The day earlier than, I’d been behind the wheel of a BMW M3 Touring — extensive, quick, and slightly misplaced in Tokyo’s slender streets. The subsequent morning felt fully completely 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 fully at dwelling. Japan’s had a comfortable spot for small automobiles for many years, and MINI matches proper into that mindset — fast, compact, and simple to put even when the streets shut in. You continue to see basic Minis tucked away in facet alleys, sitting subsequent to their modern-day variations like household images. Japan has all the time 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, nevertheless it’s loads 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 every day driver. On lower than supreme pavement and uneven surfaces, it’s bouncy and a bit unforgiving. However as soon as I bought previous Yokohama and the roads opened up, it began to make sense.
Site visitors on the way in which to Hakone was mild, just some sluggish stretches close to the tolls. As soon as the highway 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 niche 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 became a extra participating driving expertise on the mountain. It’s not the automotive you’d decide for an extended commute, however for this sort of highway, it’s excellent.
Change it into Go-Kart Mode, and the entire automotive modifications its conduct. The throttle sharpens, the steering tightens, and all of the sudden it feels prefer it’s connecting together with your palms. The Hakone Turnpike is the right match — extensive lanes, sweeping hills, and corners that circulation 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 wishes to be pushed to provide 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. Identical primary engine, tuned all the way down to 204 horsepower, however a wholly completely different perspective. Softer journey, lighter steering, calmer driving conduct — it instantly appears like a automotive you might drive every single day.
The place the JCW retains you on edge, the Cooper S allows you to calm down. By way of the lengthy freeway stretches and again into Tokyo site visitors, it simply labored — snug, composed, nonetheless playful once you wanted it to be. It’s the candy spot within the vary: a correct every day that hasn’t forgotten what makes a MINI enjoyable.
I’ve all the time most popular compact automobiles 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 matches the rhythm of the place. Within the U.S., we deal with automobiles like this as toys or weekend escapes, however right here, they’re a part of on a regular basis life. After just a few 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 evening, I took the MINI JCW out once more. Tokyo appears to be like fully completely different after midnight — quieter, emptier, virtually cinematic with out making an attempt 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 just a few fashionable sports activities automobiles and tuned imports. And naturally, we had 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 had been almost empty, the lights nonetheless brilliant, 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 automobiles, particularly after they have an engine.
