MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works G_P Tuning Kit

[Paul]

Please note the start date of this thread, Jan 10th 2005 so there's a lot of speculation and old stuff at the start (from when this thread was in future variants).

I have edited this post with the key releases etc over time.

In case anyone missed this from this morning.....

http://www.mini2.com/index.php?page=newsitem&newsid=274


Edited: Official Misano press release:

http://www.mini2.com/index.php?page=newsitem&newsid=326

Edited: Geneva press releae (very wordy).

http://www.mini2.com/article349-mini...pt-geneva.html

US Prices and New York Show release:

http://www.mini2.com/article355-john...auto-show.html

MINI2 Drive at the International Media Launch:

http://www.mini2.com/article369-mini...ning-kit-.html

Images here: http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showg...ing/what/title

Video here:

MINI2 (on track):

http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showp...537/cat/movies
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showp...536/cat/movies
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showp...535/cat/movies
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showp...534/cat/movies

BMW/MINI:

http://www.mini2.com/galleries/data/...s_gp_large.wmv
http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showp.../31190/cat/525

All video/images: http://www.mini2.com/galleries/showg...si/GP%20Tuning

[AidenL]

Need more info !

[Paul]

Agreed, but even the clearest magic visions are a bit vague at that distance.



I think it will be a screamer (last of the sort of screaming I like my S to do as well).



JCW versions of course an options. Brrrrrrrrrrummmmmmmmmmm..... (gurgle gurgle pop).

[Chicks]

Hopefully it'll be a bit more hardcore than the Clio Cup which saves a whole...

...wait for it...

... 20 kgs!!

Didn't they recently do a lightweight M3? How much did they knock off that? All I remember is that it a had a cardboard boot floor

[richhamer]

How much did they knock off the lightwieght M3?? It was an extra £20000!!

And they have since lost virtually all of that on the used market

[Kodak]

The lightweight M3 CSL also had a carbon-fibre roof, no sound deadening insulation, super-slick tyres...etc.

I think 150-200kg saved (from memory, don't quote me ).

You needed to sign a waiver saying that you understood that the tyres DID NOT WORK on damp/wet roads and any accident would be entirely your fault.

The CSL was £60K (M5 territory) and I believe that the residuals ARE holding up, due to the scarcity of the car. You take a bigger hit than on the std M3, but it does still command a premium

[Chicks]

So I wonder if they could make the car less than 1000kg?
What could you lose?

Aircon (not std anyway)
Sounding deadening, lets hear that supercharger!!
Stereo. see above line
Front fogs, all the nazzy interior lights. Passenger sun visor.
Electric Windows, not sure what you could replace them with though. How about retro Mini MkI sliding windows?
Carbon fibre body panels. Harder to do than on the M3 a most all intergrated into the structure of the car. I can only think of the boot lid & bumpers.

Any one else with any ideas?


Normal Cooper S due in ONE DAY!!!!

[S2000&CooperS]

Yeah, give it lightweight seats and wheels with sticky tires on a car without the sunroof (N/A). Lose the back seats, power mirrors, sound deadening material, air conditioning (make an option), and stereo (make an option). Replace some of the body pieces with carbon fiber and aluminum parts and...... JCW if you wish

Voila, a limited-edition super S

[matt21]

what sort of financial ball park u reckon were looking at as im off to deealers next week to preliminary order once as it could be worth a fortune one day!

[MiniCooper]

Idve thought that if theyre making it as a last "**** you" to the "safety people", theyd make it as fast and as dangerous as possible. Put the works kit on and get rid of the back seats I say!!!

[Paul]

Quote: Originally Posted by Matt18

what sort of financial ball park u reckon were looking at as im off to deealers next week to preliminary order once as it could be worth a fortune one day!

Really have no idea. The word I had is "lots of carbon faibre", so I'd expect it to be costly!

[Hat]

are they aiming it more as a track day car than something you'd want to take to the shops every weekend - maybe along the lines of the V6 clio?

[obehave]

They might get it to 2k lbs.

Add to the list. Something other than the beefy factory wheels, exhaust to help shed pounds.

[bigbaddaboom]

Well I just paid a visit to my local dealer and needless to say they didn't have a clue what I was talking about. He said he couldn't create a list for something that didn't exist yet (the Cooper S waiting list springs to mind), but he did take my name and email and mentioned that if he did hear anything that he would contact me and start a list...

He mentioned that most of the time the first place they hear about new things happening with the MINI is from the car journos. I told him that maybe he should look at MINI2 more regularly!

Well if the car can approach 1000 kgs then it would definitely be one to have, especially with a factory fitted JCW

[matt21]

cheers for that

im gonna see what mine say later this week