The JCW GP Kit; More Power, Less Weight

cbowens Oct 31st, 2005 Link

218 hp …. looks like my thought of getting a GRP motorsport intercooler to give Greta a bit more hp was a correct one…..

Still not a good looking MINI :{

NICE

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kev Oct 31st, 2005 Link

While somewhat cool due to it’s rarity, this car is still a major let down. Anyone can remove the rear seats and buy some litht wt. SSR’s to acheive the wt. savings on this car. At a minimum they should have put a Carbon Fiber hood on it and perhaps some aluminum doors to get the wt. savings over 100 lbs.

Still no view of the inside, but that body kit is for Ricers. I’m interested to know what the under body panels are how much reduction in drag coeff. all the added body panels and areo kits give to the car. It better be a big savings because it looks like it has Simply added Weight. Same with 18″ rimes I wonder if they are any wider than any of the other rims available from the factory?

If this thing comes in at $30K, they will sit on dealer lots. Most will opt for an 06 with JCW’s for the same money and keep the back seats for versatiltiy.

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GSKChicago Oct 31st, 2005 Link

People have been commenting on the limited weight reduction and only a slight bump in power. Gabe/Motoringfile is projecting a price near $30,000 (US) as well.

One thing to consider is if MINI added too many high-end (ala Carbon Fiber) materials to reduce weight and further enhanced the engine, the price point would be well above $30,000 (US).

I think MINI is trying to come out with a unique special edition without swelling the price point beyond where most average MINI owners/lovers are at.

Like the GP or don’t like it, I bet there will be 2000 people eager to get one.

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Ric Stofer Oct 31st, 2005 Link

I’ve had the weekend to ponder this beast and after a few pints it started looking better.:-) Where have we heard that before.;-) Anyway, it still looks better this AM. (coffee only) The product is unfinished and (the good news) MINI still has time to get it right. Let’s hope they do! I wonder what seats we will get?

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Lee L Oct 31st, 2005 Link

I hope that rear wing also directs some air across the rear window or people will not be able to see out the back with no rear wiper.

I actually like it a little more seeing the new photos, maybe because it keeps me from seeing the wheels as much. ;) Or maybe it just makes each of the “spokes” seem a little wider.

THe color choice looks like the rest of the MINI S line right now, which is not my taste.

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Lee L Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Oh, I forgot to add, it will be interesting to see under the bonnet to get a peek at the intercooler and I guess I should go ahead and ask…

if it will be retrofittable. ;)

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James Oct 31st, 2005 Link

What a disapointment. I remember the 3 Series CSL from a few years back that was similarly overpriced for a very modest (minimal, really) improvement in performance. The 88-pound savings is no better than leaving your 12-year-old at home when you go out for a spin.

This car is also ugly.

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Bryn Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Surprising that they have issued such details as the power/torque and release date yet no top speed or acceleration figures which, one would have thought, would be the ultimate selling points. Still, perhaps it doesn’t matter when almost all the 2000-strong batch have allegedly been pre-sold (?) I note that this is a table d’hote deal with no substitutions from the menu – e.g. any colour you like as long as it’s this dull grey-blue and side-orders of aircon and MFSW included – but I’d dearly love to ditch the pimp-glass rear windows from the spec.

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Eelke Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Like the GP or don’t like it, I bet there will be 2000 people eager to get one.

The point of this kind of limited edition rarely is limited (no pun intended) to selling the small(ish) number of cars actually being produced. It is mostly about image, and I don’t think Mini is doing themselves a favour with this as an image builder.

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Tom Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Paint the arches. Love the wheels, like the contrasting side view mirrors.

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SB Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Buying the MINI JCW GP is apparently not unlike buying a $300.00 necktie at Neiman Marcus … you may be the only person you know who is impressed with your purchase. Let me get this right … No choice of colors, limited options, louder interior noise level, no substantive performance increase over a standard JCW package … and a higher price, hmmm. And then there is the wing. There is just something about adding downforce the rear end of a front drive car that I have never quite grasped.

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Josh Wardell Oct 31st, 2005 Link

So the extra power is coming from simply intercooler and software tweaks? I wonder if either will be available as JCW upgrades.

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Ian F Oct 31st, 2005 Link

I think MINI is trying to come out with a unique special edition without swelling the price point beyond where most average MINI owners/lovers are at.,

True. All things considered, it’s not a bad deal. I spec’d a similar JCW w/ an absolute minimum of options and it came to $29,800 and it doesn’t include the unique wheels or “polarizing” bodywork. Don’t know if it includes any suspension upgrades.

I guess I never thought much of it as I haven’t spec’d out of JCW recently (why bother when you live so close to Helix?), but it’s not easy to get a JCW with any options under $30K. The cheapest build is $28,850.

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fishbulb Oct 31st, 2005 Link

there are some interesting touches here.

I think it is VERY interesting that they did away with the middle grill…doesn’t the 07 car do this as well? Reminds me of Samtrak’s Slick DS…. it would have been nice if it was totally smooth, rather than looking like a plug for the hole….

I like the body color grill surround…slick.

the color is cool, not overly exciting, but cool. Silver roof works well.

I typically hate 4 spoke rims, but something about these is very slick. They even look a lot like the artists drawings…

red mirror caps….why? easy enough to change…

wing…whatever. not my thing.

OVerall, the whole car just looks disjointed…like 7 designers got to add one thing to the car and not see what anyone else was doing on it.

I don’t like how un-sorted the black trim is…it starts, it stops, all in seemingly random spots. if it ran to the bottom of the front bumper, it would have been better. Also, the side sills could have been treated like the areo kit gets painted, that would have helped with the flow of the car. Plus, well, they look a little goofy….

The front bumper isn’t too bad, I like the chin spoiler.

The decal around the scoop…I am not sure. I do like the black accent inside the scoop…that is cool….

Every pic i look at, those freaking red mirror caps just scream LOOK AT THE SIDE MIRRORS!!! it is very distracting from what could be a some what sorted design….(with a few tweaks)

For me, doesn’t matter. I want the back seat, and I want the sunroof.

YMMV!

-jac

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Eelke Oct 31st, 2005 Link

For this kind of thing, I don’t think there is anything wrong with limited or no choice of colors, nor with typical weight reduction stuff like removing sound deadening. Nor with a “crazy” detail like those red wing mirrors, actually. Just seems the car is a lot more show than go, which is a shame. My biggest opbjection I think is being summarized by those that have said “Rice”… And the fact this car only has 8 BHP more than the standard Works car (ah, I get it now, this is the Cooper S Sound Kit).

I think with the youthful image they want for Mini, they could have gone overboard with the weigh reduction as well. No sound-proofing? Is that all? Loose the carpets, fit leightweight racing buckets, ditch the aircon, etc.

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CPatisaul Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Everyone keeps saying it looks “rice”, but I think it may actually be the British equivalent, “chav”

From Wikipedia: Chav

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Bryn Oct 31st, 2005 Link

If there is one thing that reactions over the past few days should have shown BMW MINI: there IS a market for a genuine lightweight. For the people who are willing to do without the sunroof and back seats, for crying out loud DO off a stripped out MINI. You think you couldn’t sell a measly 2,000 of those? Get out of here! All the dedicated MINI fans are gagging for it! Sadly, this is not the car..

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Bryn Oct 31st, 2005 Link

PS – sorry for typo: ‘off’ should read ‘offer.’ Also, note to self: must buy more exclamations marks as running short.

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C. Tate Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Recaro Sport Seats.

I’ve been dying for something stock with a litle more thigh support that still works with the airbag system. I wonder…

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Charlie Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Gabe, You’ve been uncharacteristically silent over the last couple of days. Working on Motoringfile’s styling critique of this car? When will you post it?

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O(=^=)O Capn Oct 31st, 2005 Link

engine tuning measures

Hmmn, sounds like software upgrades

Surprising that they have issued such details as the power/torque and release date yet no top speed or acceleration figures which, one would have thought, would be the ultimate selling points.

Yeah, it could be like an election where the politicians don’t drop a bomb until just before the election (release)because people would forget by then.

Buying the MINI JCW GP is apparently not unlike buying a $300.00 necktie at Neiman Marcus … you may be the only person you know who is impressed with your purchase.

LOLOLOL

nor with typical weight reduction stuff like removing sound deadening.

I thought that the S already was lacking in sound deadening, drive the two, you’ll notice a difference.

(ah, I get it now, this is the Cooper S Sound Kit).

lolo

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TBH Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Lets be serious. If this was the car some of you whiners would have wanted would you have brought it? Nope. 9 out of 10 of you have your dream Mini and something tells me that some of your moaning is simply due to jealousy or sour grapes. I am not a fan of this car but I commend them for at least putting out the effort.

Lets see… IF these specs would have come out then maybe some of you would have been happy but I doubt any of you would have ordered it: All Wheel Drive Carbon Hood Mini Branded SSR rims 300hp Any color choice Rear seats as an option Brembo Brakes Sub 2000lb weight Recaro buckets Roll cage Oh yeah and 28k out the door cause for 29,500 you can spec your own JCW MCS and get your grand daddies dad to slap some Real Ricey mods on it and get almost the same performance but no warranty coverage so when it goes up in smoke you can blame BMW/Mini for being unfair.

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Ben Oct 31st, 2005 Link

You call that light weight? 40kilos! not even 90pounds.

BOOOO! Cumon you can do alot better than that! This thing shouldhave been much closer to 2000 pounds

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Mark (Ohio) Oct 31st, 2005 Link

What an eclectic looking design. I sure hope this car looks better in person! Usually cars do but, sadly, I feel obligated to chime in that I’m also disappointed and turned off by the looks of this edition.

It reminds me of a bad looking teenage “tweener” car. By looking at it I wouldn’t have been surprised to learn they just slapped a nitrous bottle in the thing and called it a day. :(

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Gabe Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Gabe, You’ve been uncharacteristically silent over the last couple of days. Working on Motoringfile’s styling critique of this car? When will you post it?

Sorry… I’ve just been busy with other things. I’m aiming to write something later this week.

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Ginger Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Like the idea but not the execution! Would still be tempted if I had the money though.

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Gabe Oct 31st, 2005 Link

I thought that the S already was lacking in sound deadening, drive the two, you’ll notice a difference.

The MCS has a pass-through on the boot shelf to allow the exhaust note into the cabin easier. That’s the only difference btw and stock MC and MCS in terms of sound insulation.

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greg Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Gak! Hit E-bay for some chrome mirrors and you’ve got 1/3 of this ugliness licked. New wheels will be pricey and so will a regular S spoiler.

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Z4MINI Oct 31st, 2005 Link

“BOOOO! Cumon you can do alot better than that! This thing shouldhave been much closer to 2000 pounds”

Uhhh…that MINI Dragster that Gabe posted is what?…2100lbs and its all CF with no interior whatsoever. And that is perhaps the most EXTREME weight reduction out there…and it didn’t break the 2k barrier.

It’s also not the kind of car you can actually drive on the road. If you really want a 2Klb car, you are looking in the wrong place.

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minimc Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Nooooooooooooo!

All I can say is, I hope MINI decided to have a little fun ala the mock lightweight MINI article in Autoexpress.

Surely this is not the final color scheme & wheels?

Blech! The word fugly comes to mind.

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Mark (Ohio) Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Errr, I’m not expert but it is my understanding that an actual dragster or racer car needs to have a slew of required safety mods and gear that just add to the overall weight, they typically strip the cars to try to make up the difference…

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Tim Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Odd, but I think the rims look fugly when standing still, but I think they look pretty cool in motion.

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minicoopermike Oct 31st, 2005 Link

The car would work for me, but I would definitely ditch the wheels in favor the 5-spoke JCW 18s or another set of MINI wheels.

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rw Oct 31st, 2005 Link

You folks are nothing but a bunch of whiners!

“It’s not light enough… whaaaaa!” “Why didn’t they do this… whaaaa?!” “It’s ugly… whaaaaa!” “Disappointed… whaaaaa!”

Nobody is forcing you to buy this.

Go and design and build your own lightweight MINI and stop complaining.

That’s the beauty of the MINI buying experience. You can make and mod your own.

I’m sure you wouldn’t like it if folks bashed your MINI config, just because it’s not the way they like it. Have some respect for those who actually do like this car and want to buy it.

If MINI has failed at this attempt, it will show in the lack of sales.

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Z4MINI Oct 31st, 2005 Link

“I’m not expert but it is my understanding that an actual dragster or racer car needs to have a slew of required safety mods and gear that just add to the overall weight, they typically strip the cars to try to make up the difference…”

Good point, but a roll cage and fire system is usually about it for required safety equipment.

Neither weigh that much.

Probably need a fuel cell too, but that is probably a weight reduction not a gain. Don’t know if the MINI USA dragster uses a fuel cell though. maybe Gabe knows.

Remember that a stock S weighs over 2600lbs. Getting down to 2100lbs is a SERIOUS reduction in weight. Go to the gym and stack up 500lbs of plates and then try and figure where that weight would come from if it came off a MINI and still have a functional road car….it’s not an easy thing to do.

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Z4MINI Oct 31st, 2005 Link

“I’m not expert but it is my understanding that an actual dragster or racer car needs to have a slew of required safety mods and gear that just add to the overall weight, they typically strip the cars to try to make up the difference…”

Good point, but a roll cage and fire system is usually about it for required safety equipment.

Neither weigh that much.

Probably need a fuel cell too, but that is probably a weight reduction not a gain. Don’t know if the MINI USA dragster uses a fuel cell though. maybe Gabe knows.

Remember that a stock S weighs over 2600lbs. Getting down to 2100lbs is a SERIOUS reduction in weight. Go to the gym and stack up 500lbs of plates and then try and figure where that weight would come from if it came off a MINI and still have a functional road car….it’s not an easy thing to do.

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Ozbone Oct 31st, 2005 Link

At first glance this is a disappointment. Most of the mods are fluff. Not surprising really, like most car companies BMW will try to make this model work while holding or FATTENING their profit margins. Based on what we now know it appears that they have not really invested anything into weight savings – they’ve just hacked some pounds off. Do their mods justify the extra $$$ ?? Not to me. Will they have any trouble selling them ?? Probably not.

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TBH Oct 31st, 2005 Link

This is going to be a hard sell. Enthusiast are not going to buy into it given the general dissatisfaction voiced by most on this board and it is too impractical for the general public. They’ll end up as show pieces for 3 to 4 month then the bargain bin by years end.

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rob Oct 31st, 2005 Link

The official MINI USA word as presented via web 5 minutes ago states the US will get about 5 per dealer and there will NOT be Recaro seats in the US version. grr

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Charlie Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Rob, Where on the web is the information? Charlie

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JiminVirginia Oct 31st, 2005 Link

As may have been pointed out, the weight savings are roughly equal to a full tank of gas. Pretty disappointing.

But what about the stories about Bertone body panels? This isn’t it, is it? Is the real lightweight still over the horizon?

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BigBrownDog Oct 31st, 2005 Link

One word –> “al-u-min-i-um”

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ChrisW Oct 31st, 2005 Link

RW, the Web would be an awfully boring place if people didn’t air their criticisms as well as their praises, no? And as far as no one forcing us to buy this, thank the heavens that’s true. :)

The more I look at that rear wing, the more I loathe it. It should be criminal for something that looks like that to come out of the factory. Leave the tacky add-ons to the high school kids please. I think this car would be better called “The MINI Cooper S JC Whitney Edition.”

There is an upside: the limited production run will spare us from having to see this thing on the roads much, if at all.

Just remember: whenever BMW births something that offends, BLAME BANGLE! :)

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RB Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Likes:

front & rear aprons, red mirror caps, rear wing

Dissapointing:

Boresville paint scheme, Side skirts, weight, HP, wheels

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Bryn Oct 31st, 2005 Link

I am starting a campaign:

!!DITCH THE TINTS!!

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Mark Oct 31st, 2005 Link

No Air Conditioning??

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Mark Oct 31st, 2005 Link

Sorry, another source I read today said no air conditioning. This article states that it WILL have AC. Sorry…should have read it closer the first time….

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Gilbert Oct 31st, 2005 Link

So… if the original cooper s with JCW have a 210 HP what is this… 218 so they added only 8 hp for more money?

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DIOJCW Oct 31st, 2005 Link

any word on if this car is coming to australia???

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fdavid Oct 31st, 2005 Link

All I know is that I am buying that body kit if its made available. Do you guys think it will?

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M1N1GUN Oct 31st, 2005 Link

any word on if this car is coming to australia???

Yes, I assume

All I know is that I am buying that body kit if its made available. Do you guys think it will?

No

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Dennis Nov 1st, 2005 Link

I guess I don’t really care about the looks because another 2 seater is really out of the question. But, if I were looking I don’t think it looks that bad.

What I really do like are the wheels and think they will look awsome on my PW/B…I jsut hope they are available at the dealer and not just on that car.

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O(=^=)O Capn Nov 1st, 2005 Link

I don’t recall where but I think that Australia is getting 44.

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richyb Nov 1st, 2005 Link

40kgs isnt a proper weight loss more must be possible and its over priced like a typical beemer. for that price i could buy second hand evo6 and have enuff left for turbo upgrade, deafening stereo and chunky alloys .

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richyb Nov 1st, 2005 Link

to me a second hand ford sportka is a better option being much lighter. costing about 8k you’d have 14k to supercharge or turbo boost the beast :P

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isellem Nov 1st, 2005 Link

remember guys… this car has to beable to meet US and Euro crash tests… adding a carbon hood((somewhat expensive when compaired to steel stamp manufacturing) would mean that they would have to retest the cars… ohh yeah.. aluminium doors… way expensive plus) again the would have to redo side impact crash tests!

Its not always the cost of the individual cost of the part or the mod… its everything that goes with it… MINI would probably end up crashing somewhere near 20 cars if all crash tests went perfectly the first time around. That cost of 20 cars would then have to be dispursed among the limited number of cars made…

Seriously guys… think about it… you complain about the price now… if it had all of that other stuff… forget about it… the thing would be like 40g… so its either offer a car thats 88lbs lighter… for less or sell a car thats a total weight savings of 100-150 lbs but would cost deep into the 40’s… just my $.02

also roll cages do way a significant amount when dealing with racing. however their importance (no pun intended) out wieghs the actuall weight.

Also, miniusa drag car does use a fuel cell

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Eelke Nov 2nd, 2005 Link

isellem: Those are all fair points, but I’m tempted to respond: why did they bother, than? If you can’t do it properly, don’t do it at all.

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Gabe Nov 2nd, 2005 Link

isellem: Those are all fair points, but I’m tempted to respond: why did they bother, than? If you can’t do it properly, don’t do it at all.

An argument like that boggles my mind.

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Lou A. Nov 21st, 2005 Link

I got sucked into the vortex yesterday. I’m #1 on my dealer’s list.

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MotoringFile » Archive » The JCW GP Gets a Major Upgrade Jan 21st, 2006 Link

[...] [ The JCW GP - More Power, Less Weight [ MotoringFile [...]

JAG Jan 31st, 2006 Link

The spoiler in this case is really a spoiler. Not to mention the ugly wheels, over done fiber plastic, etc. It looks like it came straight out of The Fast and the Ugly, I mean and the Furious Part II.

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MotoringFile » Archive » John Cooper Works GP Kit - In Depth Apr 12th, 2006 Link

[...] [ JCW GP: More Power, Less Weight (first PR release) ] MotoringFile [...]