Our recent go in the new Mini GP all but confirmed that it's been made to work on track. On bumpy B-roads it felt like a wild animal on a leash; it needs to be given its head on circuit to make the best of the stiffened chassis and 306hp output. It’s more honed than its two forebears, which is either a good or bad thing – depending on your viewpoint. A superlative road car it is not.
The GP1 and GP2 got much closer. The GP1 delivered the Mini a lot of people had been waiting for; the GP2 built on its fine start. Not everyone thought it lived up to its predecessor - a the absence of a proper limited slip diff did it no favours - but the second album had more power than the first, and (based on the R56 model) it was arguably better looking, too.
Seven years on from its launch, we’ve grown fonder of the follow-up John Cooper Works GP. Perhaps more so in the wake of the GP3, its design being simpler than it's replacement's try-hard look, with that red-rimmed bonnet intake, four-spoke alloys and small rear wing the main external giveaways. Inside, that red bar in the back takes place of the rear bench, although surprisingly, the weight saved was offset by other additions, so the GP remained 1,235kg. Another facet which left GP1 aficionados unimpressed by the makeover.
Nevertheless, the R56 chassis could claim to offer more grip, and while the engine only gained a handful of horses to peak at 218hp, with reinforced pistons, a strengthened cylinder head and a lighter crankshaft, the car feels quicker than any fast Mini that came before it. You don’t get much in the way of modcons by 2020 standards; but as a 2010s car there’s more than enough aboard, like DAB, climate control and Bluetooth.
Nitpicking aside, the GP2 is also tremendous fun to drive. Quick off the mark, hitting 62mph in 6.3 second, and punchy while rolling, the car feels most exciting on a technical B-road. Its firmed up suspension is sweetly set for the road, so bumps and lumps can be dealt with in quick succession, while the sharp front end and an agile tail ensure a great window of adjustability for the driver to play with. Not quite as raw as the GP1, perhaps, but all the Mini halo hallmarks were very much in evidence.
For all its drivability, today's Spotted hasn’t really been out on the road much at all. It has just 936 miles on the clock – yes, nine-three-six – so we’re not even sure it’s fully run in. That’s an average of 117 miles a year for a 2012 car, which is a sad thought. Although think of it from the next custodian’s point of view; here we have a barely used, prime example of a hot hatch formula that's not been supplanted by its replacement. It’s simple, paired-back and not writing cheques it can't cash (unlike the GP3). The privilege of owning it will set you back just short of £30k - but this is quite possibly the ‘newest’ GP2 in the world.
SPECIFICATION | MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS GP2
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: 936
Year registered: 2012
Price new: £28,790
Price now: £29,990
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