Autoweek Goes to the Track w/the JCW GP

Sections: In the Press | JCW GP Dec 1st, 2006 7 Comments

Autoweek writer Mark (three articles on MINIs in one issue) Vaughn had a chance to take the JCW GP to the track and reported on it in Autoweek’s “driver’s log”. Yeah we don’t like the name of that section either. But hey, it’s a great read so we can’t complain. Here’s an excerpt:

I drove three laps around the big course at Willow Springs International Motorsports Park (ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œThe Fastest Road in the WestÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â) in the Mini Cooper S JCW GP during the Motor Press GuildÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s annual track day. Just before that I drove a regular Cooper S, and a few weeks before that IÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢d driven the all-new, bigger-and-badder 2007 Mini Cooper at that carÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s introduction. Out of all of the above, IÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢d say give me that Mini GP. It was like a whole other car.

The Cooper S began to wander around the track just a little when I pushed it up over triple-digit speeds, but the GP felt as sure of itself as a delusional world leaderÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬”and maybe just as powerful. That 214 hp is 46 more than even the Cooper S. In something as small and light as a Mini, thatÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s like adding two more cylinders, throwing another log on the fire, hit me with a double, barkeepÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬”ka-blammy!ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬”all at the same time.

You can read the rest here:

[ MINI JCW GP Driver's Log ] Autoweek

Written By: Gabe

GZ

Nice review. Makes me wonder what the next JCW will be like. Even better than the GP I hope.
bluzeke

. . . liked the closing:

Come on automakers: Make more of these really fun cars! The entire car-buying population of the Earth canÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t be boring, can it?
camelpilot

Peoples expectations that the “Next” JCW be better than the current JCW is somewhat ammusing to me.

I guess it’s because alot of people still don’t realise that the R56 was not a project brought about for improvement of a model, but more for cost of manufacture. BMW’s yearly goal of being 15% more cost efficient doesn’t always mean the next or “new” model will be better than the last.

Don’t forget that GZ.

In fact, the R56 will have to work VERY hard to be anywhere as near as good as an R53 GP.

Also, for your information, the JCW GP was not just another model, but more of a final tribute to an excellent car. (The R53, may it R.I.P)

If only more people realized that.
iNomis

BMWs goal is for every car to be better than the last in the same price point. The fact that current R56 owners say their new MCSs are better than their last generation is testament to the results. I beleive some have said it is close to the old JCW. Why would you think that BMW could not take a superior platform(R56) and make similar changes to get a car better than the GP? Do you think it was just dumb luck or magic the first time? I would not be surprized to hear that the GP project was helped from R56 engineering.

BMW builds the best car it can for your dollars. (As every car company does.) The less it spends on bonnets with fixed headlights the more it can spend on suspension and torque. I wish more people would realize this.
FrankInMiami

I have no reason to believe the R56 is an inferior car to its immediate predecessor. My “caveats” with the R56 are ,are mostly in terms of the overall design of the package. The car still doesn’t look “right” to my eyes due to some of the compromises BMW had to make with the design to make it meet new safety regulations. It has a “cartoonish” look and the big gaping “fish mouth” center grille and “fish eye” headlights still bother me. The tall center beltline and the taller ride height are not of my liking either.

I personally think it is a daunting challenge to better or improve on a masterpiece of design that was the R50 MINI drawn by Frank Stephenson.
gz

Cameljocky. Please note the excellent point made by iNomis about BMW (i.e. Z-4 upgrading from 225 HP to 255 at the same price). Mini/JCW has less expensive competitors (Civic SI,VW GLI)so BMW will step up.

And don’t you forget that the turbo engine has greater potential for upgrades vs. the supercharger per past MF posts.The R56 is an improved car whether you like the new styling or not.

If more people realized that.
http://whitemaleconsumer.com Zeke

R56 JCW will likely be pretty freakin’ amazing.

Doesn’t mean I’ll be getting an R56. For the cost of selling my depreciated ’06 and buying an ’08-’09 JCW, I could make the ’06 into a much better car. And it’ll look nicer and whine to boot!

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