Spanner in the works

摘要

The John Cooper Works is the hottest, hardest Mini yet, but its price has also crept up to Lotus Elise levels. So is fit to be judged against such a great sports car? You may well look at the sight of a pure-bred sports car being compared with a mass-produced front-drive hatchback and wonder if you're seeing straight. After all, what light can a niche specialist such as the Lotus Elise S possibly shed upon the new Mini John Cooper Works, an all-purpose whizz-kid with a price tag thousands of pounds lower? More than a little.