About the transmission... that's interesting. Considering the Neon probably has a torquier engine, that might mean there are taller gearing or final drive options for modders.
The Mini is a
porker for its size though: according to Wikipedia,
2500 lbs (!!) for the 1st gen (BMW): 2,496 lb (1,132 kg)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_%28BMW%29