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You're all forgetting the Mini Cooper... (archive)
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Posted by David on June 26, 2000 at 11:00:06:

In Reply to: Re: Careful what you say about ... posted by Scott Zonca on June 25, 2000 at 13:15:37:

Don't tell a Mini racer that FWD limits anything. Even before they became tube-frame silhouette cars, the GT-5 (and C-sedan before that) Minis were killers on the track. I raced a pair of Minis from '66 to '88 - they actually handle a lot more like an M coupe than you'd believe, when properly set up. The short (80") wheelbase and high power-to-weight ratio in race trim make for an exciting handful.

When 10" Yoko A-008s came out, we finally had some sticky treaded tires. Before that, it took SCCA slicks to really make them lap. But a hot (i.e. 100 hp or more) 1275 Mini weighs about 1200 pounds and corners like a go-kart. They're even stiffer with a roll cage, and If you back off, they'll snap around on you - just like an M-coupe and for the same reasons. The current FWD racers (like Hondas etc) are MUCH heavier than a Mini, and this seems to accentuate FWD weirdness.

It's amazing how similar a Mini, a 356 Porsche, and an M coupe are on the limit. Back off on any one of them and you're steering in your rear view mirror. You have to DRIVE them all through the corner, delicately correcting for any oversteer.

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