Why should you listen to the fella who designs this magazine about the dynamics of a performance car? You probably shouldn’t, but what I can tell you is exactly what it has been like, as a regular guy who is into fast motors, to run a Mini John Cooper Works for a year. First the highlights…

What a buzz it is when someone hands you the keys to a new car. I’ve never had the pleasure of that experience before, but if you have then you’ll know that kid-in-a-sweet-shop tingle as you circle your new pride and joy, noticing all the bits that made you want it in the first place. For me it was the 17-inch alloys, the pumped-up body kit, the twin exhausts, the tinted windows, the distinctive interior – and the turbocharged 1.6-litre engine.

Driving the JCW for the first time, I was immediately struck by the rapid response from that little engine; the turbo always span up quickly, with no lag to speak of. OK, so 208bhp may not sound like a huge power figure for a hot hatch these days, but not once (on the road at least) did I feel like I needed more. Overtaking was easy and with the Sport button pressed the countryside just whizzed past.

You really have to hold on to the steering wheel when pressing on in a JCW as torque steer and the clever electronic pseudo-limited-slip diff have the front wheels tugging in all directions on anything but the smoothest of surfaces. This may sound like a criticism, but I saw it as character. I loved the way it made you feel like you were driving on the ragged edge, almost as if you were keeping potential slides and drifts in check. It made me feel like Sébastien Loeb tackling a stage. Well, there’s no harm in dreaming…

This didn’t mean the JCW was a chore on long journeys, though, and proof of this came when, within a month of the Mini arriving, Henry Catchpole snatched its keys from my clutches and drove it all the way to Switzerland for a skiing holiday. He put 2000 miles on the clock within the space of a week, which included driving back home at a rather sedate pace to protect his girlfriend’s newly broken wrist.

For me, though, every journey was a rush. I bored the guys at Evo Towers on a daily basis telling them about what an absolute joy my commute in the JCW was and how much of a buzz I got from the car. That buzz is the thing I will miss most about it – especially the extra big one I got from it on track. I took the Mini to every single event on last year’s evo trackday calendar, where it spent lap after lap chasing down bigger and faster cars. Thanks to the easily deciphered feedback coming through the steering wheel and the driver’s seat I always knew what was going on and how to control it. Even with all the electronic aids off, the handling was predictable and controllable.

Last year was a good time to run a Mini, as it saw this legendary car celebrate its 50th birthday. A big bash was held at Silverstone in May and there was no way I was going to miss it. Every kind of Mini – new and old – was there, people from all over the world having brought their cars to our shores. Even the Modfather himself, Paul Weller, performed in honour of this little car.

Putting the fun aside for a moment, our JCW also scored on the practical side. As fuel prices soared over the last 12 months, making owning many a performance car a costly business, the Mini’s 33mpg average was very welcome. Ollie Marriage coaxed an impressive 42.3mpg out of it when he took it home one evening, and even on track it only got down to 22.3mpg. When it went back there was still 1000 miles before its first service.

The interior remained free of rattles, squeaks and glitches, while the cabin design felt truly unique (if only all interiors had this level of thought put into them). And boring though it may sound, Isofix points are always welcome when you have children to transport.

Now for the downsides. The boot was small, the windscreen developed a crack (we’re beginning to wonder if this is a Mini weak spot, as the same happened with the Cooper S we ran on the fleet a couple of years ago), and even with the JCW add-ons the Mini’s image is still a bit girly (and estate agents drive them, too). Finally, at £23,500 – which is what a car specced like ours would set you back – it’s too close to basic Focus RS and Mégane R26.R money.

To sum up, the JCW is all about the thrill of driving… for us normal blokes. It flatters you, it doesn’t intimidate, and it gives you belief in your driving skills. I know it’s cute and cuddly on the outside, but when you’re behind the wheel you just think about the pleasure of driving a great performance car. Thanks, YC58 MTK. It’s been fun.