Good Morning Warren and Friends,
I had the most fun last week. I got to drive the new MINI convertible in Los Angeles, and then we flew up to Carmel and drove the BMW M2 coupe down to Big Sur, CA. It was just a stunning day to be driving Highway 1.
How many of you have been out to California and driven Highway 1? What are your best memories? Any good tips to pass on to other travelers?
The second part of the day we drove the M2 coupe around Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway. I’m not a race car driver. I have been on the track enough times to know that I am not a race car driver. I do love taking a car such as the M2 out on the track even though I am so slow I embarrass myself. Why? Because it shows me how good the car is; the faster I go over the corkscrew the more I appreciate how well that car is built. Great power-to-weight-ratio, great torque, I would buy this car if I were in the market for a car in this segment.
It was a BMW group all week; when I got home, I had a 2016 MINI Cooper S Clubman waiting for me. This Clubman is not a MINI of yore, the go-kart feel, but this is a MINI I would buy because it has all the functions I need. As all of you know, I think it would be even more perfect if it were a plug-in hybrid. The 5-door starts at $27,650. The one I drove was $38,750 out of the door. EPA estimate is 24 city/34 highway/27 combined. We got around mpg.
February 19, 2016 Washington Post Real Wheels live car chat
And for all of you wondering, Stretch likes the MINI Clubman, but his favorite is the old go-kart MINI John Cooper Works. The new ones are “too civilized” :) Remember, Stretch built his taildragger airplane and flys it :)
Let’s chat about cars!
Click on the picture to go to the washingtonpost.com chat:
Kicking it up a notch with Bill Auberlin in a BMW M2 around Laguna Seca
