Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Hmm... I don't know... there's a GP/JCW (Haven't seen it myself yet) for sale at our local BMW/MINI Garage for about €30,000 which is a good deal and it would come with service and all that jazz which is handy when you do as much mileage as I do... €15 - 20,000 would buy a very tidy S2000 at the moment though...

30k??! 30K would get you a shit hot tuned Cooper S rather than a GP. Don't even consider a standard 210bhp JCW, it's really pointless and a lot have failed to make the claimed 210 on a rolling road.

I don't mean to trash talk the GP, it's a very nice MINI, it's better than very nice. I just know a lot of the top tuned MINIs in the UK and I just see it as a shame to buy a pre-tuned car when you can it do it better for cheaper yourself.

I've seen a GP hold off track prepped Z4Ms and M3s for lap after lap round the 'Ring, it's beautiful to watch, so you'll enjoy it so much if you get one. That S2000 Vtec sound is addictive though, it needs to be coupled with an HKS exhaust for that proper bark, scream, and yowl from the Vtec.