motor smooth all the way to the top. The manual mode is simply a computer programmed gearing on the CVT, and although I know this transmission makes the CVT model slower than a standard Mini Cooper with a manual box, it certainly feels fast at the start. This car may potentially be quicker in an Autocross vs. the Cooper S, as you don’t have to shift. Perhaps this would be an interesting comparison, with the same driver trying out both cars at an event.
As far as the rest of the car? Heated Seats are my second favorite feature, in any car. The Mini’s heated seats will toast you like a Fenway Frank. The handling is like on rails. Some say “go-cart” handling, but no go-cart I’ve driven has such a quiet interior, solid ride, excellent build quality and climate control and sunroof. Would I buy one, sure! Would I trade my PT Cruiser for a new Mini, no way. Would I like BOTH a new Mini with CVT and a PT Cruiser, yes, yes, yes. (And a Humvee too.) All in all, if you are looking for a small car with limited luggage space but fun to drive that will put a smile on your face, this is the car to buy. It could be the perfect “city” car for a place with congested traffic like Boston or Cambridge.

MINI Meander preparation

Posted on by Ian C.

Just finished planning the “MINI Meander”, an easy drive from MINI Peabody around Cape Ann, finishing at Woodmans in Essex. It will be similar to the 2002 drive but a longer version of the route.
Here is the route for MINI Meander 2003 – printed directions & maps will be provided before the start!

The first section of the drive takes us from MINI Peabody to our first stop at West Beach in Beverly

Please zero your trip counter before beginning this section!

There is a lot of traffic on route 1; Exiting MINI Peabody is tricky – but the long section of route 128 (2 or 3 lanes) will allow ample time for everyone to gather together.

DISTANCE Directions (comments)
(1) 0 RIGHT. 1 south out of MINI Peabody
Merge with 95 – stay to right!
1.6 Bear right off 1 to 95/128 North
2.1 Stay left on 95/128
ramps, for north directions
2.7 Merge onto 95/128 North
CAREFUL: 128 splits from 95 – follow 128 (avoid rightmost lane)
3.4 Now on 128 north signed “Gloucester”
GROUP TOGETHER HERE!
Follow 128 north to exit 17
10.5 (Gas)
13.4 EXIT 17. Right onto Grapevine Rd (signed “Endicott College” at STOP)
14 “Welcome to Beverly”
15.3 TIGHT TURNS
Roadworks – holes in road (“proceed at own risk”)
15.5 STOP. Right over rail crossing onto 127 South
LEFT into West Beach
(2) PHOTOS!

 

The second section of the drive is the main tour, through Manchester, Gloucester and Rockport, ending in Essex

Please zero your trip counter before beginning this section!

DISTANCE Directions (comments)
0 Right back onto 127 North; over rail crossing again
0.7 “Entering Manchester”
1.8 SLOW. Road bears right through town
2.1 Road turns right, then immediate left into Summer St
2.3 Road bears right – still 127 North
2.9 Under Rail bridge
3.7 RIGHT. Ocean St (as road bears left)
(3) 4.3 Stop on road in second bay for PHOTOS!
4.5 RIGHT. Back onto 127 North
4.9 Duck pond on left
5.4 LEFT at + junction into Magnolia Ave (immediately after pedestrian crossing)
7.3 Bear right under bridge
Beware raised manhole covers
7.5 LEFT onto 133
Regroup on right
8.4 LEFT. 128 North signed “Gloucester”
10.3 Over A.Piatt Andrew Bridge
11.1 YIELD AT ROTARY. Right into Washington St
11.4 RIGHT. Centennial Ave (“Georges Coffee Shop” on corner)
12 LEFT onto Stacy Boulevard
12.1 MAN AT WHEEL statue (Stacy Boulevard)
(4) PEOPLE PHOTOS!
Through Gloucester on route 127
12.5 RESTROOM STOP! Parking in front of Gloucester House Restaurant; restrooms to rear
13.4 Lights. Junction with 128. Right turn signed “East Gloucester / Rocky Neck”
Harbor Views
(5) 14.9 Niles Beach – view to Boston!
15.5 Sharp left turn
Atlantic coastline. Beware Joggers / Cyclists
Two Sisters Island (twin lighthouses)
17.5 STOP. Straight over onto 127A signed “Rockport”
18.8 “Entering Rockport”
21.7 Rockport town – 20mph. Yield to pedestrians!
22.1 Follow “THRU TRAFFIC” past Bear Skin Neck
22.3 RIGHT FORK into Bridge St
(6) 22.6 Back Beach
22.7 STOP. Right onto 127 North signed “Pigeon Cove / Annisquam”
23 Right into Wharf Rd to Old Granite Pier
(7) PHOTOS
23.5 Right out of Wharf Rd back onto 127
24.1 Past Cape Ann Tool Company
25.2 Pigeon Cove
25.4 “Entering Gloucester”
26.4 TIGHT TURNS – Lanesville (residential)
27 Plum Cove
27.95 TIGHT TURNS – Annisquam
29.5 (Gee Ave on left!)
30.9 YIELD AT ROTARY. Right onto 128 South
Over A.Piatt Andrew Bridge
32.5 EXIT 13. Right onto Concord St
BEWARE potholes – risk of wheel damage
34.3 TIGHT TURNS
35.1 VERY VERY BUMPY!
35.4 Right fork over Lawrence Parsons Memorial Bridge
35.9 Past Conomo Point Road (omit scenic loop (8) due to road conditions)
36.4 STOP. Right onto 133
(9) “Red Barrel” pub across road (classic Mini)
37 Essex River views
(10) 37.8 LEFT TURN INTO WOODMANS – parking at rear

 

This section describes the easy return to route 128, for people not joining Keith after lunch

Back to 128 from Woodmans:
0 Right onto 133
0.2 First right onto Southern Ave signed “Manchester”
3.1 Left onto 128 south – all roads (Boston, 95, 93, etc)

MINI/Mini drive in Plymouth County

Posted on by Ian C.

AAH!
While turning round on my way to the Mini Lap Of Plymouth County drive today, I misjudged the turning radius of my MINI and clipped the wheel against the kerb, scratching it drastically 😦


But apart from that the day was great – We started at Plymouth Airport, with a late breakfast at Plane Jane’s Restaurant – a very sensible place to start! After food we set off on a drive which culminated a few hours later at Dave’s Diner – just in time for lunch. Starting and ending a drive with food seems like a great idea to me 🙂
There were two MINIs and two Minis and we covered quite a few miles of Southern Massachusetts …

Faith’s MINI
Dave’s classic Mini