JCW GP Specifications Leaked

Sections: JCW GP | R56 (Hatch) Sep 4th, 2012 41 Comments

Thanks to MF reader Shihab we have our first official look at the JCW GP final specifications. As at least a couple of us predicted back at MINI United, the JCW GP will have 218 hp in Euro trim with final US figures to be announced later this month. 0-60 comes .2 seconds quicker compared to the standard JCW. Another key fact that we uncovered at MU that’s confirmed here; non runflats will be standard on the JCW GP. The GP will be hitting the ground with some massive negative camber thanks to a fully adjustable suspension that’s similar to those found in the Porsche GT3 or M3 GTS.

Also interesting is the small selection of optional equipment. However, we’ve been tipped off to expect most everything here will be standard on the US spec model meaning only a couple (if any) options for the US market.

We will have much more when MINI releases the full details shortly. Until then check it all out below and then read on for more of the story behind the car.

Unlike the previous GP, MINI took their time to bring this car to market. Developed over the course of two years, testers used both the ‘Ring and public roads to create the best possible combination of extreme performance and livability. The entirely new JCW suspension improves on the after-sales kit by lowering the car further and giving it better body control on the track. Like-wise we’re told six piston front brakes are a decided improvement over the already good four-pots on the standard JCW.

MINI also partnered with Khumo to develop a specific 17″ tire for this GP that offers better grip and ride qualities than any previous tire that size has offered. Why 17s rather 18s? According to MINI the revised JCW suspension is so aggressive that the 18s were deemed too rough.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the GP is the aero work that has gone into the car. MINI has closed off the underside of the car (using bespoke parts and one or two from the Cooper SD) to create better air flow and less lift. This coupled with the rather dramatic rear diffuser allows the car to stay far better planted at speed than any MINI other than MINI Challenge race-car. They also tweaked the front aero (just in front of the tires) to allow for better air-flow and less drag and lift. It may not look it, but we’re told that these changes in total create a substantially improved car over the standard JCW.

MINI United Debut Photos

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Official GP Photos

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Written By: Gabe

James

Reading the specs, I feel like it would be cheaper than I anticipated… maybe just below $40k. I’m a little disappointed… I thought it’d be alot different than the regular JCW. regardless, i’m still excited.
- RedAFMINI
  
  I’m very excited too, wish they were coming sooner. I do have one question, though. Why are they offering the digital radio option if we’re only going to get door speakers? I’ll probably end up with it, but just curious. Excited to finally have more information, seems like the weeks are dragging by.
  - b-
    
    The way I understood it was that the HD radio And XM were just software now and that is why my future roadster will have an extra hole to fill in because I will remove the receiver.
Kurtster

Why are the weights the same between this and a standard JCW? This has no back seats. It has carbon fiber stuff. It has custom wheels that I presume are lighter. Where’s all that extra weight coming from?

Good news on the A/C front. Happy it has a JCW shift knob and leather dash. Glad I can get Bluetooth and USB. 218hp seems about 5hp less than I’d hoped for but it’ll do. Bummed about no premium sound but I can fix that. :-)
R.Burns

Same weight, same power A demonstration that the suspension of the Mini is not efficient, compared to a real sport suspension
Stephen MacArthur

Nurburgring lap time is now a specification? Gimme a break.
- http://bridger.us/ Gabriel Bridger
  
  Agreed.
http://www.facebook.com/tryon.lippincott Tryon Lippincott

It is still not doing it for me. The only thing I like is the chamber adjustments.
walk0080

I love my JCW, but no way I would pay even more $$ over a JCW for a FWD car with just 218hp. Really surprised they are doing such minimal HP increases. I think the price of a new GP will put it too far into the realm of what some consider ‘proper’ sports cars (i.e. RWD front or mid-engined), particularly lightly used ones. I would go for a used Cayman over the new GP but that is just my opinion. Of course MINI will do such a limited run that it will be considered a ‘success’ when they sell them all.
hoq1

a little dissapointed by the HP numbers, but I figured weight savings would (kinda) make-up for it…. but it weighs the same?!? Limited edition status aside… does anyone hear honestly believe that a near $40k price will be justified?
Brian

As much as I understand that the Mini is lighter than most of its competition, you can’t have your most performance oriented model and boast 218hp. I do appreciate all the extra Aero engineering. You could gain a lot of time on the ring with a standard JCW if you put on the same super sticky tires that come on the GP. However, they will probably last you only 3000 miles.
BimmerFile_Michael

I now understand why they scrapped the coupe and are boasting ‘Ring numbers. This is a vehicle with little substance and a lot of marketing. I don’t care how much faster it is around the ‘Ring- that is a function mostly of having barely legal street tires on there. Heck- I’d bet that the base JCW would be within a few seconds just with a tire swap.

The lack of an engine tune greater than they did (which is more than likely the exhaust/intake) is just a poor showing. BMW is adding larger coolers, forged cranks and software to get more HP out of its NON M models and MINI’s pinnacle of performance gets what? It loses no weight and is wearing smaller lighter wheels, sheds its back seat and sound deadening.

They are riding the reputation of the previous model on this and that can only do so much.

I had high hopes for this car and was honestly considering getting one (a used M5 wagon is also on the list) but there is zero chance of my money going in this direction.

Has anyone heard of the Renault Megane RS…. that is the car to get.

Disclaimer: I speak for myself (as always) and may or may not express the same opinions of others that represent this website or this website as a whole.
- R.Burns
  
  You are wrong because lot of work has been done on the chassis and aero (the car would not have been faster with 250hp)
  - BimmerFile_Michael
    
    Can’t disagree more because nothing has been done to the chassis, they put an aftermarket coil over kit and thicker sway bars- big deal. They didn’t recast anything, they didn’t really do anything a local shop couldn’t do. The rear aero is from the Challenge car basically they didn’t change the front. and they managed to make the one thing it didn’t need better- the brakes. The car has low HP and Low weight so why on earth does it need six pots? It doesn’t unless it was going to have more HP. The 1M in all its glory doesn’t even have six pots.
    
    This car was built by the marketing folks NOT the engineers.
- John
  
  I agree Michael, this car is very underwhelming. To be honest, shouldn’t the regular JCW have these kind of figures? Especially the “functional” aerokit…I don’t understand why it can’t be more functional in the first place.
  
  I wish they did all of the modifications and had the same mindset as the 2006 GP with weightloss, then the numbers would have been more impressive.
  
  Sigh…
- Kurtster
  
  Nice Renault…if you live somewhere other than the U.S.
Bob Hayhurst

Gabe, not having seen where or how this spec sheet came to be; does it strike you as (no disrespect to Mr. Shihab) being correct in terms of numbers? I say that because of what I see as a disparity in the weight between JCW and GP in that there is no weight difference listed. Toss out the back seat, eliminate the rear wiper motor and I can imagine/guess a 50-55 lb difference all other things being equal. For the specs to list the 0-100 kp/h time noting a .2 difference, fuel consumption difference per liter but not note any reduction in the weight of the GP just seems out of sorts. Don’t get me wrong; it weighs what it weighs. I suppose every ounce of weight in the GP was accounted for and had to be proven nessesary; but in this vehicle, weight is the enemy. With the HP/torque being more or less the same as JCW, performance increases come from less tonnage to carry around. For it to weigh the same as JCW doesn’t seem quite right. Is it posible that the larger brake caliper/rotors offset the rear seat delete weight savings, I wonder aloud?
- Shihab
  
  Hello,
  
  This is Shihab. I got my spec sheet from my local dealer in the UAE. I have also just attached scans of the catalogue. Go here http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/r56-hatch-talk-2007/236822-2013-mini-gp-order-sheet.html#post3583201
  - Bob Hayhurst
    
    Thanks Shihab…no disrespect aimed your way at all; just that sometimes the Internet can be a bit unreliable especially when it comes to numbers but I see where you got the spec sheet. It’s the specs them selves that I found troubling not your reporting them. No worry…
HH

Question! (assuming there are lots of experts here…I don’t know too much about cars) The only huge difference I see here is the negative camber… which, as far as I know, its great for tracks and fast corners. I do love to throw my cars around corners but I don’t ever really take my car to the track… so that being said, do I necessarily need a GP or would I be happy with a JCW? also considering the price difference. And isn’t negative camber bad for the tires too?

I do have money down for a GP but I think I’m just might get the regular JCW…
- Kurtster
  
  For now I’m sticking with my GP order but I agree with the disappointment in the weight and HP. Whenever I configure a JCW with everything I want it comes out to about $39k-$40k. I think the GP will hold its value better than a standard model but I’ll have to do without some of the luxuries I would order on a JCW. For me, there are no other cars at this price with what I want, as most of the alternatives I would consider are not FWD or AWD, which I want for the snowy climate I live in. The TTS is the only thing close for me, and to spend around $52k for a car that lacks the character of the MINI and the community that surrounds it just isn’t as appealing to me as the GP is.
  - James
    
    I totally agree… unless its a Porsche or an M3, I really don’t have any other alternatives to consider. Maybe an S4 but… that’s another $15k for not much more… I just did my JCW configuration and its about 39k also… lol. So hopefully GP isn’t far off. would you be swapping out the summer performance tires for the winter season?
    - Kurtster
      
      Yeah, I’ll buy it with some winter wheels and tires then when spring comes the fun will begin. :-) I drive a 2000 Z3 M Roadster in the summer. If that thing had AWD I probably wouldn’t be in the market for a MINI, but my wife has a Clubman and I sold my ’06 MCS this year and I miss being a MINI owner. I think having this as a second car will greatly reduce the amount of miles I put on both cars and extend their drivability for me. We’ll have to share notes once they arrive.
  - BimmerFile_Michael
    
    I would argue that RWD is better in the winter with a set of dedicated snows and a 50lbs bag of sand in the trunk over the rear axel than anything FWD.
    
    Going up hills all the weight shifts to the rear of the car regardless where the weight originally is and in a FWD car that means the drive wheels have less weight on them than they should hence why they often get stuck on hills. That is also great for RWD since those are the drive wheels.
    
    There is a reason the Germans have been driving RWD cars with snows for eternity and the Porsche and Beetle were designed the way they were. FWD is just a packaging mechanism that yields more interior volume.
    
    The 50/50 weight balance of a BMW for example is also much more controllable when there is limited traction.
    
    The GP has such limited ground clearance it would not be the best in the snow anyways…
    
    Just saying :)
    - Kurtster
      
      So should I cancel my GP order and give you a call the first time the ass end of my shiny new Cayman swings around into a snow plow? :-) What you are saying sounds logical and makes sense to me on paper but my own positive experiences with my last MINI in the snow, combined with the character, feel and plain old fun of being a part of the MINI community make me very reluctant to cancel my order and buy something else because someone on a forum suggested I’ll be fine doing so.
      
      My ’04 MCS with Blizzaks was a beast in the snow. I have lived in New England for 7 years. I’ve driven home in a Nor’easter that took me 7.5 hours to get home from work and passed about 6 RWD cars stuck on I-93 in that storm. Maybe Germans are just better drivers than I am, but I love the way the MINI feels on all surfaces, and I don’t feel nearly as in control with a RWD car on snow. Unless the GP comes with a warning sticker telling me it’s not suitable for cold weather climates, I’m inclined to buy it.
- Kurtster
  
  I’m sure the JCW would be boatloads of fun. The sound great, they feel great and to me, they feel faster than they actually are, especially when you’re redlining it with the window down. Whether the GP is right for you is, I think, personal taste.
  
  I don’t subscribe to the philosophy that some MINI enthusiasts have that the GP should only be bought by people who want to run it on a track. I think if that were the case they shouldn’t create a marketing campaign to the public, they should just sell it to race teams and call it a day. It’s made for the public and specifically for MINI enthusiasts who want to squeeze every last drop of performance out of the current JCW model.
  
  I’m certain of one thing about the GP: it will retain its resale value extremely well. I sold my loaded ’04 JCW with 165k miles on it for $8k. I paid $30k for it. I was impressed that it held its value so well. That wasn’t even a special edition of any kind.
  
  I think people who love both the MINI and sports cars in general will always find the GP desirable because there are so few being made and only a little over 400 people in the U.S. will be able to say, “I’ve got one”. and get thumbs up from other MINI drivers who know the model. IMO, if having a special edition doesn’t have value to you then you can get more creature comforts in a JCW for about the same money and still get 95% of the experience. So far, I’m in for a GP, but I’m wild about the MINI brand in general and I love being a two-MINI family (my wife has a Clubman).
brt356

This car will be faster, lighter, better at braking and cornering, and out perform any Mini that has ever come off their assembly line. If you’re a car guy/gal, you’ve got to applaud Mini for even offering this gem. Yeah, this car will be expensive, costing more than what a reasonable person should pay for a Mini. But for some, buying a car like this or any other 2 seat sports car for that matter, is never a rational decision. It’s a decision that comes from loving every ounce of shear driving fun such a car provides. I own a 2010 GT3 and a factory 2009 JCW, and let me tell you that the JCW is just as fun a driving experience as my GT3. Sure, it doesn’t have the amazing Metzger engine sounds or acceleration that the GT3 offers, but it’s just as fun to drive, especially on back country, curvy roads. Most performance cars from Italy, USA, or Germany can’t be driven at their full potential here in this country – but with a GP, you’ll be able to experience most of what that car has to offer and almost be within legal limits! (: I, for one, am willing to stand in line for the opportunity to buy one of these gems.

Read more: http://wot.motortrend.com/small-swansong-mini-confirms-another-gp-model-187659.html#ixzz25YMvp5ST
brt356

This car will be faster, lighter, better at braking and cornering, and out perform any Mini that has ever come off their assembly line. If you’re a car guy/gal, you’ve got to applaud Mini for even offering this gem. Yeah, this car will be expensive, costing more than what a reasonable person should pay for a Mini. But for some buying a car like this or any other 2 seat sports car for that matter, is never a rational decision. It’s a decision that comes from loving every ounce of shear driving pleasure this car provides. I own a GT3 and a factory 2009 JCW, and let me tell you that the JCW is just as fun a driving experience as my 2010 GT3. Sure it doesn’t have the Metzger engine sounds or acceleration that the GT3 offers, but it’s just as fun to drive, especially on back country roads. Most performance cars from Italy, USA, or Germany can’t be driven at their full potential in this country – but with a GP, you can experience most of what that car has to offer and almost be within legal limits! (: I, for one, am willing to stand in line for the opportunity to buy one of these gems.

Read more: http://wot.motortrend.com/small-swansong-mini-confirms-another-gp-model-187659.html#ixzz25YOsEUfq
- BimmerFile_Michael
  
  @brt356:disqus Can I ask why on earth you would link to a Motor Trend story that was a rehash of what was a press release? MF reported on the GP moths before the mainstream media had a clue what was going on or there was a press release.
  
  Feel free to check out the GP section of the site here:
  
  http://www.motoringfile.com/section/jcw-gp/
  - brt356
    
    Not sure how that happened – MF is actually my preferred source of Mini info. Comment was edited to remove the unintended link…
Erik Rutberg

I’m going ahead and saying the weight is not correct. I ended up receiving 3 different window stickers, with corrections on each, after I picked up my GP at MTTS, Jersey City in 2006. They never even gave HP or 0-60 figures, they were just quoted as more than and less than the regular JCWs.

While not much weight may have been lost, there is no way they have the same exact weight with all the changes. I expect to see an updated sheet before delivery.

Are the coil overs going to have adjustable height or just firmness and camber settings? Would love to be able to raise it a little and use it in the winter too.
- http://bridger.us/ Gabriel Bridger
  
  I agree. I believe the weight isn’t final hence why we didn’t me ruin it in the article.
Jerry

Based on the ho-hum numbers, this car needs an entirely new motor than the S powerplant. I think you’ve wrung out just about as much hp/torque as you can out of it.
SVAN

Without 2TA? Not good…
SVAN

??? ?? ????? ????????, ??? ?? ? ?????? ??? ????? GP ????????? ?? ?????? ?????????? ? ??????????? ???????. ???????? ?????. ???? ????? ?? ? ????????? ??????? – ? ???? ? ??????? ??????? ?????????. ??? ??? ???? BMW ?????? ? MINI ?? ?????????????????? ??? ?????? ??????. ???.

????????? ???? ??????, ?????????????? GP ????????? ???? ????? JCW ? Challenge. GP ?? ?? ?????? ????, ????? ?? ??? ??????. ?????? ? ???????????? GP ?????? ????? ??? ???????. ?? ????-???? ?????????? ??? ?? ?????. ??? ??? ??????? ?? ????????? ??????????, ????? JCW ???????? ???????? “???????????” ??????? MINI, ? GP ?????? street-legal ???????? ???????????. ? ????? ?????????? ??????? ? ????? ?????, ? ?? ???????????? ??????. ????? ? ?????? ?????? ?? ????? ???????? ????????? JCW ??? ?????, ??? ?????? ?????? ? ????? GP. ??? ??????? GP ?????: ??????? – ???, ?????? ?????. ????? ? ???????????? ???????????? ?????. ???? ??????????, ??? ????????. ??????? ???. ??????????? – ?????????? ?????. ?????? ???????? ??????????. ???????? ??????? ???. ?????? ???. ??????? ?????? ????????. ???????????? ??????????. ?????? ????? ????????. ??????????? ???????, ??????, ???.?????????, ????????????, ??.??????????? ??????, ?????????????? ???. ??????? – ?????. ???? ???. ?????????? ????. ???????? ?????????? ?????. ????? ?????? ?????? ???????. ????? ?????????, ???????????? ???????????? ????????: ?????????? ???????, ?????????? ?????, ???????? ?????, ??????????? ???????, ??????????? ??????. ?? ??????? (?????????) ????? ? ??????? ? ???? ??????, ?????, ?????? ??? ???????????, ????? ??????????? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ? ?? ?????. ????????? ? ???????? – ????????, ?? ???????????????. ????? ??? ??????. ????????? ????????? ?? ????????? ? JCW ???????????????.

????? GP ??? ?? ??? ?????????.
James

I just saw this… some interior pictures. It looks SUPER basic… gonna need at least JCW steering wheel.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-mini-john-cooper-works-gp-revealed
- James
  
  If what it says is correct… its about 28,790 british pounds, which is about 46k… omg…
  - Kurtster
    
    If it’s $46k in the US, I’ll be buying a JCW Coupe instead.
    - http://bridger.us/ Gabriel Bridger
      
      It’s not.
  - Kurtster
    
    Come to think of it, for $46k I’m sure you could get a dealer to unload one of the Goodwood models that are sitting on showroom floors across the country right now and there’s only 1000 of those made so it’s even more rare than the GP (and it was built with Rolls Royce and has HK and MINI Connected w/Navigation. Just sayin…
- anonymous
  
  And I thought my jokes were bad…

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