The day earlier than, I’d been behind the wheel of a BMW M3 Touring — large, quick, and a little bit misplaced in Tokyo’s slender streets. The subsequent morning felt utterly totally different. I swapped brute energy for one thing smaller and much more suited to town: two MINIs and a plan to flee towards Hakone, the place the roads open up and Mount Fuji often peeks by way of the clouds.
Leaving Ginza after dawn, Tokyo was already in movement — calm however fixed. Driving right here retains you alert; there’s not a lot room for error or additional width. In that sense, a MINI feels utterly at house. Japan’s had a comfortable spot for small vehicles for many years, and MINI suits proper into that mindset — fast, compact, and straightforward to position even when the streets shut in. You continue to see traditional Minis tucked away in facet alleys, sitting subsequent to their modern-day variations like household images. Japan has at all times understood that, which might be why MINI has such a loyal following right here.
Beginning With The John Cooper Works Convertible
I began the journey within the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible. Roof down, heater on, clear skies — about nearly as good because it will get for late autumn in Tokyo. The two.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder makes 231 horsepower and 320 Nm of torque, which doesn’t sound wild on paper, but it surely’s a lot for one thing this small.
The JCW feels tight, even at low velocity — stiff suspension and pretty participating steering. Within the metropolis, the sportier suspension can really feel a bit an excessive amount of for a each day driver. On lower than ideally suited pavement and uneven surfaces, it’s bouncy and a bit unforgiving. However as soon as I obtained previous Yokohama and the roads opened up, it began to make sense.
Site visitors on the way in which to Hakone was gentle, just some sluggish stretches close to the tolls. As soon as the street started to climb, the temperature dropped, and the noise of town light behind. The bushes thickened, the corners tightened, and for a quick jiffy, Mount Fuji appeared by way of a spot within the clouds earlier than disappearing once more.
That’s the place the JCW actually shined. The identical stiffness that made it jittery on the town become a extra participating driving expertise on the mountain. It’s not the automotive you’d choose for an extended commute, however for this type of street, it’s excellent.
Change it into Go-Kart Mode, and the entire automotive adjustments its conduct. The throttle sharpens, the steering tightens, and abruptly it feels prefer it’s connecting together with your fingers. The Hakone Turnpike is the right match — large lanes, sweeping hills, and corners that stream simply sufficient to maintain you within the second. The JCW is alive on the market. It’s enjoyable and responsive, the form of automotive that desires to be pushed to offer you again loads of smiles.
Swapping Into A Cooper S 3-Door
For the return journey, I swapped into the MINI Cooper S 3-door. Similar fundamental engine, tuned all the way down to 204 horsepower, however a completely totally different perspective. Softer experience, lighter steering, calmer driving conduct — it instantly appears like a automotive you can drive day-after-day.
The place the JCW retains you on edge, the Cooper S enables you to calm down. Via the lengthy freeway stretches and again into Tokyo visitors, it simply labored — snug, composed, nonetheless playful once you wanted it to be. It’s the candy spot within the vary: a correct each day that hasn’t forgotten what makes a MINI enjoyable.
I’ve at all times most well-liked compact vehicles in busy cities. They simply make sense. You see it all over the place in Tokyo — for many individuals, the MINI isn’t a second automotive; it’s the one one. It suits the rhythm of the place. Within the U.S., we deal with vehicles like this as toys or weekend escapes, however right here, they’re a part of on a regular basis life. After a number of days driving by way of Japan, I perceive why. A small automotive doesn’t restrict you — it frees you up.
Night time Drive at Tatsumi
That night time, I took the MINI JCW out once more. Tokyo seems utterly totally different after midnight — quieter, emptier, virtually cinematic with out attempting to be. I ended up on the Tatsumi Parking Space, one of many metropolis’s most iconic automotive spots. Some JDM legends lined the lot, together with a number of fashionable sports activities vehicles and tuned imports. And naturally, we have been there, like many, for the scenic images of the Tokyo Skyline.
From there, we went for a late-night drive by way of town. The streets have been almost empty, the lights nonetheless vivid, and for as soon as, Tokyo felt unhurried. The JCW’s exhaust echoed off the tunnels, the skyline reflecting within the windshield. It was a cool expertise that reminded us why all of us love enjoyable vehicles, particularly after they have an engine.
