Hardly a week goes by without a show or get-together being organized by a group of car enthusiasts to celebrate their love for a particular vehicle. We attend as many as we can but few, if any, are organized by the car's manufacturer. The men in suits either don't care enough, are worried about liability or simply don't understand the devotion of the car owners. However, we're happy to say, Mini is different.
Since the littlest car was reinvented in 2002, its management has been trying to foster the affection people held for the original Mini. And from what we saw recently, it seems to be working.
Two years ago, Mini Takes The States first motored from coast-to-coast with thousands of owners. This year, Mini owners voted to visit four cities for separate weekends of Mini-themed fun. It traveled to Miami, Boston, Chicago and LA. We joined them on the final weekend and enjoyed the fun atmosphere that amounted to a free party. The event kicked off with a Mini rally through the canyons, where owners could enjoy the legendary handling characteristics that make the cars such fun. While that was happening, prospective Mini owners were invited to sample all types of Mini on an autocross laid out in the parking lots at the Pasadena Rose Bowl.
Autocross was fun until we...
Autocross was fun until we were asked to leave!
Unfortunately, we were kicked off the auto-cross for going too fast and apparently lifting a rear wheel in a particularly inviting handbrake turn - how do you go too fast on an autocross? Not before we'd sampled Cooper S versions of the Mini and Clubman as well as the new John Cooper Works car. And while the regular Minis are great cars, the JCW elevates it to new levels of acceleration and cornering prowess. The event started to fill by 12pm as several hundred participants from the Mini rally began to arrive. The special Mini parking area was soon filled with the little rascals, forcing latecomers into the public parking areas.
Once at the Rose Bowl, people could enjoy live music from the main stage, talk to several tuners on-hand and browse the booths filled with Mini accessories. Our favorite was the Ridemakerz booth where you could construct your own customized radio-controlled Mini using a combination of 649 million parts and race it against others.
With plenty of food available, rock climbing, BMW stunts and even a tent with a cooling water mist to battle the high temps, the event was a fun day out and a great success.
 Row upon row of Minis filled...  Row upon row of Minis filled the Rose Bowl parking lots |  Original Minis are still madder...  Original Minis are still madder than a box of frogs |  Canyon cruise was hugely ...  Canyon cruise was hugely popular |
 Ridemakerz remote control...  Ridemakerz remote control cars offered plenty of possibilities | | |