Tuesday 6th June 2017

Mini JCW GP: Spotted

Is the mad Mini's case any stronger now it doesn't cost nearly £30K?

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Can it really be more than four years already since the R56 Mini GP arrived? Time really does fly, but particularly so with the glut of great hot hatches that have arrived since then. PH drove the Mini GP before the Fiesta ST was on the scene and ahead of there being a decent Peugeot hot hatch again, for example. That's before you consider various Renaultsports, GTIs and Cupras that have also emerged since 2013.

Want attitude? You got it!

Still though a two-seat hot hatch remains fairly remarkable; it's a signal of intent that will appeal to as many as it will frustrate, the latter citing that it's not a proper hot hatch. Those arguments aside, there's plenty in the Mini spec to back up the overt looks and bare cabin: not only was weight reduced, but there was adjustable Bilstein suspension, track focused rubber and huge 330mm front discs with six-piston calipers as part of the GP package.

It drove just how you would want a souped-up Mini too as well, all flighty direction changes, frantic acceleration and boundless energy. It perhaps wasn't the most sophisticated hot hatch around, but it was a tremendous amount of fun. If our Ben's recent experience of one is anything to go by as well, then it remains a great little hot hatch.

Furthermore, it matches all the criteria you would typically require for a sound investment. Limited production, track focused, manual only, silly stickers - at any size or price, and with the right badge, those attributes seem to guarantee strong residual values. The arrival of an indirect replacement in the Mini Challenge appears to have done little to diminish those. It's adding the rear seats back in, must be...

Start the comments on two-seat hatches now...

This car seems a very good example of the GP, three years old and bang on average mileage. It looks tip-top actually, the outside unblemished and those chunky front seats only showing the slightest signs of wear. 'Pugnacious' is probably what you would call the overall aesthetic, ready and raring to take on all comers.

The price? £17,495, which is actually one of the cheaper GPs around - this one is £20K. See what we meant about values? Don't think this is some flash-in-the-pan example either, as even the most affordable version of the original GP - now more than 10 years old - is nearly £11,000. Evidently there are worse hot hatch investments around...

That's the Mini's problem though, isn't it? If you want a car to keep and enjoy for a while without losing much money, it's surely a very safe bet. For outright fun, however, could you do better? This Renaultsport Megane Trophy has a similar mileage to the Mini but also the very desirable Ohlins dampers and Akrapovic exhaust. There are even some daft stickers, in case you thought you might miss those by not having the Mini. You can get a supercharged GT86 for £15K too...

There are alternatives then, no doubt. The appeal of a fast Mini to both buyers and drivers should never be underestimated though, so don't expect this to hang around for long. And don't expect them to get an awful lot cheaper, either!

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MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS GP
Engine: 1,598cc 4-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 218@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 192@1,750-5,750rpm (207lb ft on overboost)
MPG: 39.8 (combined)
CO2: 165g/km
Recorded mileage: 36,000
Year registered: 2014
Price new: £28,790
Price now: £17,495

See the original advert here

[Birdster]

My last car was a MK7 Fiesta ST and now in a Golf R. Two different hot hatches. However a house around the corner has one of these now and it does look a lot of fun. Will have to be a second car if funds permitted.

[slipstream 1985]

For some reason these do absolutely nothing for me. They never register on the radar.

[mnx42]

Always fancied one.. but as I can only afford 1 car at a time and it has to be a daily.. I'm not sure how one would stack up (probably not too well)

[Mike1990]

Like these very much so. Just don't think i could ignore a 275 Trophy/Cup-S with all the trimmings for the similar price.

But i couldn't afford either so went with a Vauxhall with a Drexlar LSD and fancy Bilstein B12 Suspension instead

[howardhughes]

If you want to see how quick these MINI's are watch this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FTjiWjotoA

[ChevronB19]

Is it me, or does it seem to have an awful lot of negative camber on the rear?

[rtz62]

Although SWMBO had a Cooper 'S', and I agree with owners about the handling etc being a excellent, there's something about Minis that just doesn't gel with me.
Ok, perhaps it starts with the name Mini (being old enough to have driven the original Mini when it was a small car).
The steering wheel of these look to big and heavy, and for a supposed lightweight version I wonder why the seats are, again, so thick and clunky? I'd have thought some Probak-style seats would have been more in keeping, and not just aesthetically.
I guess the final thing that jars with me is the wheels. I'm not, and never have been, never will be, a fan of 4-spoke alloys, no matter how 'clever' the design. There's something that looks puny and, inherently unbalanced about them (yes, I know, visually they ARE balanced, but my poor old brain just can't compute them!)

[ahenners]

Nope... Does nothing for me this one. That Alfa 147 GTA in the other article though...

[whythem]

When looking to buy a cheap hot hatch for myself as part of my mid life crisis, my friend told me that coil overs would make the ride to hard and hurt my back, that uprated brakes would hurt my neck, that an uprated exhaust would be too loud and hurt my ears, and that a tuned engine would be too fast for the road, expensive to fuel and run. So I went out and purchased a standard Clio 172 with a view to bolting on one or two well chosen mods.

The next day he turns up with a highly modified 230bhp R53 , for which he only paid £2k. There are plenty of £2k highly modified Mini's out there if you want to try a hot mini.

Anyone want to buy a standard Clio 172

[FN2TypeR]

You could swap the suspension out with four bits of timber and you'd likely never tell the difference, these things are stiff, I've driven one on a track and it was a right hoot, it was fast and handled well - it felt incredibly "pointy", it was really good fun but back on the open road it was bloody terrible, I drive a Civic Type R that used to be in 19" wheels (appalling ride quality) but this thing was worse, I'm not sure if I'd want to live with that on a daily basis

At this sort of price point I wouldn't be able to see past an RS Megane, this is still cool though

[Aftershox]

I have owned one of these for over 2 years. Absolutely great fun, this has tonnes of character when new hot hatches just don't!

Very cheap to run as-well, and being the face-lifted R56 they are bullet-proof.

[Vocht]

Have always really liked these! I hear they're not quite as fun as the original supercharged GP though (which don't fetch far off this price!).

[anonymous-user]

A quick brilliant car, those dials though... It's looks silly to me!

[BenLowden]

Thanks for rubbing salt in the wound Matt! Regret selling mine, an incredible all rounder and I'd be making money now instead of losing it. But as others have said, now the prices on these are creeping up and a Megane Trophy/Cup S can be had for similar money, I'd take the Megane.

[culpz]

slipstream 1985 said:

For some reason these do absolutely nothing for me. They never register on the radar.

You're not alone. I feel the same.

I do like them and see their appeal. There's just too many other decent hot-hatches that i'd rather have as apposed to one of these.

[culpz]

whythem said:

Anyone want to buy a standard Clio 172

I would actually but not until early next year i'm afraid

[Leins]

One for sale not far from me. Had a quick look around it, but just don't think I could bring myself to swap my GP1. For what I want from a weekend hot hatch, it's perfect in almost every way

[405dogvan]

Let's hope the owner kept it away from puddles - BMW's affinity for electronics in places where water easily gathers is seldom cheap to fix (but easy to bodge for long enough to pass the problem to the next owner)

[ellesmereFNC]

We had one of these for 2.5 years, it was an absolute riot of fun. Partner used it everyday for her work commute and cried when we parted with it for a Cayman gts. Yes it's firm but man up and enjoy the (firm) ride, while out cornering most cars and scaring more expensive kit with its cross country speed. Cayman actually feels slow in comparison.

[DPSFleet]

I have owned two powerful Minis but somehow they never excited me, good though they are. I now have an Abarth 595 competizione running 220bhp and it is simply terrific. It has drama fun and pace. Also its a bit different.