Much has changed at Mini since we last saw the
John Cooper Works GP, the hardest-core, racing-oriented version of the
basic hatchback. Back then, the brand still subsisted on its basic
two-door models. Now, the brand offers crossovers, coupes, and lots of
odd stuff in between. As we pull into the Circuito Mallorca RennArena
(yes, there's a racetrack on Mallorca), it's easy to forget all those
less-than-pure models: we're about to drive the new GP, the ultimate
distillation of the Mini brand's motoring mission.
You'll have to forgive our sense of time warp, for the new GP looks
a lot like the old GP, which appeared in 2006 as a swan song for the
last-generation Mini. It again comes only on the two-door hardtop model
and only in gray metallic paint. A large rear wing adds downforce at
higher speeds and looks cool at lower ones. New seventeen-inch wheels
and some fast-looking decals are also part of the deal. "I have to
admit, I love stickers," says Mini designer Anders Warming. The interior
makeover is no subtler. The Recaro front seats have beefy bolsters and
the rear seats don't exist -- a bright red shock-tower bar takes their
place. Stitched black leather wraps the dash and attempts to dress up
the rather basic Cooper interior.
Despite all these enhancements, it's the basic essence of the Mini
design that strikes us when we approach the GP and climb into the
driver's seat. The hardtop's accessible size and the wonderful
simplicity -- it's still just a little box on wheels -- contrast sharply
with the overwrought and sometimes pudgy styling of Mini's newer
offerings.
The GP coughs to life with a boisterous burble from its center-exit
exhaust. The John Cooper Works Mini's 1.6-liter turbocharged
four-cylinder has been tweaked just a bit further to produce 218 hp
(U.S. cars will be rated at 211 hp). The GP also features Mini's first
production application of coil-over dampers, derived from what Mini uses
in its one-make Challenge racing series. They can adjust ride height by
20 millimeters (0.8 inch) and also allow Mini to use stiffer, lower
springs. Before heading out for our laps, we set stability control to GP
mode. That prevents traction control from cutting power and puts the
front brakes to use as an electronic limited-slip differential.
The obligatory pre-lap safety presentation warned drivers against
drifting recklessly through corners. This proved unnecessary -- the GP's
tail stayed firmly planted through the turns. Sticky Kumho summer
tires, developed specifically for the GP, stuck to the smooth tarmac
without a hint of drama. In the few instances where lack of skill and
good sense overwhelmed the tires' prodigious grip, the car simply plowed
straight ahead. Adjusting the coil-over suspension -- a procedure that
requires raising the car off the ground -- might change its cornering
characteristics, as might completely disabling stability control. The
electronics, the tires, and the suspension tweaks do seem to reduce
inside wheelspin and torque steer, but digging out of turns still takes
some work: second gear is incredibly short, and there's not enough
low-end torque to stay in third gear. The constant shifting of the
six-speed manual is plenty fun but not particularly quick.
In other words, the GP, for all its high-dollar components, drives a
lot like a Mini Cooper. That's not a bad thing. The small, simple
steering wheel transmits more road feel than many high-priced sports
cars, and we barely need to adjust our grip through the track's multiple
hairpin turns. The front wheels, retuned for increased negative camber,
respond with even more immediacy, and the stiffened suspension cuts out
what little body roll ever existed. The brakes, fortified up front with
six-piston calipers, feel firm and powerful despite repeated outings
with little cool-down time.
Mini will build only 2000 GPs, including an initial allotment of
just 500 for the United States. Brand loyalists will likely, and
quickly, snap up every last one of them. That's just as well -- it's
hard to imagine many other people coughing up $39,950 for a two-seat
hatchback that has less power than the $25,595 Ford Focus ST. Indeed,
the inherent limit to the hardtop's appeal goes a long way toward
explaining why the Mini brand has and will continue to expand its
offerings. And yet, the GP also reminds us -- and, we hope, BMW decision
makers -- what makes Mini so unique and so fun.
2013 Mini John Cooper Works GP
On sale: Early 2013
Base price: $39,950
Engine: 1.6L turbocharged I-4, 211 hp, 207 lb-ft
Drive: Front-wheel
EPA Fuel economy: 25/33 city/highway (est.)
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