Like the Megane, I think it should be equiped with cage, race seats, 4 point harness, carbon panels, Brembo brakes, trick suspension, R888 tyres, etc.

But that is years down the road when that car might be available. Between now and then, I will continue to tweak my JCW and change my mind.

Time will tell

Here are my opinions of what should be done:

KEEP the seats in the back. This is a mini, not a Porsche or Ferrari. Maybe a light weight rear seat could be developed.

PUT lightweight Recaro’s in front (porsche now offers them with airbags)

Give the option of AC and Radio deletes. Even the S2000 CR had that ability.

USE carbon fiber for the hood and roof. The new M3 coupe has a CF roof panel.

USE aluminum for doors, hatch and suspension components. The E36 M3 LTW had alum. doors and the old GP has alum. trailing arms.

USE lightweight interior door panels, perhaps dump the power windows, locks and mirrors too. Remove all cup holders, pockets, storage bins, etc.

Perhaps dump the power steering?!. Porsche did this on the RS America I believe.

Maybe delete the side curtain airbags.

No rear wiper or defroster.

Lightweight wheels as suggested above.

Limited sound deadening and light weight carpet. Maybe not apply the undercoating either.

Power boost, with better brakes, suspension and Aerodynamics should be a given. Suspension, Sway bars and spoilers should all be adjustable. Perhaps gear the trans a little different and give it shorter shifter throws too.

Maybe, just maybe, thinner glass.

Add some extra welds at the weak points of the car to make it stiffer.

Roll the damn fenders and get some wider tires under it.

Give some color choices this time. One off colors like viper green, ferrari fly yellow, Orange, etc..

I’m not stupid. I know that implementing all of these changes would result in the car needing to have new crash testing done to it so it could be sold in the US. But in the 30K to 40K range this car is going to face some stiff competion when it comes out like the 370Z, 135i, new GTI in the fall and I’m sure a new RX8 and update Civic Si has to be in the works too. A limited high performance edition has to beat the competions base model offerings at a minimum.

Lets not forget cars like the Cobalt SS and Mazdaspeed 3 that offer tremendous value for the $ (even though the cobalt is a POS on the inside).

Conclusion, I’d pay 37K if I new I could get the car I described above and it would hands down beat the competition listed.

Don’t make me decide.That’s your dilemma?

Easy.

Buy a JCW Clubman S now, and trade it in to buy a 2nd Gen GP when it comes out in 2 or 3 years. :-P

@ edge: I’m on my 3rd MINI. Right now, I’ve got my autographed early delivery GP (yay, me ;) ). The other half will flat out kill me if I try & may the case that I need 2 more MINIs in the next two years.

Maybe go for John Cooper Works Mini Cooper S with the Flying Finn kit. ;)

Mini FF

Plus they need to feed Todds indignant phase as much as possible to contrast it properly with his revelation phase, so we have plenty of fuel to remind him when he settles into his What, I knew it all along phase way down the line… :P

Yes, I will be critical at first and then probably buy one in the end. ; )

2011, eh? Hmm…

I predict that it will be deja vu all over again. First and foremost, it will be a street machine. It won’t be much more than a factory JCW with minor tweaks and a unique body kit, just like the original GP was. Not that this would be such a bad thing, as you can see with the original GP.

I also think making it out of multiple platforms would seriously hinder its uniqueness. Just my opinion however.