Well, we must admit that when we’re shopping for something, we like brands. We have the impression that some are of better quality than others -- true in some cases -- and we want to be seen flaunting specific brands as to express our good taste (and amount of money, in some cases).

Photo: Michel Deslauriers

The MINI brand is a strong example of this. Up until last year, when Fiat arrived in Canada and the US, when someone wanted a fashionable subcompact car, there was MINI and nothing else. And this is no accident.

When BMW rejuvenated the MINI brand in 2001, it worked hard with creative agencies to promote not just the car but the brand itself, and to make it fashionably desirable. They succeeded. On the other hand, the car didn’t need any brand recognition to make a case for itself; the Cooper is a brilliant, fun-to-drive and economical little runabout.

The hottest versions of the MINI models are the John Cooper Works editions. Back in the '50s, racing engineer John Cooper cofounded the Cooper Car Company with his father and built a number of successful race cars. Their trophy case includes 16 Formula One GP victories over a 9-year span, and two World Championships in 1959 and 1960 with Jack Brabham behind the wheel.

In the early '60s, the Cooper Car Company decided to take on a new project and they created the Mini Cooper in 1961 -- basically the British Motor Corporation’s Mini, but with a more powerful engine, new brakes and new duds. The Mini Cooper dominated the rally race series, winning several championships.

Fittingly, the John Cooper Works (JCW) editions of today’s MINI product lineup boast more powerful engines, performance upgrades and distinctive trimmings. Every version of the JCW Cooper -- hatchback, Clubman, Convertible, Coupe and Roadster -- get a turbocharged and intercooled 1.6L engine, good for 208 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. The engine also benefits from an overboost function that provides a torque peak of up to 207 lb-ft. A slick 6-speed manual is the only way to go; at least for now.

Any modern-day MINI Cooper is a nimble, fun-to-drive machine, but the John Cooper Works models are just more so, and are excellent track beasts.

MINI invited a handful of journalists to the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (formerly, Mosport) in order to sample their current JCW lineup.

Photo: Michel Deslauriers