RE: Mini JCW GP concept for Frankfurt

[tankplanker]

I really like it but I wish it'd have the 1.5 out of the Cooper. Same engine makes ~220BHP in the i8, sound better being a 3 cylinder and a good deal lighter nearly all of it over the front wheels, the Cooper S is almost 70kg heavier than the standard Cooper. Couple that with some weight reduction elsewhere including removing the rear bench like the earlier versions and we could be looking at sub 1100kg. I'd much rather have the focus on weight reduction and handling improvements than out and out power.

[r11co]

Euro NCAP minus 10 stars for pedestrian safety.

This is NEVER making it to road production.

Oh, and the rear lights look like something DEPO would be embarrassed to produce.

[evilmiyagi]

I may be going against the grain here but I actually really like that! Imagine it in race trim with the aero and slicks and it could be a winner

[andyps]

loose cannon said:

It's ugly and looks nothing like a mini
And why do they keep making mini rear lights so big they look ridiculous, the original BMW mini was ok since then they have all looked pants
Sorry bmw I think it looks pap

I find it strange about the rear lights. In the 70s I remember a neighbour updating a few mk1 Minis with the larger mk2 lights but more recently it is anything with the mk2 lights which may end up with the smaller mk1 type. BMW seem to be goinng the opposite way with the Mini, also opposing what other manufacturers are doing with lights. Smaller would almost certainly look better in my opinion.

[HorneyMX5]

For those who find the Civic Type R just a bit too subtle in the looks department.

Joking aside I think it nails exactly what a track focused hot mini CONCEPT should look like. No doubt the road car will be tamed down but it should be a right little weapon.

[Carl_Manchester]

jonosterman said:

Carl_Manchester said:

Can a PH forum member airbrush out the 'MINI' logo off the back and repost the picture ?

Thanks mate, clearly BMW should run their PR shots through you first

[wst]

It's almost like the aero is behind a second skin to stop the car looking entirely like a DTM car.



I think the Mini aero is probably ok for pedestrian safety, as it's all going to be behind a large "slot" formed by the edge of the "second skin" and the proper body underneath.

The real sod would be getting it repaired after some lug opens a door into it or scrapes along it in a car park.

The biggest problem is all that aero stuff just adds useless weight for the 99.999% of the time that car isn't trying to maintain 140+ through Klostertal. "Uncompromising sporty flair" for a hatch that's used in the real world would be "light weight, responsive powertrain, rifle-bolt gearbox, adjustable with throttle, compliant handling".

So hopefully they remember that when they get to producing a hot New new new Mini. It'll be cheaper too. Aero is fiddly as hell to laminate.

[Leins]

I quite like it, although it does seem to make my GP1 look particularly subtle!

Obviously the main point of these cars is they should be great fun to drive on both road and track (despite FWD ), so will be interesting to see how this one fares

[Terminator X]

Fair play if they build it. Love the GP's.

TX.

[ZX10R NIN]

I like it, unfortunately legislation will make sure it never gets built in Europe but it could be made for the US Market which is why they get the Mustang GT350R/Camaro ZL1 1LE & we don't.

[don logan]

David87 said:

Cool rear lamps. Otherwise? Hmm...

My first thought was that they were indicators, then I realised the problem, then I realised the Union Jack!

[SonicHedgeHog]

Was going to say you won't get any change out of £40k, but I might as well have typed £50k given the price of a well specced JCW. Like it but stupid money I suspect.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

I was one of the few idiots who bought a GP2. It was absolutely fantastic to drive.

As an ownership experience however, it was st. BMW first reneged on the numbers, upping UK allocation from 200 to over 300 stting on residuals, the suspension they fitted wasn't fit for purpose (driving on the road) and the Khumo tyres developed for it were rubbish. Oh and they fitted ridiculous comfy chairs that couldn't be used with harnesses, on a semi-track car.

Mine also had a replacement gearbox to try and cure a crunching second gear (it didn't, the replacement did it too when cold) and the anti roll bar drop link shat itself at around 80mph nearly writing the car off.

Overall, I wouldn't touch another MINI product. I'd like to think they treat their halo model customers a little better but with all the issues with the Challenge's suspension it still appears they can't be arsed to engineer something decent.

[lestiq]

I think that was a bit harsh, I think the Kumho's are flipping amazing. It might be for me that I'm coming up into the GP, whereas my impression you were going down into it. Sounds you were really unlucky with your motor, mine hasn't been perfect saying that, I've had a new set of coilovers fitted.

thanks for stting over a car you no longer own.

You loved it in your earlier threads.

[Mike1990]

Looks bonkers which being a GP it should be, although it won't look nothing like that come production i wouldn't have thought! But it's going to be a 40k mid-size segment Hot Hatch given the price of current Challenge which was/is 34k i believe? Mental. Just please offer some Recaro Poles or something, as that's my only bug bear with the GP1 & GP2. Special car needs special Pews.

[MikeGalos]

nickfrog said:

I predict that most comments will be about how it looks.

Seeing that everything else is too vague to actually comment on, what else would there be?

[kambites]

Hmm, interesting car but and I hope they make it but I've never really seen the point in two-seater versions of a hot hatches - they seem to retain all of the downsides of a transverse front-mounted engine without actually making use of any of its benefits.

Imagine if BMW had the balls to do what Renault have in the past and shove a longitudinal six-pot in the boot.

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 6th September 16:55

[ukaskew]

The original GP looked bonkers when it was launched and gained a lot of negativity. Now looking back it looks relatively restrained and not a millions miles from current Minis.

Same for this, I'm guessing.

[iSore]

That looks reasonably dreadful.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

lestiq said:

I think that was a bit harsh, I think the Kumho's are flipping amazing. It might be for me that I'm coming up into the GP, whereas my impression you were going down into it. Sounds you were really unlucky with your motor, mine hasn't been perfect saying that, I've had a new set of coilovers fitted.

thanks for stting over a car you no longer own.

You loved it in your earlier threads.

Well let's look at what I wrote...

LaurasOtherHalf said:

I was one of the few idiots who bought a GP2. It was absolutely fantastic to drive.

I did love driving it you're right, I even say so above. I posted everything I did with the car (now probably lost to Photobucket) and had some amazing trips and track days in it-it was fantastic to chuck the little thing around, it sounded brilliant and was practical to boot.

LaurasOtherHalf said:

As an ownership experience however, it was st. BMW first reneged on the numbers, upping UK allocation from 200 to over 300 stting on residuals, the suspension they fitted wasn't fit for purpose (driving on the road) and the Khumo tyres developed for it were rubbish. Oh and they fitted ridiculous comfy chairs that couldn't be used with harnesses, on a semi-track car.

Apart from the tyres which is subjective all the above is true. The suspension isn't fit for purpose, how can it be when road grime and salt makes it fail? As you yourself even admit. Fair enough if the dampers were replaced under warranty but what happens when that expires? As for the tyres, I've driven R888s, R888Rs, Cup 2s, Conti 6s and more in all weathers, I'm pretty well experienced with track biased tyres and the Khumos were the worst of the lot. It may be exasperated on the GP2 with it's hard suspension but they really didn't give any grip in weather below 10 degrees and the sidewalls (even for a track tyre!) were incredibly stiff which really didn't combine well. I'd also say in dry track conditions they lacked the outright grip of the Toyos and Michelins.

LaurasOtherHalf said:

also had a replacement gearbox to try and cure a crunching second gear (it didn't, the replacement did it too when cold) and the anti roll bar drop link shat itself at around 80mph nearly writing the car off.

Again all true, I may have been unlucky twice with the gearbox but I know for a fact the technician had seen the anti roll bar drop link fail on another and without trying to be all melodramatic, if it had failed slightly earlier (by a few hundred yards) I more than likely would have been seriously injured.

LaurasOtherHalf said:

, I wouldn't touch another MINI product. I'd like to think they treat their halo model customers a little better but with all the issues with the Challenge's suspension it still appears they can't be arsed to engineer something decent.

I think I explained all this in my readers cars thread on it, I'm sorry if you feel I'm stting on your pride and joy but it was a wonderful to drive/crap experience equation. Not what I expect when spending over 30 grand on a MINI. Certainly not what I've experienced with Renault and the R26.R and Honda and the Type R, the two other cars I've owned that are closest to it.