Wednesday 28th July 2010

It's Official: Mini Is Headed For WRC

Mini Countryman will hit the WRC stages in 2011 with Prodrive

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After months of rumours, Mini is to officially join the WRC next year with a Prodrive-run entry. The Mini Countryman WRC will contest selected rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship next year, and will launch a full-season campaign from 2012 onwards.

The Countryman will comply with the forthcoming Super 2000 WRC regulations, which specify 1600cc turbocharged four-cylinder engines (tick) and four-wheel drive (tick again). The other crucial aspects of the new regs are an 'increased emphasis on road-relevant technologies' and a 25 per cent reduction in overall costs (appropriate for a tough economic climate).

BMW and Mini seem pleased to have clinched the deal with Prodrive - who had been rumoured to be flirting with Toyota over its possible return to the WRC. "In Prodrive, we have a strong and experienced partner," says BMW sales and marketing man, Ian Robertson. "We will work hard together over the coming months to ensure we get the project on track right from the word go."

Mini, of course, has a history of success in the rallying, particularly in the 1960s, with famous overall victories in the Monte Carlo rally back in the 1960s.

As well as being a works effort, the new Mini Countryman will also be available to customer teams, with the first test of the new car planned for this autumn. "We already have a significant number of confirmed customer orders for the new Mini rally car with the first deliveries scheduled for the start of the 2011 season," says Prodrive chairman, David Richards.

"I believe our new Mini will become a firm favourite of the latest generation of rally fans, just as it is adored by its millions of owners across the world."

[JCW]

Be good to see the brand back in rallying and possibly by then Loeb (as fantastic as he is) will have retired opening up competition a little.

Edited by JCW on Wednesday 28th July 09:29

[308mate]

Cant get all misty-eyed about it though. Its hardly the days when a barely modified road car would race against much bigger competition and win (Bathurst for instance).

Much as I love the WRC cars and series, its barely qualifies as even a silhouette class.

[Cragglea1]

I think its a good thing. WRC is getting boaring these days. Loeb is all dominant and most of the field now run Citroen with a few Fords chucked in to make up the numbers. Think some new blood will be good... Its about time!

[leon9191]

Win on sunday sell on monday, I like it.

Will be the firts time in a few years that you will be able to buy a road car that shares the same engine/drive train config. as its rallying counterpart... which is nice.

[cptsideways]

leon9191 said:

Win on sunday sell on monday, I like it.

Will be the firts time in a few years that you will be able to buy a road car that shares the same engine/drive train config. as its rallying counterpart... which is nice.

Errrr no it won't be

[leon9191]

cptsideways said:

leon9191 said:

Win on sunday sell on monday, I like it.

Will be the firts time in a few years that you will be able to buy a road car that shares the same engine/drive train config. as its rallying counterpart... which is nice.

Errrr no it won't be

explain, or should I have said WRC rally car?

[leon9191]

leon9191 said:

cptsideways said:

leon9191 said:

Win on sunday sell on monday, I like it.

Will be the firts time in a few years that you will be able to buy a road car that shares the same engine/drive train config. as its rallying counterpart... which is nice.

Errrr no it won't be

explain, or should I have said WRC rally car?

Ah sorry didnt see your

[camel_landy]

I like that...

M

[jimbro1000]

I thought the Super2000 regulations stipulated the transmission system to be used as well (all cars have the same parts from Sadev/Xtrac/Ricardo Engineering) so it doesn't matter what the base model comes with - that is just media marketing...

[P4ROT]

I'll be happy as soon as MINI bring out a road car that looks like the one in the picture...

[keith2.2]

I'm not the minis biggest fan - though I do like the clubman - but I have to say, that looks rather exciting.

Plus the fact that, as mentioned above, the WRC field is sooooo boring in terms of mix of cars these days.

[Fluffsri/?]

Not a fan of the BMW Mini tbh. But it will bring a different manufacturer to the WRC which is a good thing.

[german tony]

The Countrymen?

Surely that's sexist.

As well as being aerodynamically disadvantaged over it's smaller & more slippy rivals.

[Fire99]

Oh how things have changed since Group-B.

[Monkeylegend]

Well at least they will be able to carry their own tools in the back, plus a couple of suitcases, plus a few maps so they don't get lost.

Wonder why they opted for the Countryman ?

[lestag]

Monkeylegend said:

Well at least they will be able to carry their own tools in the back, plus a couple of suitcases, plus a few maps so they don't get lost.

Wonder why they opted for the Countryman ?

wheelbase?

[neilpurves]

The countryman in BMW form is a long way from the original Mini CooperS in terms of size. This becomes really apparent when you line up a Mini, a BMW Mini and a BMW Mini Countryman. There is a similar growth between each of the models. Park the original mini next to the countryman and it is dwarfed. I am not sure what the trades descriptions act would have to say!!

At least the rally version looks the business. Hopefully they will be able to win some pots and sell a few more so as to keep British car manufacturing alive.

[ian_c_uk]

Finally, getting back to manufacturers that sell a turbocharged 4wd road version also!

[chuntington101]

So there is now going to be FULL WRC cars, these 1.6trubo cars (even with a 25% cost reduction the cars couls still cost £300K!!), the 2000CC 4wd cars and the Super 1600cc cars?.....

Chris.

[XG332]

This really was motorsport worst kept secret.
A friend of mine went for a job interview at prodrive and was asked to talk about prodrive.

I think the fact he talked about the minis for the whole thing may have lost him the job.