Autoweek Goes to the Track w/the JCW GP

GZ Dec 1st, 2006 Link

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

Reply

bluzeke Dec 1st, 2006 Link

. . . liked the closing:

Come on automakers: Make more of these really fun cars! The entire car-buying population of the Earth can’t be boring, can it?

Reply

camelpilot Dec 1st, 2006 Link

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.

Reply

iNomis Dec 2nd, 2006 Link

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.

Reply

FrankInMiami Dec 2nd, 2006 Link

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.

Reply

gz Dec 2nd, 2006 Link

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.

Reply

Zeke Dec 4th, 2006 Link

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!

Reply