Does anyone know if the Mini is considered a sports car ??


John

 

Not technically I don't think. The insurance is pretty low if it is.

 

I am simply lurking here, asking a question for a friend who is neither internet savvy nor car savvy... I am not a Mini owner, but I do find the cars interesting.

The definition of "sports car" is so nebulous it isn't even funny. I own a Corvette, and that has been MARKETED as a sports car since day one, however, it is now considered a sports GT.

I do have issue with a FWD car being a sports car.

From where I sit, I consider the MCS a sporty economy car. I hate pigeon-holing it, but that's the best I can define it as.

These days, with the added weight and features piled onto all cars, the only true sports cars left are the Lotus Elise, Mazda Miata SOFTTOP and the Ferrari F430. To me, at least, the definintion of sports car is one where the driving experience is first and foremost the vehicles reason to exist. Those three vehicles above fit that to me.

The Corvette is a sports GT. It has grown rather heavy (then again, it's never been all that light!)... the Viper? A muscle car that corners. But I suspect it's also a sports car, because the driving experience is first and foremost; just faster than most...

The original Cobra's from the 60s are for sure sports cars. So were early E-Type Jags. The 240z was a sports car... up through the 1978 280Z, but the ZX?A bloated pimp-mobile... the 300 after that? A POS... The 300 TT after that? A fast GT that handled pretty well.

The Acura NSX? A reliable sports car.

The Mitsu 3000 GT/VR4? A fat big with AWD.

The 3rd gen RX7 TT? A sweet, lovely, tho fragile sports car. If I could find a clean one, I would. But as sexy as it is, it was so very troublesome.

Oh, well... I have bored you all enough... Hope this helps define the genre a little...

 

Feels like a sports car to me. Handles great, begs to be driven fast. I don't know who makes such definitions, or even if there is or ever would be a consensus if there was a definition. So by the power invested in me by myself; I hereby decree that the Mini is a sports car.

 

I wonder about the definition of a "sports" car all the time. Non-car enthusiasts call anything with two doors a sports car. Add a touch of speed and the topic is seemingly a no-brainer.

Seems to me that the broad defintion of "sports car" falls into smaller categories. For example, the high horsepower straight-line performers fit into the GT category, e.g. Ferrari California, Aston Martin DBS, Porsche 928, BMW M6, Ford Mustang, maybe even the Porsche 911?? The Mini certainly fits into the hot hatch category, which includes the Acura Integra/RSX, Toyota Celica, and VW GTI. Purists adhere to "form-follows-function," under which category falls the Caterham 7, Lotus Elise, Ferrari F430, and maybe even the Porsche Cayman/Boxster.

Boundaries do blur, as enthusiasts will ponder whether or not convertibles or cars with some practicality/comfort exclude them as proper sports cars.

 

IMO my mini out handles/accelerates and out performs my old Porsche boxster ... plus the oil changes are under $200 (Boxster changes were $220 dealer)