MINI’s first John Cooper Works GP was a special edition launched to more or less commemorate the end of the revival’s first generation. Available in (very) limited quantities only in 2006, the JCW GP got more of everything that makes a MINI Cooper special. First, it got bumped up to 218 horsepower, got bigger brakes, got additional chassis bracing and was fitted with a stiffer, adjustable suspension. Next, it went on a diet, losing sound deadening and its back seat in the name of weight savings. It got special paint and graphics, too, further separating it from the rest of the product line.
That car was fast enough to lap Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife in 8:42, which made it 10 seconds faster around the Green Hell than a MINI Cooper S. For 2013, MINI is reviving the JCW GP, and it promises to be even more impressive than the original. How much more impressive? Try 19 seconds quicker around the ‘Ring than the 2006 version, giving it a time of 8:23. If you’re keeping score at home, that makes the upcoming MINI JCW GP faster than a 2009 Ford Focus RS and just one second slower than an E46 BMW M3.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
MINI hasn’t released horsepower numbers for the new car just yet, but we know it will follow the same formula as the first JCW GP. Expect a stiffer (and fully adjustable) suspension, extreme-performance summer-only tires, uprated brakes, a stiffer chassis and serious weight reduction. Like the original, it will come wearing a unique paint and graphics package, complete with an aero body kit. Pricing hasn’t been set, and we have no idea how many will be imported into the United States, but if you want one, now is the time to start talking to your local MINI dealer.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
