Monday 16th January 2012

Mini Cooper Works GP to return?

New hardcore Mini JCW seems to be in the offing for 2012

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The Mini John Cooper Works GP badge looks like it could be set to make a return. A Mini exec told US mag Car and Driver that the rumours suggesting a comeback for the lightweight special could have some basis in truth.

As with the 2006 model, which was sold in limited numbers back in 2006, the new car would follow a simple theme: a modest power increase, a gentle weight reduction programme and seriously tweaked suspension.

The extra motive power seems likely to come from the same 1.6 turbo that's due to be dropped into the forthcoming Countryman JCW, so expect around 220hp or so, rather than the regular car's 208hp.

Other details are sketchy but, given the fact that the previous GP was a two-seater affair, there are some smart bets being taken on the new GP (GP2? - Ed) being based on the new Mini Coupe. We shall see...

[Scoobyshue]

I'd rather have the regular cars "280bhp"...????

[exocet ape]

Scoobyshue said:

I'd rather have the regular cars "280bhp"...????

[School boy]

Wooow, didn't realise they were that powerful.

[FWDRacer]

Harris is in charge of the proof reading!

[CooperS]

exocet ape said:

Scoobyshue said:

I'd rather have the regular cars "280bhp"...????

By cutting the power to just over what is widely known to be the limit of bhp for a fwd car you get a less torqy and faster car...... yer?

[BoostMonkey]

Lads I know it’s Monday, but you do need to proof read things.

[nick-elise]

Would be interested to see what they do with this, no doubt it will be way out of my price range though Mini's are so expensive these days!

[Graebob]

"As with the 2006 model, which was sold in limited numbers back in 2006"

Shocking

[Graebob]

CooperS said:

exocet ape said:

Scoobyshue said:

I'd rather have the regular cars "280bhp"...????

By cutting the power to just over what is widely known to be the limit of bhp for a fwd car you get a less torqy and faster car...... yer?

Do the rear seats fold down?

[Sivraj]

Were the previous Cooper Work powered by the supercharged engine?
How much are they going for now?

[dandarez]

Still got it wrong, it's 210 bph.

Or how about a Monster Energy Xraid MINI ...that has that little 315 bhp!

Hey! PH Team
Why no news on the Dakar Rally you PH lot? Is there an embargo on this?

Come on PH. What's going on. Somebody put a D notice on it?

Hummer were hummed by the X-Raid MINIs.

MINI not only wins the Dakar first time but takes 2nd and fourth!

FIVE out of the first 10 places. Now that's a return.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97034

[Mafioso]

Graebob said:

"As with the 2006 model, which was sold in limited numbers back in 2006"

Shocking

My thoughts exactly!

[Numeric]

As we've just got a new JCW I have to say that I think it's on the edge of being a bit messy in its attempts to get the power down. Stiffening the suspesion would likely make it worse not better on Surrey's horrid roads as it'd skip everywhere, so I'm not sure this is going to be a good car for a daily driver - perhaps a case of some engineers who think of tracks not life coming up with a bright idea?

Just from feel it seems that standard suspension of both the S and JCW have got softer over the years as the new one is a lot more compliant - the last S we had long term would make your teeth rattle so I dread to think what the sports suspension would have been like as that is just harder springs.

Only a significant change in set up would work in the way that Vauxhall have sometimes achieved with the VXRs through a complete revision.

[Wozy68]

Well I hope its better built (and more enjoyable) than the last one.

Mine basically fell apart around my ears. Thank God for the warranty.

Great fun for a while though.

[MRCC]

Just what MINI needs in order to get back some of its driver credibility, its taken a bit of a battering of late with the launch of the Countryman, even though thats actually not a bad drive itself.

I look forward to the end result.

Regards,

Mr. CC.

[rtz62]

And voila; BMW create another (pointless) niche, within a niche, witin a niche....

Personally I wouldnt be seen dead in one, and would have more fun in a 60's Cooper 'S' (and have an appreciating asset!)

[mikeyr]

rtz62 said:

And voila; BMW create another (pointless) niche, within a niche, witin a niche....

Personally I wouldnt be seen dead in one, and would have more fun in a 60's Cooper 'S' (and have an appreciating asset!)

Not convinced that a hot version of a popular small hatch is really a "niche" - not like they're making a Cooper Works Countryman? Whats the difference between this and a Clio trophy for example?

I understand that not everyone likes the new Mini but surely the last Works car was one that most PHers could admire?

[I WISH]

Don't think this is pointless ..... but the Mini "Coupe" certainly is!

[iain1970]

rtz62 said:

And voila; BMW create another (pointless) niche, within a niche, witin a niche....

Personally I wouldnt be seen dead in one, and would have more fun in a 60's Cooper 'S' (and have an appreciating asset!)

Wasn't the Cooper S a niche within the Morris/Austin Mini range? And then we got the rather niche Wolsley Hornet and Riley Elf, mere Minis with a boot and loger bonnet. Wait, there's more. The Mini Clubman, Traveller, Estate, Moke, Van and the Pickup all based on the original Mini. If unreliable, crude transportation is your idea of exciting, you can have it.

I think what became the BL juggernaut were as bad, if not worse for milking the Mini as BMW for their MINI. And that's before we get the more individual versions of the car, from Marcos, Wood and Pickett, ERA and Outspan.

I'll leave you this other niche Mini for you to get excited about.

[Fluffsri]

I really hope its not based on the Coupe, that one minging car! It looks like a baseball cap on wheels.