MINI has rolled out its latest wild-and-crazy John Cooper Works GP concept ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Fans of the brand will remember the GP nameplate gracing 2,000 unit runs of the Cooper in 2006 and 2013. These cars offered drivers just one thing: pure driving enjoyment in a small package. With a bump in power, a bespoke aero kit, and some weight savings these cars were at home on the track.
For the latest GP Concept, MINI stuck to a tried and true formula perfected by the previous generations. With a ridiculous aero kit and a rear spoiler that would make a RallyX car jealous, the GP Concept looks like it’s ready to eat racetracks for breakfast.
Other details on the outside of the car include F1-inspired “rain lights” in the rear diffuser. This definitely seems gimmicky, in true MINI fashion. Elsewhere, the taillights get the Union Jack treatment to remind you the car is British — despite its German origins.
Unlike the previous GP, the concept changes up the paint scheme slightly. The main body comes in Black Jack Anthracite, which MINI claims color shifts from black to silver depending on the light. To accent the car, several details get the classic Curbside Red paint that almost all JCW cars get.
Perhaps our favorite part of the car is the roof and hood scoop set. Presumably, the roof scoop is for cabin ventilation, but we know the true reason. Everyone knows that much like stickers, racing stripes, and yellow paint, a roof scoop adds at least 20hp.
On the inside, the GP Concept takes the original GP setup a bit further and completely strips the interior of pretty much everything. Two racing seats sit within a bare aluminum roll cage to make the car feel extra sporty. The massive dinner plate speedo in the center console gets a digital graph that displays performance data from the car. MINI also fit a heads-up display so the driver never needs to take their eyes off the road.
Being fans of Gran Turismo we can’t help but see styling influences from the MINI Clubman Vision GT throughout the car. That’s not a bad thing either since we are rather fond of the Vision GT concept.
As the GP is still just a concept MINI gave no word on a powertrain. However, looking back at previous models we can assume it’s probably around 250hp from a 2.0-liter turbo. It also more than likely uses a six-speed semi-automatic transmission with paddle shifter. These are just guesses really. For all we know, it could be running a 1.5-liter 3-pot from the base Cooper.
There’s also no word on whether the third-gen Cooper will end up with a production version of the GP. Considering the success of previous generations, it’s not a big jump to assume we will end up with some version of this concept at some point — even if it’s toned down.
Look for the full unveiling of the MINI JCW GP Concept next week when the Frankfurt Motor Show kicks off.
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