Wednesday 13th April 2011

Mini John Cooper Works WRC Revealed

It may be a bit of a mouthful, but it's tasty too...

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Mini has launched its Prodrive developed WRC challenger at the Mini Cowley plant, with an all-star cast including veteran rallyists Paddy Hopkirk and Rauno Aaltonen who appeared briefly on stage with a replica 1960s Monte winner.

The '60s car arrived on stage with one of its headlamps on the blink, which was an amusing reminder that in Mini terms 'old' needn't mean 'better' - even if it indisputably means smaller. However the new Prodrive built machine appeared poised, purposeful and - thanks to a ground-hugging suspension set-up for the launch - significantly less overbearing than the stodgy SUV-esque Countryman with which it shares a body shell.

There's no mention of Countryman in the new rally car's name, which has been officially dubbed the MINI John Cooper Works WRC, and which in the words of brand motorsport director Dirk Hollweg 'will wake up sleeping motorsport fans'. (That means you - pay attention at the back! Ed)

Apparently, the WRC organisers are looking closely at internet TV streaming of events in future, which bodes well for armchair (office chair?), even if you can't see much on mainstream telly channels this year.

Prodrive boss David Richards spoke briefly about the Mini WRC project genesis, which began life some time before any contact was made with BMW. "The new regulations gave us a chance to take a totally fresh look (at rally car design), and two years ago we started designing a generic car without knowing which car it was actually going to be," he said. "Then - almost coincidentally - we heard Mini was launching the Countryman, and I knew we had to be involved."

In case any non-rally fans are wondering, a regular Mini 5dr (aka Clubman) is too small for the WRC regs at 3958mm, but the Countryman cuts the mustard with its 4097mm 'length overall'. Its standard 4x4 drivetrain and 1.6 litre turbo engine are bang on the money too.

As well as the two Prodrive run factory cars which will be piloted by Kris Meeke and Dani Sordo, we're told to expect up to 5 customer Minis on the start line in Sardinia on May 5th when the new machines line up for their first WRC challenge. Altogether six rounds will be contested by factory cars in 2011, with a full championship challenge to follow next year.

If you like the look of the new Mini rally car, Prodrive will furnish you a fully supported one from around £350k per season and you can enter it into the national rally championship of your choice. We're guessing there must be less fun ways to burn through a small fortune...

[Beefmeister]

article said:

In case any non-rally fans are wondering, a regular Mini 5dr is too small for the WRC regs at 3958mm, but the Countryman cuts the mustard with its 4097mm 'length overall'.

Do you mean the Clubman? Okay, I suppose technically it has 5 doors....

[Baryonyx]

Oh, why does it still have to look girly!

[Chris-R]

Beefmeister said:

Do you mean the Clubman? Okay, I suppose technically it has 5 doors....

Yes, the three door is even shorter at 3732mm(ish!)

[Chris-R]

Chris-R said:

Yes, the three door is even shorter at 3732mm(ish!)

And is there any other way to count doors than 'technically'?

[Chris-R]

[Proxy]

Chris-R said:

Am I the only one who thinks that looks like some kind of insect mid-flight?

[Beefmeister]

Chris-R said:

Chris-R said:

Yes, the three door is even shorter at 3732mm(ish!)

And is there any other way to count doors than 'technically'?

Good point - I just thought like the above poster that it had 4drs. Then realised that there were 2 on the back!

[torque torque]

sounds good.. http://tv.delfi.lv/video/27l3SCLM/

[Rumblestripe]

I'm confused now! I take it this is based on the Humongous Countryman Mini (the Aircraft Carrier version) not the Clubman (the bread van version)?

Looks silly.

[B10]

This verion would be poetry in motion: MINI John Cooper Clarke Works WRC

[thinfourth2]

Rumblestripe said:

I'm confused now! I take it this is based on the Humongous Countryman Mini (the Aircraft Carrier version) not the Clubman (the bread van version)?

Looks silly.

No its the perfect rally car from a company point of view

it looks exactly the same before and after being crashed

[tyrrell]

Agree in forest spec it looks a total pig clad to see Prodrive back in rallying though

[S3000]

my WRX would smoke that thing day and night..

[MadRob6]

S3000 said:

my WRX would smoke that thing day and night..

What a well balanced argument. I assume you're referring to smoking the cock.

Personally I'm not really feeling the love for WRC any more, the recent Targa Tasmania however, that was an utterly stunning rally.

[uncinquesei]

B10 said:

This verion would be poetry in motion: MINI John Cooper Clarke Works WRC

[rallycross]

Two things;

1.
I hope the car is as good as you might expect from Prodrive, and it allows Chris Meeke to show how good he is (he was mentored by Colin Mcrae early in his career and is super quick).

2.
Is this the first car to eclipse the Grp B Citroen Bx4x4 as the worlds ugliest rally car?
Why have Bmw created such an ugly version of the Mini (Maxi?) and shoved it on the world stage for all to see (laught at) how pig ugly it is?

Its a fat ugly over-proportioned pig of a car.

Its up against the 3 door Fiesta and the Citroen Ds3 (ugly shopping trolly) neither of which is what you might call a good looking car but the fat fugly Mini (Maxi) makes them look like super models!

Edited by rallycross on Tuesday 12th April 21:43

[Andy Zarse]

uncinquesei said:

B10 said:

This verion would be poetry in motion: MINI John Cooper Clarke Works WRC

the fking pies are fking old

the fking chips are fking cold

the fking beer is fking flat

the fking flats have fking rats

the fking clocks are fking wrong

the fking days are fking long

it fking gets you fking down

evidently chicken town

[Andy Zarse]

Or how about Hire Car?



Double park - don't lock the door
Push the pedals through the floor
Give it loads and then some more
It's a hire car baby

Grip the stick - grind the gears
Watch that distance disappear
Never yours in a thousand years
It's a hire car baby

Hire-car, hire-car
Why would anybody buy a car?
Bang it, prang it, say ta ta
It's a hire car baby

Bad behaviour on the street
Save yourself a couple of sheets
Collision rate keeps it sweet
It's a hire car baby

Show this motor no respect
Bump it, dump it, call collect
What else do the firm expect
It's a hire car baby

Drive the fker anywhere
Just like you don't care
Put it down to wear and tear
It's a hire car baby

Pray the person who hired it last
Didn't drive it quite so fast
This dakarum dodgem doesn't last
It's a hire car baby

Try not to kill yourself
Or injure anybody else
Don't forget to fasten your belts

Rent it, dent it, bang it, prang it
Bump it, dump it, scorch it, torch it
Crash and burn it, don't return it
Lost deposit, let 'em earn it
Who cares, it's on the firm
It's a hire car baby

[Throttle Body]

I want to like this car. I really do.

But I just can't, no matter which direction I look at it from.

[BelperJim]

I met Kris on Friday nice bloke. Hope the car does the business for him. Not bothered if it's not the best looking.