Fastest Mini debuts at Geneva
218bhp car is lighter and faster than ever
  Mini Cooper S JCW |
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 will reach 62mph in under 6.5 seconds and achieve a top speed of 146mph. The GP has a power output of 218bhp, that's 136bhp per litre, and a maximum torque of 181lb-ft.
Only 2,000 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. According to BMW, almost three-quarters of the UK allocation have already been ordered, six months ahead of launch.
In the interests of weight loss, the car weighs some 40kg less than a standard 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 flat loading area that can be folded up in a Z-arrangement for easier access to two additional storage boxes.
Standard equipment includes: limited slip differential, Dynamic Stability Control, Recaro sports seats in 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 blue paintwork combined with a silver roof and red door mirrors. The new aerodynamics package is said to significantly improve drag coefficient and downforce on both front and rear axles. New highlights are the front and rear air dams, the 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.
What a silly concept indeed. Take an already dubious attempt at a car, with a trashy interior, no spare wheel(!) and dodgy, single cam, powerplant, minimalise it and charge £22k?! Save a little extra and get an Evo/Scooby with rear seats and a spare wheel. Get an Elise or a VX220 both built with two seats in mind and no huge rear parcel shelf in sight, even if it does 'Z' fold!! Thinking about it, get anything other than this! >> Edited by richiefly on Tuesday 21st February 12:55
And in the interests of speed, it goes faster?richiefly said:
>> Edited by richiefly on Tuesday 21st February 12:55
Buy a REAL Mini, not a MAXI !!!
My '86 Mini will do 60 in 6.5 secs and it only has 100bhp... Oh yeah, that's cause it weighs nothing
www.mini1400.co.uk
. this means im now going to have to listen to the usual pratt down the pub bragging about his 'special' car that's "a limited edition you know". where did i put those ear plugs 
rpm100 said:
what an overpriced, overweight, lump of marketing bullsh*t! what happened to the proper weight reduction? i wanted thinner glass, carbon roof/bonnet and proper lightweight seats. this is just an exercise in rear seat removal.
I agree, I think the engineers could have gone far further than they have in terms of "proper" weight reduction......keeping a/c & MFSW just makes it look more like a marketing-led excercise.....
BTW all of you anti-MINI peeps, have any of you actually driven the car.....????
rpm100 said:
what an overpriced, overweight, lump of marketing bullsh*t! what happened to the proper weight reduction? i wanted thinner glass, carbon roof/bonnet and proper lightweight seats. this is just an exercise in rear seat removal. very poor
And on this same thread people are moaning that it costs 22k and you want carbon this carbon that ,,,,
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