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752: Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon
A reborn classic earns a (near) perfect 10
748: Nissan GT-R
It’s fast, sexy and a bargain. So what’s the catch?
744: Jaguar XF
The new sedan from Britain’s storied automaker proves that appearances are, in fact, deceiving
736: Suzuki Swift Sport
Suzuki’s bargain hatch proves big fun can come in small packages
732: Dualis & X-Trail
Nissan introduces a new SUV while its marquee model continues to play tough
728: Toyota Vanguard
Head off to the concrete jungle with a bit more vehicle than you need
724: Subaru Impreza S-GT
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720: Tokyo Auto Salon 2008
Get ready for some modification mayhem at Makuhari Messe
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712: Licensed to Drive
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700: Range Rover & Land Rover
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696: Aston Martin V8 Vantage
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692: BMW R1200GS Adventure
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688: Lexus LS460
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684: Alfa Romeo Spider
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680: Ford Mustang
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676: Citroën C6
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672: Nissan’s Pino and Otti
Japan-friendly K-cars pack a big punch
668: Jaguar XK
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664: Mazda’s Axela, RX-8 and Roadster
Here’s the word on Japan’s resurgent automaker: buy, buy, buy!
660: Mazda’s Axela, RX-8 and Roadster
Here’s the word on Japan’s resurgent automaker: buy, buy, buy!
656: Alfa Romeo Brera
This gorgeous Italian coupe is both poised and sexy
652: Premium wheels
Business is good for Rolls-Royce in Japan, with an eagerly awaited convertible due out next year
648: Citroen C3 Pluriel
The quirky French automaker barrels into the 21st century
644: Jeep Commander& Grand Cherokee
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640: BMW Z4 M Roadster
Beemer’s monster convertible provides the most fun you can have sitting down
636: Name dropping
What your car is called says something about you—and even more about automakers’ marketing departments
632: BMW Mini Cooper S
All hail the mighty Mini!
628: Mazda Roadster
Redesigned and retooled, this two-seater is now a car for enthusiasts
624: Hyundai Sonata
A rev-happy South Korean import tries to find its niche in Japan
621: Lexus IS350
Toyota brings its upmarket brand to Japan—finally
616: Volvo XC90 V8
A bit sleeker and a lot more spacious, this SUV still puts a premium on safety
612: Chrysler 300C
This black beauty recalls the golden age of motoring
608: The Big Ideas
Tokyo Motor Show 2005 was a concept car bonanza
604: Tokyo Motor Show 2005
The automotive world’s big players zoom into Japan with some high concepts in tow
597: Three brothers
We put a trio of Nissan sedans through their paces
593: Ducati 1000S DS Multistrada
The boys from Bologna deliver an Italian masterpiece for your garage
589: Mazda Demio Sport
A worthy cousin to the Atenza and RX8, this roomy sedan is happy around town and in the country
585: BMW K1200S
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581: Chrysler’s Cruisers
The American auto manufacturer concentrates on the body beautiful
577: Suzuki Skywave 650LX
If you thought scooters were just for kids, think again
573: Cadillac STS 4x4
America’s flagship automaker recaptures its former glory
569: Tour de Force
Yamaha’s FJR1300A offers an unbeatable blend of poise, power and price
565: Alfa Romeo GT and 156 GTA
With stunning looks and power to spare, these two Alfas are an enthusiast's dream
560: Driving the Future
The talk of the auto industry in 2004 was hybrids, safe driving and intelligent vehicles
556: Deja vu
Blast to the past on Harley-Davidson’s Road King Custom
552: Sports sensation
Nissan's new SUV breaks out of its class
548: Lean machine
Lighter, faster, stronger and sexier—a diet works wonders for BMW’s R1200GS
544: Kings for a day
The Honda Elysion is master of all it surveys
539: Rules of the road
New traffic laws are on the horizon. Turn off your cellphone, watch where you park and don’t ride in gangs, Chris Betros warns.
537: Open roadster
William Bonds gets up-close with the elements courtesy of the Nissan Fairlady 350Z convertible.
535: Extreme makeover
Volvo sheds its stodgy-but-safe image for sleek-and-sporty with the new S40 T5. William Bonds likes what he sees.
533: Sporting chance
Mazda has brought the station wagon up to speed with its Atenza Sport Wagon 23Z. William Bonds takes one for a spin.
531: Street smarts
Automakers are taking car safety to new levels with sophisticated warning systems that almost do the driving for you, reports Chris Betros.
529: Speed zone
Just down the road from Ueno Zoo, a virtual hog heaven has everything for the motorcycling enthusiast. Steve Trautlein cruises on over.
527: Italian Stallion
The Alfa Romeo 147 carries on its maker’s reputation for hot cars with unmatched sex appeal. William Bonds gets carried away.
525: Hot wheels
A cross between a snowboard and a scooter, the Wheelman is a quirky Australian invention that's grabbing attention worldwide. Tim Colquhoun takes one for a ride.
523: Mean Machine
William Bonds gets behind the wheel of the Nissan Skyline 350GT.
521: Show stealers
Toyota stunned attendees at the recent Geneva and Melbourne auto shows with two concept cars that represent a powerful vision for the future of motoring. Tim Colquhoun reports.
519: Mighty mouse
Subaru goes boldly against the tide with its new R2 minicar. Justin Gardiner admires this latest feat of audacity and engineering.
517: Trail blazer
Nissan's top-selling 4x4 features cool touches for winter sports fans. Justin Gardiner drove the latest X-Trail to the slopes
515: Up to speed
The Formula One circus is gaining momentum as the season opener in Australia draws near. Tim Colquhoun takes a look at the latest developments.
513: Good save
Hybrid cars are the rage this year with Toyota, Honda and Subaru touting their gas-electric vehicles. Chris Betros looks at what they're offering.
512: The road ahead
Despite the lack of a full-fledged Tokyo Motor Show in 2004, domestic manufacturers have a bevy of weird and wonderful offerings in store for this year. Justin Gardiner previews the lineup.
509/10: Top of the class
Justin Gardiner finds his favorites from this year's Metropolis test drives.
507: Mom-mobiles
Japanese mothers are trading in their once ubiquitous mama-chari bicycles for a new breed of K-car. Justin Gardiner tries a couple of the most popular mini-cars.
505: Cubic's rube
Nissan has lengthened its highly successful Cube a few centimeters and added an extra row of seats. But, as Justin Gardiner finds out, the result is a bit puzzling.
503: Globe trotters
Kerstin Gackle and Volker Aldinger left their native Germany on April 1 and pointed their Yamahas toward Australia. Eight months later Justin Gardiner caught up with the couple in Tokyo.
501: Back to the future
Cutting-edge technology and futuristic vehicles highlight the 37th Tokyo Motor Show at Makuhari Messe through November 5. Justin Gardiner offers a guide.

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Cars&Bikes

Text and photos by William Bonds

BMW Mini Cooper S

All hail the mighty Mini!

I hate Minis and I hate CONVERTIBLES.

That was my mantra for quite some time—long ago in a galaxy far, far away. Those Minis were made by the late British Motor Corporation, and you needed an engineering degree to get the top up and down on the convertibles. Now Minis are made by BMW, and even my mum could work the top on this one.

The British Motor Corporation brought out the original Mini in the late-’50s and it survived until the year 2000, when people started thinking it out of date. The car was revolutionary in its time, squeezing an awful lot (room for four adults, sort of; engine, sort of) into a very small space. It was cheap, absurdly easy to drive, and didn’t break down quite as much as other BMC cars (or, indeed, factories). The Mini became a ’60s icon (remember the spectacular car chase in The Italian Job with Michael Caine?), and one of the most recognizable vehicles on the planet. It was the Model T or Volkswagen Beetle of its era, but by 2000, it had long been surpassed by the Japanese, who were somewhat good at building small cars. By that time, the British car industry had virtually ground to a halt and everything was being sold off.

So proud Mini owner Mr. Bean could hardly contain himself when BMW stepped in and said they wanted to produce a new model. The British public had no faith in such an idea—the car had been redesigned many times over the years, but was still struggling to sell (apart from in Japan). However, BMW didn’t plan to redesign the Mini again; they planned to reinvent it.

The bug-eyed creation they came up with received the expected scorn from diehard fans, but, in reality, it was a spectacular reinvention. You can still see the old Mini in the BMW version, but there are just a few other similarities. The boot is still tiny, they still put an outsized speedometer in the middle of the dash, and the space under the hood is limited. But the front seats are now actual seats (as opposed to deck chairs), and there seems to be even less room in the rear, due mainly to the size of, and electronic gear in, the front seats. A tall person could still fit into the rear, though the people in the front would have to seriously compromise their own space.

But no one bought Minis for coast-to-coast family discovery tours; they bought the cars because they were fun city runabouts. Minis used to have tiny engines with a tiny power output (34 bhp), but even though this is no longer the case, they can hardly be called spectacular in the torque department—even the top-of-the-range John Cooper Works version we tested. Still, the Mini didn’t win the Monte Carlo Rally three times without having something going for it, and that something was astonishing handling. You can throw the John Cooper Works version of the Cooper S into corners with outrageous recklessness and, while the stiff suspension will sometimes throw you on uneven surfaces, the amount of control you have at your fingertips yields an almost religious experience. If you have automatic transmission, you will also have paddle gear changers on the steering wheel. They work well, but if you’ve any sense, you’ll stick with the six-speed manual option. You need to feel this car to get the most out of it.

Alternatively, you can just sit in it and let people look at you. The convertible John Cooper Works version is spectacularly beautiful, especially with the top down (the top also severely limits rear vision when up). Could it look any more sporty? Probably not. When he saw the interior, my friend Critical Don said that “they didn’t know whether to build a car or a toy.” In some ways, he’s right. This is Boy’s Own stuff, a concept car brought to life. The switches and dials are almost sci-fi stylish, but everything makes supreme practical sense. It makes you wonder why BMW interiors are so dull. Actually, no, it doesn’t—they are designed by Germans, while the Minis were done by Frank Stephenson, an American who now works for Ferrari/Maserati.

So, the new Mini Cooper S Convertible is: not dull, stunningly beautiful, stylish, an eye-turner, fun to drive (manual version), ¥3.5 million.

The new Mini is not: fast, a four-seater, a soft ride, cheap, convenient, a luggage carrier, overtly German—lucky BMW.

Would you like to comment on this article? Send a letter to the editor at letters@metropolis.co.jp .

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