Hey Cool Car Fans,

My brother-in-law Bruce Smith of Shakopee, Minnesota sent me photos of his wife’s 2007 Mini Cooper S and his 2006 Grand Touring Miata MX-5. These are really fun little sports cars that are a blast to drive. I’ve driven a number of very cool Mini Coopers and I’ve owned three Mazda Miata’s over the years.

The MX-5 Miata is Mazda’s two-seat, rear-wheel-drive convertible sports car that was completely redesigned for the 2006 model year. The 06′ Mazda MX-5 Miata is equipped with a 170-horsepower DOHC 2.0-liter engine, that comes with a 5-speed or 6-speed manual transmission standard. The 6-speed automatic was optional, with a horsepower reduction down to 166 horsepower, but I don’t know who would want an automatic in this vehicle. In 2006 they made the MX-5 Miata a little larger to provide more interior room and the convertible top now includes a glass rear window and a hardtop also was available, both were something I could have used with my former Miata’s.

The Grand Touring model had an original MSRP of $24,435, which isn’t bad for a fun little sports car like this one. It also gets around 30MPG on the highway, which is really great when we’re paying $3.00 a gallon for gas. Most surprising though is the fact that the 170hp speeds the 06′ MX-5 Miata from 0-60 in 6.8 seconds. Plenty fast! The manufacturer’s warranty is four years or 48,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Their other little sports car in their arsenal is the 2007 Mini Cooper S. These little guys are a hoot to drive as well and a great value at just $21,200 for the Base Retail price, plus options. The 2007 MINI Cooper has also been completely redesigned from the ground up. It has a little longer body than previous years, but still keeps the cool factor. The exterior has a new hexagon radiator grille, which you can see in this photo. There are also direction indicator lights fully integrated in the headlights and plenty of chrome to go around. The Cooper S has a sportier suspension set-up and its engine compartment lid curves up about 0.8 inches more than the standard model to make room for the fast and fun turbocharged engine.

As I mentioned, the 2007 Cooper S has a brand-new 172-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter engine that produces 177 lb-ft of torque. Another cool new feature is the special Overboost function in the Cooper S that can increase torque to 192 lb-ft for a short time. Both engines are paired to a standard 6 speed manual transmission with an optional 6 speed automatic. Hopefully, they went with the 6 speed manual for the fun factor.

Another new feature on the 2007 is the BMW start/stop button ignition that replaces the conventional key. There is also new ambient illumination and a larger center speedometer has been enhanced for a new range of functions including the display of controls for the navigation entertainment system. The Cooper S is equipped with 16-inch tires for more road hugging and better handling. The warranty on the Mini is similar to the Miata at 4 years, 50,000 miles and it gets around 36MPG on the highway.

What do you think?

Cool Car Guy Rating:
***** – Extremely Cool

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Auto Agent – John Boyd “The Cool Car Guy”
John is an automotive agent with JFR & Associates in Denver, Colorado. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle!
jboyd@coolcarguy.com