MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works G_P Tuning Kit

[Brynster]

Not very confidence inspiring though, is it? I mean, if we are all keen enough to know what's going on, you'd think those who work with MINIs for a living would take a bit more interest. Very unimpressive, to my mind....

[wibbly]

Quote: Originally Posted by wobert123

I was down at JCG last Friday......when I mentioned the LE they all loked a bit puzzled......I suspect the JCW input is nothing more than another set of kit parts to them......

Hhhhmmm interesting... so MINI are producing a 'souped up' version of the Works car without their MINI performance partner

Kind of says it all really doesn't it

[Paul]

I'm back. Sorry for no updates last night but I collapsed when I finallly got back home. Had the flight(s) from hell back from Italy. Was up at 4am UK time, got back in the UK some time in the afternoon due to a fauly 737!!

Anyway, I managed with the help of the press people to spend a lot of time with the guy in charge of the project, and got some interesting information that I will be compiling and reporting on as soon as I can today.

[Jorma_13]

Brilliant Paul is back,
Your input will be well respected! I am looking forward to hearing about Misano! I hadnt read the thread all weekend and it nearly took me 2 hours to catch up! From what I can see mostly negative but hopefully they might tinker with a few things on good advice!
Hope you had a good time and I look forward to the info
Cheers Jorma

[PYUGALA]

I think it would be cool if they do a street version of JCW Challenge. Is it possible to get a Challenge car for private use??

[rentagas]

I thought the JCW challenge cars are street legal -never seen one for sale though

[Paul]

Lots of press photos now here: http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showg...ing/perpage/12

[Goonery]

Quote: Originally Posted by rentagas

I thought the JCW challenge cars are street legal -never seen one for sale though

In Nov 2006 the new spec cars will be announced

http://www.johncooper.co.uk/JohnCoop...hallenge+2006/

You can buy one from Total Track , who now run the challenge series, around £25-30k I'd imagine.

here it is
WORKS MINI COOPER S
Includes:
• John Cooper Works 210BHP engine conversion
• Special race air cleaner
• 2 inch stainless race exhaust
• Specially developed ECU Management system
• FIA roll cage and padding
• FIA racing seat
• FIA 5 point racing harness
• Plumbed in fire extinguisher
• Electronic and fuel safety cut off switches
• Lowered and stiffened suspension
• Uprated dampers and springs
• Strut brace
• Uprated brake callipers, discs and pads
• Braided brake hoses
• Towing eyes and bonnet pins
• Set of four special 16" alloy wheels
• Dunlop 16" competition tyres (wet and dry)
• Full Aero body kit
• Rear wing
With the following as an option:
• Racing steering wheel
Price: £28,995 inc VAT

[Wobert]

Some more "negativity".......this time over on Pistonheads......

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing...?f=90&t=218780

[ZZTOP]

My view of what the GP Mini should be:

The currently proposed GP looks like Chris Bangle was casually strolling past the designers boards and stopped and said in a condescending Ned Flanders accent "Whatcheall up to......lemme "fix" this up for yall mmmkay...." A few days later, the fugly pics appear......The recipe for another ugly BMW product....anyway...I have had a few trackdays with my S and based upon that I would suggest the following for a lightweight mini, that I would buy.

Colour, all black or anthracite only, no multi colours...(This to match the c/f look)
Carbon bonnet,
18" wheels, colour dark silver like the new M5 wheels with semi-slicks, not practical day to day, but will give the car "the look". Not 4 spoke!
Brakes MUST be JCW or better, the front at least. (I cooked my standard ones within 3 laps)
Why a double exhaust? just adds weight? Run a single and split at the back? Can the cat be left out?
Must not be a two seater, (Can then scare the bejussuz out of more than one person @ a time)
Lightweight sports seats, back and front, comfort not the primary req. Not the fat JCW seats...add more space as well.
Lots of suede on the seats/steering wheel....
Not too much Carbon inside...looks dodgy.
Sachs remote reservoir shocks like Clio trophy.
Suspension -15mm.
Rear spoiler carbon, bit bigger than current , but same smooth look, no "Need for speed underground II" bits.
Front and rear bumpers as well as rub strips over wheel arches, all carbon with no busy inserts that don't add value.
No stickers/badges on the roof...very tacky.
No ASC/DSC.......they are only for woosies anyway....The people wanting this car can DRIVE!
No sunroof,
Must have aircon and radio/CD/MP3.....
Must have 160kW and LSD. >160 kW on FWD = Too much torque steer.
Optimise aerodynamics

This spec will allow the car to be sig. quicker around a track than a JCW, as well as have that showroom "I want one NOW" look, which imho, the one proposed does not have.

[Tonyt3]

Anyone whoose actually seen this car 'in the flesh' prepared to comment whether it looks better, worse, or just as dissapointing as it does in the photos? Cars all too often do....



Paul...? anyone from Misano...?

[snid]

How about focusing on some of the other stuff... the new aluminum rear suspension pieces, the mentioned "underbody panels", are those brake cooling ducts where the fog lights used to be?

[Berthil]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tonyt3

Anyone whoose actually seen this car 'in the flesh' prepared to comment whether it looks better, worse, or just as dissapointing as it does in the photos? Cars all too often do....



Paul...? anyone from Misano...?

I was there at the premiere, it was disappointing. What you read here, it is not a coherent design. I would like those aluminium rear suspension pieces if they can be ordered at the dealer
I hear the extra 8 hp comes from the supercharger, I suspect they have done what lots of us already have done, a smaller pulley? But in the future you can get it as part of the Works package?

[Tonyt3]

I've been thinking about the Carbon Fibre bonnet issue that many people have been dissapointed about.

I went to see a CF bonnet for sale yesterday myself, with the view on purchasing it for my own use. I have to say, if the idea would be to leave it unpainted (as many would prefer) the surface of the CF bonnet would appear way too easy to scratch. Even brand new out of the packaging, the CF bonnet I saw had already picked up scratches.

I just don't think BMW would want to bring such an item to a production car like this, as it would be a potential nightmare in terms of people demanding new bonnets due to imperfections and scratchs. It would end up too costly. So perhaps this is why they decided against this route.

Unlike other bonnets, the Mini bonnet is extremly complex, and has a lot of ancillar'es bolted to it - lights etc. The bonet on the BMW CSL has none of this.....

So I kinda don't blame them for going down this route for lightweight

[Paul]

Here we go:

http://www.mini2.com/article326.html

In short. It's not the car I'd (we'd?) have really wanted. However, I think it's good value for money, and I actually thought it looked nice "in the metal" , but I'm sure many wont like it.

If you're undecided from the photos, you may actually like it (I was surprised that the colour scheme worked, but I thought it did), but if you don't like the photos, you probably wont like the car.