Performance can be efficient
MINI’s John Cooper Works edition bolsters our belief in small car fun
Yes, gas is expensive. One result? High-performance cars are picked on, frowned upon as unnecessary and gas-guzzling. But if you can turbo- or supercharge a four-cylinder, tuning it for horsepower and efficiency, what’s the harm in that?
Hopefully none. BMW’s MINI brand, since its introduction in 2001, has supported our belief that small efficient cars can be fun and fast. The new John Cooper Works version benefits from a larger version turbocharger, developing 211 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque from the base 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine. If you employ the cars Overboost system, the available torque jumps to nearly 207 lb-ft.
As passionate drivers, MINI delivers what we need now. A car that is quick and entertaining, putting a huge grin on our faces as we hit our favorite twisty back road. But when you need it to be, the MINI is efficient, sipping gas at a wallet-loving 40mpg.
And the MINI isn’t the only model line available that offers performance and efficiency. There are many others, with auto makers producing small cars that are not only miserly but carry a nice punch.
- Here’s a quick list of a few more cars that are fun yet easy at the pump.
- Mazda MX-5
MPG: 21 city/28 highway
0-60: 6.5 seconds - Pontiac Solstice GXP
MPG: 19 city/28 highway
0-60: 5.5 seconds - Nissan 350Z
MPG: 18 city/25 highway
0-60: 5.3 seconds - BMW 135i
MPG: 17 city/25 highway
0-60: 4.8 seconds - Lotus Elise
MPG: 20 city/26 highway
0-60: 4.6 seconds - Honda S2000
MPG: 18 city/25 highway
0-60: 5.3 seconds - Chevrolet Cobalt SS
MPG: 22 city/30 highway
0-60: 5.5 seconds
Can you think of any other quick, fun-to-drive small cars that will help you out at the pump when it needs to? Disagree with my list? Let me know. Give me your feedback. I want to hear from you.
