5 Great Little Pocket Rockets

Turbocharging and direct - vapor rather than raw fuel - injection squeeze 208 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque out of this tiny 1.6-liter engine, mated to a slick 6-speed Getrag gearbox. Four-piston red Brembo calipers glare from between the spokes of great-looking 17-inch alloy wheels and clamp onto relatively massive 12.4-inch rotors.

The instrumentation is all about style, with a humongous speedo and tach and other gimmickry. The checkered-flag floormats in the JCW Hardtop and Clubman carry the style message even further and are definitely a matter of personal taste.

In a straight line, the MINI JCW is a giant killer, and its close gear ratios let you work the gearbox a lot. But in corners, the stability control intrudes too much with the CBC, or Corner Brake Control; the late John Cooper would not approve. The inside front wheel also struggled to bite, although it understeers less than the MAZDASPEED3.