In any case, the Cooper S would not budge; in fact, it just dug in deeper. Another storm exploded above our heads, pelting us with stinging rain and sand, so we took refuge inside the car. How the Mini managed to pack four adult humans (including two really big, really drunk Portuguese guys) inside its seemingly compact frame seems a miracle of science-no, a feat of magic. We sat there for a half hour until the fire department came and tried to pull us out. No such luck. Their Nissan 4x4 was in danger of becoming stuck as well, so the young fire captain aborted the mission. Our drunken buddies became enraged. I think the words "sissy" and "girly-man" were hurled at the fireman, and I was certain fists would fly. I defused the situation by grabbing up another bag of wine, whipping out a few european car T-shirts and suggesting we call a proper tow truck.
An hour later we were on the road again. Coleman doesn't drink, so he hustled us back over the dark country roads. The optional xenon headlamps were appreciated as we hurried back to the hotel, the Mini crew no doubt worried by our prolonged absence. I didn't realize how worried. Apparently the army, national police force and the equivalent of Portugal's FBI were scouring the countryside looking for us. We got the royal stink-eye by Those In Charge and were sent to bed. We didn't care, as we dreamt of back roads and supercharged Mini Coopers.
Despite the brief seat time, it's obvious the Mini Cooper S is an unmitigated engineering success. There's so much right with the new Mini that it could very well trigger an avalanche of demand for quality small cars for the American market. And the best part is this is just the beginning. We'll be talking much more about the Mini over the next months and years as the franchise matures and offers even more Mini magic.