MINI GP: Fastest MINI ever will meet public in Geneva
[click above pic for larger, desktop wallpaper version]
The current generation MINI is getting a last hurrah in the form of the MINI GP, essentially a MINI Cooper S with the aftermarket John Cooper Works GP Kit installed at the factory. The fastest production MINI ever produced will greet the public at Geneva for the first time. With 218 hp and 180 ft-lbs. of torque, the MINI GP will claw and gnash its way to 60 in under 6.5 seconds and reach an impressive top speed of 146 mph.
Only 444 examples of this mad MINI will be sold for a price around £22,000 ($38,286 US). In addition to the power put out by the JCW kit, the MINI GP also benefits from a diet that shed 88 lbs. from its already supermodel slim weight. Gone, for instance, is the entire backseat, which has been replaced by a beefy strut brace. The sound deadening material is also history and some suspension bits were recast in aluminum, as well.
The MINI GP’s handsome looks come from special 18-inch light-alloy rims and a Thunder Blue/Pure Silver/Chili Red paint scheme (it’s the only one available). Aero tweaks can also be found that not only create a more urgent appearance, but also improve the car’s drag coefficient and downforce.
Tons more pics after the jump and BMW/MINI’s full press release.
'MINI GP' at Geneva Motor Show
02/21/2006
The MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works (JCW) GP Kit will make its first public viewing at the Geneva Motor Show. The fastest, most powerful production MINI ever will reach 62mph in under 6.5 seconds and achieve a top speed of 146mph. The GP has a power output of 218bhp, a stunning 136bhp per litre, and a maximum torque of 245Nm.
Only 2000 of this special production model will be built and 444 are bound for the UK from July onwards. The guide price is £22,000 which includes £10,000 worth of additional equipment if specified on a standard MINI Cooper S. Almost three-quarters of the UK allocation have already been ordered by MINI enthusiasts six months ahead of launch.
In the interests of power to weight ratio, the car weighs approximately 40 kilos less than a standard MINI Cooper S. This has been achieved by modifications to the chassis and engineering tweaks. The longitudinal control arms on the rear axle are now made of aluminium and the sound-deadening material has been taken out.
The entire rear seat bench has been removed. In its place is a very neat flat loading area that can be folded up in a Z-arrangement for easy access to two additional storage boxes.
Standard equipment includes: limited slip differential, Dynamic Stability Control, Recaro sports seats in Panther Black leather, single CD, air-conditioning and a multi-function steering wheel. The car also features JCW sports brakes, JCW sports suspension and exclusive low-profile tyres and 18-inch light-alloy rims.
The special edition will only be available in exclusive metallic paintwork called Thunder Blue combined with a Pure Silver roof and Chili Red door mirrors.
A new aerodynamics package has been added that significantly improves the car’s drag coefficient and downforce on both front and rear axles, enhancing the driving experience at high speeds. New highlights are the front and rear air dams, the extra low side-sills, and the underfloor cover, as well as a wing-shaped rear spoiler.
The ‘MINI GP’ will join the existing JCW range of aftermarket and production option kits. The first engine tuning kit was launched in 2003 as an aftermarket option, and over 10,000 have been sold worldwide since that date. From the end of 2005, the kit became available as an Oxford production line fit and a new aftermarket version was launched for the MINI Cooper S with automatic transmission.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Noah 12:03PM (2/21/2006)
I find MINI's ads to be very offensive and will probably never buy one of their cars. Threesomes don't fall into "good advertising" in my books.
--Noah
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siliconcenturion 12:16PM (2/21/2006)
now THOSE are some ugly wheels! AM I RITE?!?!11
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Steve S 12:31PM (2/21/2006)
Kinda worthless without the back seat. 0-60 in 6.5 seconds is pitiful as well. I like minis, they look pretty good but with the performance to price to functionality factored in, this is a bad idea. There are a lot better 2-seaters for the price or performance and there are a lot better 4-door 5-seaters for the price and performance so whats the point?
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Nick 1:03PM (2/21/2006)
I guess the point is that MINI owners are well-heeled and will pay for exclusivity and more performance. Obviously, if raw performance was your goal, you'd be in an Elise or Evo, not a Mini.
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JZeke 1:29PM (2/21/2006)
There was a recent used-car-review of the Mini Cooper in Road & Track. Amongst the many letters sent in from owners was one from a couple who owned the Mini and a Ferrari F355 Spyder, and claimed it gave them 90% of the excitement of the Ferrari, at 1/8 the price.
Maybe they were old, or maybe they were crazy, but thats saying something.
Steve S: Alot better 2 seaters for the price? alot better 5 seaters? Im hard pressed to name more than a couple as a new car purchase at the Mini's 23k price point. Used? Sure theres lots of options, but even then not many that match for driving enjoyment.
@ $23,000 new heres what ive seen thats close, 2 and 4 door:
1. Mazda 3 (not as fun, or as designed but a great car)
2. Scion Tc (not nearly as charismatic, and hardly the handler the Mini is)
3. Subaru WRX (different animal, different thrills)
4. Neon SRT4 (fun but no class)
5. GTI MKV (smooth competitor)
6. Miata (awesome roadster, terrible load-lugger)
7. Focus SVT (it came so close, then they killed it)
8. Solstice (great looks, but not as good of a roadster as the Miata)
9. Mustang (totally different animal, but its got the design cachet of its own... a broadsword to the Mini's scalpel)
10. Civic Si/RSX (none of the class of the mini, smooth but almost boring in comparison)
Picking those 10 was hard.
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Cody 1:55PM (2/21/2006)
JZeke, did you miss the part about it costing almost 40 grand? Maybe you should evaluate your list....
Reading the article, that was hard.
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JZeke 2:13PM (2/21/2006)
lol i saw 22,000 pounds and thought dollars... I was comparing those cars I listed to the Cooper S.
ok so at 40k forget I said anything :-P
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Scott Eaton 2:27PM (2/21/2006)
I like the Mini brand and all, but for $40,000-ish and the sacrifices made to the car, I'd better wake up with an effing Lotus in my driveway.
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Scott Eaton 2:31PM (2/21/2006)
Also, the red mirrors were a bad decision.
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micah 2:52PM (2/21/2006)
For that price you can get a BMW 330i saloon, or even better a well equipped 130i. It seems that BMW is after a share of the market it already has. But maybe that's why they're limiting the production?
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mustang fan 3:19PM (2/21/2006)
or a shelby gt500, and that damn mini would never keep up
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friko 3:34PM (2/21/2006)
I love the rims.
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Steve S 4:53PM (2/21/2006)
Dont get me wrong I like Minis. The S version is a tad pricey but still worth it I think. If I didnt have two kids my wife would probably have an S convertible. But at nearly 40k there are a ton of vehicles that either look as good or better (subjective of course) and perform better. Even luxury brands like a 330i or IS350 but I was thinking more along the lines of a G35 coupe, RX-8, Evo, STi, hell even a Mustang is mid 20s, faster, looks nice and has a backseat for kids.
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Gabe 5:29PM (2/21/2006)
#1 The US price hasn't been announced. Expect something definitely lower than a straight conversion of pounds to dollars seen here.
#2 The above 6.5 seconds is referring to 0-62mph or 0-100kph. Also keep in mind BMW's 0-60 times are nortoriously slow. Most mags get about a half second lower than the published times.
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Finished.Law.School 6:13PM (2/21/2006)
I love it except for the rims.
That Nissan ad is doing more to get people to hate the company than anything else...
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Finished.Law.School 6:17PM (2/21/2006)
Noah you need to calm down with your madness...
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m 9:46PM (2/21/2006)
four spoke rims never looked this good, just ask Saturn. Still, five spokes just look nicer... on another note: 40K!? wow
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Car-la 5:33AM (2/22/2006)
I really like Minis, but for $38k I'd get myself a proper car.
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Keef 8:46AM (2/22/2006)
Only 2000 will be made, hence the price. They will easily sell them all so why would they lower it? This car will hold its price well.
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colin 10:08AM (3/08/2006)
You Americans are funny. I'll grant that the Mini probably isn't relevant in the US outside of a city, but until you've hammered a Mini on twisty European roads, don't knock it. I've had a couple of Elises, Caterhams, and a few more exotic bits of kit. I'm not saying that I'd have a Mini GP over and Exige or an Elise - but around town, and certainly on Irish roads, there's little to compare with how much fun a properly sorted Mini is to drive. Plus it looks cute, and I can buy it for myself, but actually give it to the girlfriend. Much as I admire them, I wouldn't be seen dead in an Evo or a Subaru, but the Mini is actually in a lot of ways just like these things to drive - low inertia, really chuckable and with great turn-in. Only in a Mini, you can do it all without the obligatory baseball cap. As for the 0-60 time of only 6.5 - since when was that a relevant measure of a car's real-world performance? Once the supercharger is spooled up, the JCW Cooper Ss have real pull, and feel seriously quick. Added to the fact that you hardly ever have to brake hard, and that the car carries massive speed into and out of corners, in most situations, you find ourself in a car substantially quicker than everything around you.
On pricing - I have a Cooper, I think the GP is a bargain, and I ordered mine 6 months ago. Can't wait.
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