John Cooper Works Tuning Kits for MINI to Debut at Geneva Motor Show….

The MINI brand is inseparable from a famous name in motor sport history: John Cooper.
Even before the first series manufactured Mini appeared in the showrooms, he had already developed a power-enhanced brother. However, this only existed on the
drawing boards of the Mini designer and his close confidant Alec Issigonis. A legend was born.

Until this day the Cooper name is closely associated with the MINI brand and so it is no wonder that Mike Cooper, the son of the legendary John Cooper, already had a power-enhanced version in mind before the new MINI was launched onto the market in 2001…

Power boost for the MINI Cooper.
Parallel to the series development of the MINI, John Cooper Works already began with the development of the series version power unit. This gave rise to two attractive tuning versions of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S models. Apart from visual touches the two models are mainly differentiated by their increased engine output and higher torque.

The John Cooper Works tuning kit for the MINI Cooper boasts features such as a modified cylinder head with higher compression, altered engine electronics as well as a special air filter and rear silencer.
Retrofitting the MINI Cooper in this way generates a maximum output of 126 bhp (93 kW) already achieved at 5,750 rpm. Maximum torque is increased to 155 Nm and is available at 4,700 rpm. This power treatment gives the MINI Cooper by John Cooper Works a top speed of 204 km/h and an acceleration of 8.9 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h. The burst from 80 to 120 km/h in fourth gear takes only 10.1 seconds.

MINI Cooper S with 200 bhp.

By installing an even more powerful and higher revving compressor, John Cooper Works has turned the MINI Cooper S top model intoan excellent driving machine.

The performance figures can be compared to those of renowned sports cars: 200 horsepower (147 kW) at 6,950 rpm (an increase of 37bhp over the standard car) give this
power pack a top speed of 226 km/h or 141 mph. The generous torque of 240 Nm available at 4,000 rpm catapults the powerful MINI to 100 km/h (62 mph) in only 6.7 seconds. The car’s pulling power is also very impressive: only 5.6 seconds are needed from 80 to 120 km/h (50 to 75 mph).
In order to be able to use the new compressor with the higher rpm level and load pressure, modifications to the cylinder head and the engine electronics were necessary. A special rear silencer gives the car a powerful acoustic impact.

The suitable outfit for the
power MINI.
In order to emphasise the sporty driving impression of the tuned MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S models, John Cooper Works not only offers sports seats but also an 18 inch wheel rim unique to the MINI up to now. The sides of the sports seats are raised for improved lateral hold, the shoulder area is reinforced and the thigh support can be adjusted to provide greater comfort and safety. The seats are available in nearly all regular colour and upholstery designs and can also be ordered with seat heating. The Easy-Entry function remains unchanged.

18-inch light-alloy rims also give the MINI a powerful and sporty look. The wheels in star spoke design featuring five widening spokes run on 205/40 R18 tyres.

A powerful MINI for a powerful
racing series: the John Cooper Challenge.

What could be more suitable than driving the MINIs tuned by Mike Cooper on the racetrack? The idea of a racing series, the John Cooper Challenge, therefore was not
long in coming and was already put into practice in 2002. The John Cooper Challenge is the first racing series for the new MINI in which up-and-coming drivers and young talents can battle it out head to head and show some thrilling motor sport action.
Headed by Mike Cooper, the John Cooper Works manufactures the tuning and retrofit kits for the racing cars and highlights that sportiness is not only an image of the MINI Cooper. Like the series model, the race version is characterised by unsurpassed ease of handling and generous power. Due to the enormous success of last year’s series, this year will see the John Cooper Challenge continued at renowned venues such as Goodwood or Silverstone. One of the 10 racing locations is even planned outside of Great Britain in Croix en Ternois, France. For detailed up-to-date information please see www.johncooperworks.com

John Cooper: the legend lives.
The history of Cooper began at the end of the 40s when motor sport pioneer John Cooper founded the Cooper Car Company. Soon he began with the production of small, competitive racing cars. With the Cooper 500 he had developed a vehicle, which made an entry into the world of motor sport possible. One of his first customers was none other than Stirling Moss.
Drivers such as the 5-times world champion Juan Manuel Fangio sat behind the wheel of the first Formula 2 racing car by Cooper, still featuring a front-end engine.
At the end of the 50s, when private drivers were still among the winners, the first Cooper with a rear engine rode it out with the big ones such as Ferrari, Maserati and BRM who all were still racing with front engines. In 1958 Stirling Moss drove the first rear-engined racing car to win a world championship race - a concept which is still applied today. In 1959 Jack Brabham won the first of two titles in the F1 constructor’s world championship for Cooper.

Successful in all disciplines.
John Cooper, however, was not only active in Formula racing. In the 60s he achieved many successes with the Mini Cooper based on the standard Mini model at racetracks
and on rally courses. The Mini Cooper won the Monte Carlo Rally between 1964 and 1967 three times for example. Even though the Mini Cooper was very successful and popular, production was stopped by BMC in 1971 after 150,000 units had been produced. John Cooper, however, kept the Mini Cooper brand name alive. In order to meet the growing demand for Cooper cars, he produced tuning kits and accessories in the 80s for turning the Mini into the Mini Cooper.
In 1990 the Mini Cooper, still at home under the Rover roof at the time, was brought back to life. The demand for the nimble little car remained unchanged and John Cooper produced numerous special models of the sporty Cooper S. In West Sussex, John Cooper Works manufactured engine and chassis tuning kits for the aging classic right up until the end. The powerful engines and the almost legendary handling of his tuned Minis shape the sporty image of the MINI Cooper to this day. With the death of John Cooper in the year 2000 a piece of racing history has been lost but his name will always be associated with motor sport - and with MINI.