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No sooner has BMW released details of the long rumoured 'hardcore' Mini Cooper S Works GP than one enterprising independent tuning firm has announced its own bargain priced equivalent. The Cooper S HIT is the brainchild of popular tuning firm MiniTweak of Watford and the company claims it will be more than a match for the lightened, more powerful factory effort. "Our first job was to extract more power from the engine," says MiniTweak boss Flimsby Conbdthwike. "So, to offer a bhp increase in line with what BMW have achieved what we've done is to retain the existing supercharger but to mount it in series with a small child's windmill, such as one might buy at a garden centre".

Although MiniTweak claim that this modification is unique to their tuning package, a quick look at the official Works GP power increase suggests BMW may have done something very similar. However, the GP isn't just about barely more power; it's also about weight reduction, and Conbdthwike is confident that here too his company can match the factory's efforts with their lightening programme. "To achieve the kind of weight loss that BMW has managed with the Works GP takes almost some doing," he confesses. "But I think we've managed it. First of all, we take out the back seat and throw it away. Then we go to the pub. It was a lot of effort, but we think it was worth it.".

And there's more of that biting English sarcasm at the link:

[ The Lighter, Shter Wat to Enjoy a MINI ] Sniff Petrol

Here's the official word from Pete:

We suffered a bit of disruption from hurricane Wilma and still have no electrical service but are working with a generator to stay open. We'll rush to get all back-orders filled as fast as we can. I was never a camper (my idea of "camping out is a Holiday Inn!) and this is getting a bit old! Please bear with us - we thank you for your continued support and patronage!

Pete is one of the truly good guys out there in the MINI world so we're definitely pulling for him to get up and running as soon as possible.

The site also allows you to create your own artwork for others to enjoy. While these aren't downloadable, they definitely worth checking out.

[ RoofStudio ] MINIUSA

Well I took the plunge. I’m the proud owner of a brand new 2005 MCS JCW. (I have no wife and kids, so I could get away with the JCW package!).

Ya know, I’ve wanted a Mini for some time now. I knew I liked the cars. I knew I’d enjoy driving one, but what I didn’t realize was just how much I’d enjoy it.

I’m a full time Macintosh consultant and part time photographer working in the Los Angeles, Hollywood area. I drive the streets of Los Angeles daily. I previously drove a BMW Z3 which I loved, but after nearly 10 years, it was getting a bit long in the tooth, harder to maintain, and much of the joy was no longer present. I began researching a new car.

It turned out that all of my requirements for a vehicle were met by the Mini. So I bid my reliable old Z3 farewell, and stepped into the Mini. My perception of automobiles has now been changed forever. Let me explain.

Los Angeles is a malevolent maze of horrible roads, some say the worst in the nation. It’s an insurmountable grid designed in hell. The concept of rush hour is made moot by the fact that it is always rush hour. Bumper to bumper traffic, morons in SUVs, red lights, horns, mindless pedestrians, countless busses, non-stop road construction, clogged freeways, and no left turn signs, are only a smattering of the obstacles commuters deal with on a day to day basis. Controlling road rage leaves one with a level of stress probably comparable to battle fatigue in some cases. And what has the esteemed new Mayor of Los Angeles offered us as a solution? More traffic cops.

Consider driving in Los Angeles and you know that it is not of minor consequence when I report that the Mini Cooper has somehow made this all fun again! This car is a British Racing Green, fire breathing, hyper agile, urban Euro-ninja. It is definitely quicker than my Z3 2.8 was. After a week of driving it, I can honestly say this car was built for Los Angeles. It traverses the irrationality of our infrastructure as easily as platitudes roll off the tongue of the new mayor.

I can’t wait to get back out there now! The car is highly responsive and that can make a difference of 20 minutes to an hour when I make a split second decision to take a side street rather than a major boulevard.

Driving isn’t the only difficult part of commuting in Los Angeles. They’ve essentially created a city in which you cannot go anywhere without lugging your automobile with you, and THEN they dare you to park it. Leave it anywhere for just a minute too long, and a member of the LA Troll army will pounce and slap you with a fine for anywhere between $40 and $80. It’s so bad that I consider parking tickets just part of the cost of doing business in Los Angeles and find ways to charge back for them. The Mini makes parking easier as well though. It fits nicely into small places and still leaves room for gargantuan SUV doors to swing open without necessarily leaving a dent.

And the milage! A tank of gas lasts much, much longer! The Z3 was going through $3.30/gallon gasoline like there was no tomorrow. The Mini holds more gas, and it burns it much more slowly.

In short, I am blown away.

I now completely understand the obsession.

Sincerely,
Marvin L. Price

And the press releases just don't stop about MINI United. This one is from the fine folks at MINI UK:

The first international MINI United festival took place this weekend in Italy and 6000 MINI fans attended from more than 40 countries.Most people made the journey in their own car meaning nearly 2000 new MINIs and classic Minis crowded the Santa Monica racetrack in Misano.

Over 250 MINI owners travelled the 1000-mile journey from the UK joining owners from Thailand, Japan, Australia as well as their European counterparts. The award for the longest drive went to Dimitri Kotov from Moscow who drove 2200 miles to be at MINI United.

The three days of entertainment started on Friday 28 October, and included stunt shows, karting, helicopter rides, blading, live music and dance acts that kept the party going until the early hours of Sunday morning. Yet, the main focus was on the track. Whether owners took to the circuit in their own MINIs, experienced a lap with a professional racing driver or watched the MINI Challenge races.

The fastest drivers from the national MINI Challenge Series’ went head-to-head in four different disciplines to find the inaugural world champion. Drivers from ten countries including the UK, USA, Germany, Finland and Bahrain competed in a challenging few days of karting, slalom, off-road trials and MINI racing to achieve the highest points overall.

The first MINI Challenge world champion title went to Maxime Martin from Belgium. Swedish and Austrian drivers finished second and third place, while the winner of the Scottish MINI Challenge managed to get in the top ten taking seventh place out of 20 competitors. The top English competitor came twelfth.

Another highlight of the weekend was a special sneak preview of the new MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit and the chance to speak to the designers about the lighter, more powerful MINI. Only 2000 will be built and will go on sale next July.

The final race of the weekend saw ex-Formula One drivers, Touring Car champions and Monte Carlo winners line up on the grid in identical 210bhp MINI Cooper S’ with the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit. Despite the casual remarks before the race, the inherent competitive spirit of racing drivers filled the atmosphere and FIA World Touring Car Champion Alessandro Zanardi took a close finish, happy to win in his home country.

(MINI UK)

For those who just can't get enough, here's the more detailed version of press release from MINI USA:

Glorious autumn sunshine lit up the MINI United event 2005 - the first official annual meeting of MINI fans from around the world - at the Misano racing circuit near Rimini. Some 6,000 visitors from more than 40 countries were there to lap up the three days of lifestyle and motorsport-inspired ambience and events.

Most of the MINI aficionados arrived in the Adriatic in their own cars, with over 1,900 MINI models - both historical and of more recent vintage - making the journey. A group of 80 British MINI enthusiasts, for example, incorporated MINI United into their annual pilgrimage to Italy following in the tyre tracks of the hit film "The Italian Job". Dimitri Kotov took the honours for the longest distance travelled, spreading the 3,660-kilometre journey from his home in Moscow to Italy over five days. Ho Hang On, meanwhile, came all the way from Hong Kong to attend the event - albeit by plane. The proud owner of the 700,000th new-generation MINI was presented with a model car in a symbolic hand-over ceremony. The jury gave the "Best of Show" award to a MINI fitted with gullwing-style doors and powered by a 177-kW (240-bhp) engine.

The visitors to Misano enjoyed three days of fun and entertainment inspired by the MINI brand. On the agenda were everything from design workshops to MINI Collection fashion shows, with the laid-back atmosphere and parties - featuring live music from renowned international artists including British DJ Sonique - contributing to the success of the event. On display for the fans were a variety of famous MINI models - including the special-edition Bisazza and Missoni-inspired versions, a MINI in XXL stretch limousine trim and the cars of David Bowie and Michael Caine - and an exclusive world premiere of the MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Tuning Kit. This particularly lightweight version of the MINI Cooper S brings the MINI Challenge ambience from the racetrack to the road.

Among the numerous activities on and off the track were "taxi rides" alongside professional drivers in a MINI Cooper S, driver safety training, helicopter tours, karting for all-comers and the chance to complete a few laps in your own MINI on the "Circuito Santamonica". Belgian Maxime Martin is the first MINI Challenge world champion.

The sporting highlight of the event was the MINI Challenge World Final, in which the 20 fastest drivers in the various MINI Clubsport series battled it out for the official world championship title. The drivers went head-to-head in four different disciplines - races and a slalom test in the MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works Tuning Kit, a test of skill over a quad driving course and karting competition back on the track. Belgium's Maxime Martin took the title ahead of Fredrik Lestrup (Sweden) and Johannes Stuck (Austria).

MINI United boiled to a spectacular climax in the shape of the Special Guest Race, in which 17 celebrity MINI enthusiasts in technically identical MINI Cooper S cars went head to head. Among the stars lining up on the grid were ex-Formula One drivers Christian Danner (Germany), Paolo Barilla (Italy) and Marc Surer (Switzerland), former touring car world champion Roberto Ravaglia (Italy), Finnish "Rally Professor" Rauno Aaltonen (winner of the 1967 Rallye Monte Carlo in a Mini), Italian singer Max Gazzè and twice ChampCar champion Alessandro Zanardi. The Italian, one of the leading drivers in the FIA World Touring Car Championship, came out on top after a thrilling battle with German MINI Challenge 2004 champion Alexander Burgstaller. "Una vittoria speziale," beamed Zanardi. "This victory is something very special for me."

(MINI USA)

Now that the JCW GP Works Kit is out, everyone seems to be a critic. So here's the challenge we're giving to MotoringFile readers. How would you change the JCW GP? What would you add? What would you take out? How and to whom would you market it? Let's here it all; specs, production numbers, and price.

And lets try to keep it all fairly realistic. For instance an all carbon fiber car would (A) not be easily homologated in most countries and (B) sell for no less than $50k.

(MINI USA Press)

I just came back and the next few days look busy so I won't be able to write a proper wrap-up. But I wanted to share at last my pictures and a few highlights that made this weekend very special. You can check out the photos here.

• The first beautiful sunny Friday morning when we drove on small twisty roads towards the “Berner Boden” an elevated plain in the Alps. From there we crossed the “Klausenpass” (6404 ft) and drove down to the entrance of the “St. Gotthard” tunnel.
• Roberto & Sylvia and Sylvio and his girls showed some Italian hospitality when guiding us through the traffic on the Italian motorway and especially through Bologna inner city. There we enjoyed the old town quarter after finding a trusty garage to park our MINIs in.
• A truly great event at Santa Monica Race Track, meeting a lot of people form all over the world and making new friends.
• Lunch in Rimini on Saturday at “Osteria del Porto”, Fresh home-made pasta and fish that has jumped from the Mediterranean straight into the oven.
• The drive back north on Sunday. We didn’t organise anything but a multi-national parade of MINIs self-emerged on the motorway until we had to drive off at Como.

Looking forward to the next MINI UNITED
Philip

[ MINI United Photos ] Philip Hubertus

Q: What made you decide to start a North American MINI magazine?

My decision came after my late 2004 research into the potential for a MINI Cooper magazine as a business venture. Starting a MINI magazine looked strong, so I started talking to everyone involved in the MINI hobby and business early this year. I found editor Gary Anderson in April (thanks Mike!), and haven't looked back since then.  

I've been fortunate to make some great business and personal relationships with just about everyone involved in the MINI community, from our advertisers to many club personnel that have become our private "think tank" these last few months. It's been an E-ticket ride, with the help of too many to list here.

Q: How did the name MC² come to be?

Knowing from years of experience about using Trademarked or Copyrighted brand names, Gary and I were batting names for the magazine around (we had over 30 we liked), and the lightbulb went on for us both. MC² stands for the brand, the two model heritages, and certainly tested well with friends and every miniac we had input from. Yes, we know there’s dozens of MC² used, but they are engineering, design and other fields of endeavors, not magazine publishing. Besides MC² is certainly memorable!

Q: What can we expect from the magazine in the first year?

From our debut issue, the editorial content of MC² will reflect the fun, versatility, and independence that the Mini/MINI brand has always represented. Each issue will focus more than 3/4 of the pages on the new MINI and about 1/4 on the classic Mini. Within those general parameters, our features will always include a feature car that is currently owned and driven, an "over-the-top" car that shows the ultimate possibilities of the marque, at least one major event report, a technical do-it-yourself level article, a new product report, an article on some type of MINI/Mini activity, a racing article, a close-up on an interesting owner and his/her cars, a heritage article on the history of the Mini, and reports on clubs and their activities.

In addition, we'll feature columns by Graham Robson on current happenings at MINI headquarters in England, by Cindy Shaffer on her particular slant on MINI ownership and Mini vintage racing, by the editor and by the publisher, as well as book reviews, new product announcements, MINI news and a calendar of upcoming events.

Q: When can we expect the first issue and how much will it cost per issue and annually?

Our promotionals begin with Motoring File and North American Motoring, and gain steam with several advertisers that are helping us to launch. Our website, www.MC2magazine.com is now running and able to provide information on us, along with a place to review our subscription offers. We’ll be loading some actual pages from our debut issue on to the site through November when our first issue goes to press.

MC² will be available at private and chain bookstores throughout North America, as well as MINI dealers and private retailers/shops for $5.95. Canada will be $7.  

MC² subscription rates will be $24.95 for six issues. The first four issues will be in the mail by the end of 2006. We accept Visa and MasterCard through our secure site. In addition, we’ll have an 800 number for accepting subscriptions using those cards, and a P.O. box for checks. The website will have all the details.

For Charter Subscribers (those with paid sub’s before we mail the debut issue), we’re designing and printing a limited edition of a few thousand MC² t-shirts. Produced with the help of Motor Swag team, these will be mailed to Charter Subscribers shortly after the debut issue.

Wanting to offer our community the maximum value from their magazine, Charter Subscribers will be offered privileges at our planned e-zine/newsletter, interactions with advertisers for testing new products, and some ideas we're tinkering with. It's about relationships, so e-mails

For those wanting to review the magazine before subscribing, we’ll have pages loaded on to the website from our debut issue. In addition, your local MINI dealer will have issues available.

Canadian subscriptions will be US$32. Other foreign subscribers will be US$40 via airmail. All non-US subscriptions are payable by credit card only.

Q: It sounds like you most of the core contributors have quite a lot of publishing experience.   What are some of the publishing highlights of the group you've assembled? 

Gary Anderson was publisher and editor of British Car Magazine for nine years, and the founding editor of Classic Motorsports magazine. In addition, he is the co-author and publisher of "Motoring, Getting the Maximum from Your New MINI" which was published in January, and the Austin-Healey Restoration Guide. In addition, he writes for Sports Car Market magazine and Sports Car International. Graham Robson, who lives in England, has written over 100 books on classic cars, including several books on the classic and new MINI. Cindy Shaffer has written for Victory Lane magazine and is well-known in the Mini vintage racing world.

Barry Brazier has 30 years experience writing about, driving and photographing most everything from Bigfoot 4x4 to exotics, as well as two books published in Japanese and English. Since 1977, he's written for about 91 titles in 14 languages. MC² is his first ownership venture.

Q: Do you have any plans with regard to working with MINI clubs in the US?

We intend to work closely with the MINI clubs in the U.S. and Canada, highlighting the clubs themselves and their activities, as well as drawing on their leadership for information on what's happening in the Mini world. Since there is no national club magazine for Mini/MINI owners, we'd like to do our part in filling that gap by publicizing this important foundation of the Mini hobby. 

Q: How do you plan working with the MINI community in terms of content?

We'll be cooperating with the MINI websites, Mini clubs leadership, and the owner/operators of the shops that service, maintain, and develop parts for new and old Minis. We'll be encouraging amateur and professional journalists with interests in new and classic Minis to submit material for us to publish.

Q: Are there any other automotive publications out there that you look to for some kind of inspiration?

For look and vitality, Gary likes Octane magazine, Road & Track, Automobile, and Classic and Sports Car. For its spirit of independence, he likes Sports Car Market magazine. Practical Classics is a good example of how to do good technical features.

I admire Road & Track and others Gary lists, with Britain’s Car Magazine, German Auto Motor und Sport, and the Italian Quattrouote, as I once contributed to them.

Q: How do you plan to differentiate your self and/or your approach from magazine's such as GoMINI?

Since GO MINI ceased publication a few weeks ago, MC² is alone. This isn't giving us a competitor to aim for.  We'll not be following their example as to lifestyle and general editorial. We're a hobby-based publication, with a focus on cars, owners, suppliers and services shops in North America. MC² will be filled with as many facets of the hobby as we can showcase each issue.

Q: What are your goals for MC² over the next few years?

To earn our readers trust, with complete and concise editorial content. To provide them a place to learn about their classic and new MINI hobby, and who's waiting to help them with that process.

We're tinkering with some colleagues about events to build up to the 50th Anniversary. Stay tuned to our website for exclusive and innovative ideas from companies with fresh MINI-related products and services, too.

Q: Finally - when and where can people subscribe?

www.MC2magazine.com is alive and well, and getting better every week! 

A win in the final race of the weekend allowed Maxime Martin to seal overall victory in the MINI Challenge World Final. The Belgian driver had the edge over the 19 fastest MINI drivers from ten different countries over the four disciplines of this multi-faceted championship. Second in the standings was the Swede Fredrik Lestrup, ahead of Johannes Stuck (Austria) - son of racing legend Hans-Joachim "Strietzel" Stuck - in third. The world championship was just one of the attractions on the bill at the inaugural MINI United event.

In addition to the two 16-lap races in technically identical MINI Cooper S cars complete with John Cooper Works Tuning Kit, the drivers also had to negotiate a pair of slalom courses in the same cars, battle it out over two karting races and demonstrate their skill over a quad driving course. The points earned in each discipline were added together for the overall classification.

"I had to work hard to wrap up the MINI Challenge world championship title," said Martin. "After my rather unfortunate first race, I thought my chance had gone." Martin came into the pits unnecessarily in the night race on Saturday after misinterpreting a trackside instruction, shunting him back down the field when victory was within reach - and costing him valuable championship points. However, Martin backed up his eventual sixth place with impressive performances in the other disciplines to leave him with a slim 75-point advantage over Fredrik Lestrup in second place.

Stephanie Halm, the only woman in the field, finishes fifth.
"I messed it up in the second karting race," grimaced Lestrup. Indeed, after winning the first outing in the karts the 21-year old could only manage eleventh position in the second run. "That left me short of points in the overall standings," lamented the Swede, who was one of the fastest drivers in the two main MINI Cooper S races with one third and one fifth-place finish. "Having said all that, finishing runner-up was still a great result for me."

Johannes Stuck went into the final race leading the overall standings, but dropped two places after he could do no better than fifth. "I was caught up in a minor collision shortly after the start," explained the 18-year-old Austrian. "The suspension was damaged and that took the edge off the car's performance." Crossing the finishing line just ahead of Stuck was Stephanie Halm (Germany), the only woman in the field of the world's fastest MINI drivers. Her fourth place allowed Halm to clinch fifth overall behind Belgium's François Verbist.

"Una vittoria speziale" for Alex Zanardi in the Special Guest Race.
The Special Guest Race at the MINI United weekend ended in victory for Alessandro Zanardi. The Italian, one of the leading drivers in the FIA World Touring Car Championship, passed the then leader Alexander Burgstaller (Germany) in the final corner. "Winning the race on my home track is something very special for me, una vittoria speziale," beamed Zanardi. The former Formula One driver and Champ Car champion lost both legs after a horrific accident four years ago and was racing in a specially adapted MINI Cooper S.

Burgstaller was unruffled by Zanardi's decidedly aggressive overtaking manoeuvre. "It's all just part of motor racing," shrugged the winner of the German MINI Challenge 2004. "Alessandro pulled it off with such skill that I had no chance." Third was Roberto Ravaglia (Italy), the 1987 touring car champion who has since become Zanardi's team boss.

In all, 17 celebrity MINI aficionados lined up for the Special Guest Race to round off the MINI United event. Among the stars on the grid were ex-Formula One drivers Christian Danner (Germany) and Marc Surer (Switzerland), Finish "Rally Professor" Rauno Aaaltonen - the winner of the 1967 Rallye Monte Carlo in a Mini - and the Italian singer Max Gazze. Twice German production car champion Claudia Hürtgen led the race from pole position, but was forced to retire with electronics problems.

Result: MINI Challenge World Final
Misano (Italy), 28 - 30 October 2005

1. Maxime Martin Belgium 3915 points
   
2. Fredrick Lestrup Sweden 3840 points
   
3. Johannes Stuck Austria 3805 points
   
4. François Verbist Belgium 3550 points
   
5. Steffi Halm Germany 3320 points
   
6. Markus Palttala Finland 3000 points
   
7. Oliver Glen Mortimer Great Britain 2895 points
   
8. Remo Friberg Switzerland 2415 points
   
9. Bernhard Laber Germany 2405 points
   
10. Urs Hintermayer Switzerland 2400 points
    
11. Thomas Winkelhock Germany 2005 points
    
12. Andy Sayle Great Britain 1985 points
    
13. Gunther Raus Belgium 1795 points
    
14. Fahrad Al-Musalam Bahrain 1535 points
    
15. Mike Eady New Zealand 1380 points
    
16. Brad Davis USA 1325 points
    
17. Rob Austin Great Britain 1240 points
    
18. Roy Klaus Kindor USA 1025 points
    
19. Barney Craggs Great Britain 1005 points
    
20. Arthur Forster Great Britain 450 points
    

(MINI Press)

Based on info we'd received over the pasts few months we had expected the JCW GP to eventually make it to the North American market. I'm now happy to report that this has officially been confirmed by MINI USA today. US MINI dealers should get their an allotment of five cars starting around July of 2006.

As we mentioned last week the Recaro seats won't make it (due to the seat cushion airbag sensors) and instead the US market will get black cloth and leather seating. That aside the rest of the car should stay relatively intact. In fact MINI USA is even studying the feasibility of a Delete Option for both the A/C (further reducing weight) and DSC. This Delete Option will be available elsewhere in the world.

Here's the official press release just issued by MINI (as seen on the MINI USA press site). While it doesn't include any US specific information, it does expand on the press release issued earlier in the day from MINI UK:

The exclusive MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit will serve as a real treat for the particularly sports-minded MINI fan. The special edition featuring a boost in power output to around 218 bhp and a noticeable reduction in weight will be produced as a limited edition of 2,000 units. Its performance will clearly surpass that of the most powerful ex-works MINI to date, the MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works Kit.

The MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit was first presented to the public during MINI United, the official MINI annual meeting and international seasonal finale of all MINI club sport series being held in Misano/Italy from 28th to 30th October. The MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit is expected to be available in Europe from July 2006, the price tag in Germany being around 30,000 Euros.

Exclusive racing technology made for the road.
While developing the MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit, engineers focussed predominantly on even greater agility and high driving stability. Modifications to the intercooler as well as engine tuning measures have boosted power output of the free-revving 1.6-litre supercharged power unit to around 160 kW (218 bhp).

In order that such power and the high maximum torque of 180 foot-pounds are transferred securely to the road, this limited special edition features a limited slip differential as standard. Dynamic Stability Control DSC is available as an option. High-performance brakes by John Cooper Works featuring red-lacquered brake callipers on the front wheels ensure optimum stopping power. Additional standard equipment by John Cooper Works includes a sports suspension and an awesome sound generated by the specially constructed Tuning Kit. An additional new highlight are the weight-reduced 18-inch alloy wheels specially designed for the MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit.

In order to reduce weight even further, engineers made extensive modifications to the technology and bodywork of this special edition. The standard longitudinal control arms on the rear axle now come in an aluminium version. Due to bodywork modifications and the omission of parts of the damping material, the air conditioning unit (optionally available at no extra charge) and the rear seats, weight has been additionally reduced by around 88 pounds. This value substantially enhances motoring performance and cornering ability, transferring the MINI CHALLENGE racing feeling to the tarmac.

Revised aerodynamics and exclusive body colours.
The MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit features a thoroughly revised aerodynamics package. Front and rear aprons, the now wing-shaped rear spoiler, the even further lowered side sills and the underbody panelling have all been redesigned. This has resulted in a distinctly reduced drag coefficient and enhanced downforce on the front and rear axles. The MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit is immediately recognizable by its exclusive grey-blue metallic body colour combined with a roof painted in Pure Silver. The air scoops on the bonnet and in the front apron also come in Pure Silver. Likewise, the exterior mirrors feature a contrasting colour – fiery Chilli Red.

Purist interior design.
In keeping with true racing car tradition, the interior of the MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit was intentionally designed to keep a low profile. Nonetheless, standard equipment still includes Recaro sports seats, Radio Boost with CD and a multifunction sports steering wheel.

The following is the first official UK press release on the new John Cooper Works GP Kit. We expect more information as the week progresses.

The launch of the new MINI in 2001 set a new standard in the small car market for handling and driving enjoyment. Over the next four years rumours came and went regarding the arrival of a lightweight, high-performance MINI.

From July 2006, the MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works (JCW) GP Kit will realise the dream with a power output of around 218bhp, a stunning 136bhp per litre, and a weight-drop of 40 kilos. Only 2000 will be built for MINI fans around the globe with approximately 20 per cent staying in the UK.

The MINI Cooper S with JCW GP Kit will be a two-seater in exclusive colours, and extra safety and interior options will come as standard.

The reduction in weight over the standard MINI Cooper S has been achieved by modifications to the chassis and engineering tweaks. The longitudinal control arms on the rear axle are now made of aluminium, and the omission of the sound-deadening material and the rear seats have made further weight reductions.

Modifications to the intercooler as well as engine tuning measures have increased power output of the supercharged 1.6-litre engine on a standard MINI Cooper S JCW by 8bhp. In order that such power and the high maximum torque of 245 Nm are transferred securely to the road, this exclusive special edition features a Limited Slip Differential and Dynamic Stability Control as standard.

High-performance brakes by John Cooper Works featuring red-lacquered brake calipers on the front wheels ensure optimum stopping power. In addition, the GP Kit includes specially-designed weight-reduced 18-inch alloy wheels.

The special edition will only be available in grey-blue metallic combined with a Pure Silver roof and Chili Red wing mirrors. The air scoop on the bonnet and in the front apron also come in Pure Silver. Interior standard equipment includes Recaro sports seats, single CD, air-conditioning and a multi-function steering wheel.

A new aerodynamics package - front and rear aprons, a wing-shaped rear spoiler, underbody panelling and even lower side sills have all been added. This has resulted in a distinctly reduced drag coefficient and enhanced downforce on the front and rear axles.

MINI UK Press

Update: Surprisingly MINI UK did not include the official pricing figures for the JCW GP in the press release above. However we've since learned that MINI UK will be pricing the JCW GP at £22,000 (exactly what had been rumored). We should have more performance and pricing information soon.

We have more Phil Wicks for you this week. Todd and I are back with the 2nd half of our interview. This week we touch mostly on Phil's motorsport heritage. 50 years worth. We also hit the news of the week and tackle a few reader emails. Enjoy!

Subscribe | Show Notes | iTunes Link | MP3 Link (30Mb)

More photos after the jump...

We'll have more photos throughout the day...

Here's a quick update from Philip who just saw the inveiling:

A darksilver MCS was just unveiled. Red mirror caps, special inlays in the front and rear bumbers, very nice rims differentiate the car from a standard MCS when parked side by side.

A full JCW kit, only 2 seats and 40 kg (88lbs) less weight differentiate the new MCS JCW GP even more. The GP is a limited eddition of only 2,000 cars. MINI made is very clear they are not going to build any more. So head to your MAs and sign up if you want one!

Cheers
Philip

These photos come from Mike Feidler who is also attending MINI United:

Our next stop was at the St. Gotthard highway were we met about 15-20 MIINs from the Netherlands.

We then followed two Swiss MINIs until Como where an official MINI meeting point had been organised. Parma ham sandwiches, Espresso and other nice food was served. We meet Roberto & Sylvia and Sylvio and his three Ragazze which invited us to follow them through Italy. Speaking of Italian driving ... it's as bad as you can image!

We stopped on the way in Bologna, a beautiful old university city. At Bar Zannardi we enjoyed an "Aperitivo". As a bonus, when you ordered any drink, you could help yourself to the cold antipasto buffet (yummy!).

Finally late last night we arrived in Misano where the party was in full swing. Roller blading on the race track, DJs, food and great people.

This morning we decided to hit the track and do a few laps with our MINIs. It's free for anyone at MINI United. Just sign up in one of the organisers tents and get a slot to give it a go.

And to all awaiting news about the new lightweight special version MCS ... no sign of it yet.

The MINI USA/FTR made its drag strip debut at the NHRA Sport Compact World Finals at the Pomona Raceway in Pomona, California this past weekend. In its inaugural run the car posted an impressive time of 12.54 seconds for the Quarter Mile with a top speed of 115.79 miles per hour making it the world's quickest MINI in the quarter mile.

MINI USA has collaborated with the extreme California based tuner FIREBALL TIM RACING (FTR) to create a one-of-a-kind record-breaking dragster. The outrageous carbon fiber MINI dragster stood out, drawing a crowd of onlookers as it tore down the strip, laying its 450 twin-charged-horsepower to the ground.

"For its inaugural run, we certainly managed to get a pretty respectable time." said Hubie Fuh, President of FTR. "This is a very promising shake-down run for us as the car shows tremendous potential to make more power and put down quicker times."

"The MINI Dragster exhibited some pretty impressive performance on the strip" said Jeff Stracco, MINI Product Manager. " The world's quickest MINI' is a pretty nice claim to for us to achieve right out of the box - or in this case the gate."

The car will appear at select events through the end of 2005, including SEMA in Las Vegas, November 1 - 4. The MINI USA/FTR dragster will make its next performance run at the IDRC Finals at Los Angeles County Raceway in Palmdale, CA November 12-13.

More about the car:

As some of you know the engine is constructed and car raced in collaboration with Fireball Tim Racing (FTR). The body shell is constructed by PTG Racing (the hood, doors and tail gate are all carbon fiber). The engine is a twin charged supercharger/turbocharger set up with a nitrous fogger. It's a stock Cooper S engine block with a standard 05 transmission and LSD.

As the engine core is still basically stock, we're told that there are more mods (and in turn more power) coming. Total weight is about 2100lbs. Apparently it has crept up a bit from earlier versions of the car due to the added weight of the twin charger. Still...great power to weight ratio.

You can check out some exclusive video of the fastest run of the weekend below:

[ MINI Runs a 12.5 ] MINI USA/FTR Dragster Video (WMV)

As always you can read the all the behind the scenes banter at Fire Ball Tim's blog.

Big thanks to DB for hosting the vid

I live in the land of the Autobahn. There is a lot you can do here in Germany to enjoy the performance of a MINI Cooper S. But what’s the point of going fast on a wide, flat straight with a MINI? Isn’t it made for narrow, twisty country roads?

Fortunately here in Germany we also have one of the worlds most demanding and famous twisty country roads: the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Ok, calling it a country road is quite a drastic understatement. Let’s make it clear from the beginning: The Nordschleife is a racetrack. A quite hazardous, tight, and very long track that goes up and down and left and right like a roller coaster all the time. Because of its location in the green and hilly mountains of the volcanic "Eifel" region and its reputation for danger, the Nordschleife is also known as the "Green Hell". Jackie Stewart coined the term and I think he’s damn right.

Some quick facts, before I get into the details. The original Nürburgring track was built between 1925 and 1927 for automotive testing and racing. Today, there are two tracks, the new Grand Prix circuit where professional races like Formula 1 take place and the "old" Nordschleife.

The track through the green hell is about 13 miles long, has a difference in altitude of 985 feet and about 170 corners. In fact there is a lot of debate on how many corners there are. Whatever the actual number, there are simply too many to remember them all easily. It takes a lot of practice until you can claim to know the Ring. The Nordschleife is open to the public whenever it’s not booked for automotive testing or motor sport events, so there are quite a few bikers and drivers on the track on any given day.

No question: If you’re a motoring enthusiast you have to drive the Nordschleife some day. So here I am with my MCS thinking about how best to approach the beast that is the Nordschleife. I’ve heard all the stories. And I’ve been there a couple of times before with friends watching others go crazy on the track: Bikers and 3 series BMW’s passing other cars like mad men. Grandpas doing a slow round in their Mercedes. Coaches full of tourists suddenly appearing in one of the blind bends. Old VW Jettas with tires screaming as if they’d jump off the rims any second, as they drive through "Brünnchen". Porsches barking from their exhausts with understatement as they roll by. And yes, I’ve seen the tow trucks, the ambulance and the emergency helicopter.

Is there a safe approach to doing a few rounds on the Nordschleife? Yes! Participate in a motor sports event!

The best way to get started if you’re a rookie and you only have one car in the drive way is to enter the GLP. The GLP is a monthly event everyone can participate in with a street legal car. There are about 80 – 100 cars at each event. All you need is a co-pilot, a helmet and a stopwatch. It’s not the fastest driver that wins but the one with the most consistent lap times as GLP stands for "Gleichm äßigkeitsprüfung". You get to drive 12 laps, so it’s a long distance event as well. Ideal to play with the track and try out different brake and turn-in points. And it’s simply the greatest motoring experience you can think of.

Thanks to Traudl Klink there is even a sub section of the GLP, the Pirelli New MINI Trophy. Around 10 to 12 teams participate at each event so it’s more like a group of friends. We meet the night before for dinner and hangout after the event in a pub before leaving for home. The range of MINIs starts with basic Coopers and ends with tricked out CooperSs. One of the frequent participants even takes a MSC Cabrio around the track. I participated in four events this year. I drove three times myself and co-piloted once.

But enough for now. It’s track time! Flash back to October 15th.

It’s eight in the morning and a beautiful day. The morning fog is still hanging in between the hills and it’s cold. But there was no rain last night. The chances are good for a nearly dry track. We’re parked at the technical acceptance procedure, which is at the parking area of the so-called Tourist Entrance to the Nordschleife. 11 MINIs are here today. Everyone is excited, including my co-pilot Darcy. He is fearless enough to do the GLP with me a second time this year and I’m very grateful. Especially as he had proven to be puke-proof when he was co-piloting the first time. He is also making sure I’m not going too fast and he takes our lap times. Remember, it’s all about consistent lap times! We fasten the wheel bolts with a torque wrench. We put the stickers on and fix a transponder to the front of the car. The little red box will talk to the timing system which will take the official lap times. The towing hook has to be fitted as well – just in case. A marshal checks every car and every helmet for compliance. At nine there is a drivers briefing and finally at 20 past nine we get rolling. There are 108 starters in total. Of course, it’s not only MINIs. There are Old-timers, Young-timers, quite a lot of BMW 3-series (E30) and brand new cars. We all line up on the "Döttinger Höhe", the long straight just before the start and finish line. And slowly we are rolling into our first warm-up lap.

The sharp 90 degrees right just before the start and finish line is coming up. Second gear. The race director is waving with the German flag. Full throttle. Third gear. A sharp 90 degrees left downhill into the "Hatzenbach" section. We get into fourth gear before we have to shift back into third again as we approach a series of quick right and left downhill bends. The track is narrow with fir-trees standing on the left. A hill goes up on the right and with only 5 to 10 feet between tarmac and Armco, one mistake and you've had it.

We’re taking the "Hocheichen" late and wide to use the inclining inner track side and keep as much speed as possible before we descend with full throttle over the first narrow bridge. Fourth and fifth gear before we shoot up "Quiddelbacher Höhe" – the steepest climb of the Nordschleife. If you didn’t feel like being on a giant rollercoaster before, now you definitely do.

Back into fourth as we enter the "Flugplatz" section, a double right that should be taken in one radius. And right foot down again. The upcoming "Schwedenkreuz" section goes downhill again and is one of the very fast sections of the Nordschleife. Fifth gear. On the left you can see wide into the hilly Eifel mountains, and on the right somewhere is an ancient wayside memorial cross. But as you’re on a racetrack you tend to focus on the road or you may get your own memorial cross.

Suddenly the track goes left. Not hard, but enough. If you don’t know the track and you’re too fast here you’ll paint another pair of back stripes onto the tarmac. The red and white Armco with its many hit marks appears as witness. But we have the right speed and brake hard into fourth and third on the following straight before we try to accelerate as early as possible and turn into the 90 degrees right hand "Aremberg" corner. Underneath the bridge and we’re homing in on a small wooden guard-house while accelerating and shifting into fourth.

We’re now rushing downhill into the next rollercoaster section call the "Fuchsröhre". Up into fifth gear and nearly straight through a couple of easy left and rights, the "Fuchsröhre" seduces you to go full speed but we’re only going at around 100 mph. We’re trying to set the car up early for the light left kink at the very bottom of "the tube" as full compression of the suspension doesn’t allow for any abrupt steering. You feel your stomach as you hit the following uphill section. And yes, it feels a bit like being sucked into a foxhole and spat out again. The approach to "Adenauer Forst" flies by with another left that can be taken nicely by going just a little bit over the inside curb. We’re braking down into fourth and third before we have to shift into second to be slow enough for the upcoming S shaped double corner at "Adenauer Forst".

After the tight "Fuchsröhre" the surroundings are getting wider. But there is no time to enjoy the surroundings. Up into third gear. We need to make sure we’re passing the Audi ahead of us before we get into the next narrow sections. Fourth gear. Right after "Adenauer Forst" is one of the best places for overtaking. So we rush by and hit the brakes again. Staying in fourth gear we’re aiming for the telecom mast on top of the small hill right before the left corner at "Metzgesfeld". The sections that we are now driving are quite tight again and there is virtually no safety zone between the track and the Armco. So we’re shifting into third before we go around "Kallenhard". The tires are getting warm and scream a bit. It’s a great way of realising you’re going a bit too fast into the corner. Next we roll down towards "Wehrseifen" a very tight left hand downhill corner. Atop the corner is place for people to stand and watch the cars go by. So we shift into second as we don’t want to make things too spectacular.

And off we go into third gear again and further down to "Breidscheid" the Nordschleife’s deepest point. Here again people are standing at the security fence as we pass by. We cross the "Adenau" bridge and prepare ourselves for the "Ex-Mühle", a steep ramp and 90 degrees right corner. Here you have to keep as much speed as possible. But it’s tricky as you are coming downhill and over the bridge and too much speed here is not good. Balance is key again as there is close to no safety zone if there is too much under steer at the end of the uphill right.

After the "Ex-Mühle" is the time to let the horse have its head. Fourth gear. We are going uphill for a long time now. There are drivers with very good knowledge of the track and there are drivers with high power cars. The latter get their chance to pass now. Fifth gear.

After the first 6.5 miles we are going past the harmless looking light left corner where Niki Lauda, the famous Austrian Formula 1 driver, had his serious accident in 1976. His Ferrari burst into flames and since then he has some bad burn scars and only one ear. Maybe that is why some refer to this corner as the "Grill Kurve" (Barbeque Corner). The accident ended Formula 1 racing on the Nordschleife. Later that day during the event a red 3 Series Compact (a three door hatchback version not sold in the US since the late 90's) crashed at the very same corner -without any injuries to the driver and co-pilot.

My co-pilot says "Frau Schmidt" and I nod while I shift down to third gear. The "Bergwerk" corner is ahead. And because of the uphill speed rush I tend to forget about the "Bergwerk" right bend that is getting tighter at the end. But there is a little house just at the corner and I image an old lady with the name Schmidt living there. It’s my way of making sure we are not crashing trough the Armco and ending up in her garden. From here on there is only one place for your right foot. Fourth gear and fifth gear as we going full throttle uphill. All the way up "Kesselchen" through the "Mutkurve". And no, I’m not courageous enough to keep the pedal mashed to the metal. There is also a fast VW GTI behind us and he is the perfect excuse for rolling towards the "Steilstrecke" right bend and letting him pass by. The "Steilstecke" is an old part of the track, a very steep short cut of the famous "Karusell" that is not longer used.

So we shift in to third and go through the nice long right bend called "Klostertal". And we’re lucky that the "Steilstrecke" is long closed as we shift back into second gear and drop into the "Karusell" - a 270 degree banked curve. We get shaken because of the concrete blocks the "Karusell" is made of. You can of course drive on the nice, smooth outside tarmac of the curve. But hey, what are we here for?? So we follow the footsteps of Rudolf Caracciola, the famous German pre-war race driver who was the first to use the banked inside of the "Karusell" – back in the days when it was intended only as drainage.

Our brains still rotate left as we exit the ride, but there is no time to relax. Third gear. Speed is key again for the upcoming "Hohe Acht" a left uphill and right combination that is good fun with a bit of oomph. Forth gear. That track gets narrow again and darker as we enter the tree lined sections "Hedwigs Höhe", "Wipperman" and "Eschbach". These are the section I have to admit I’m still very curious on how best to approach them. So I shift down into third and stay there. I use the golden rule of entering corners rather slowly, trying to exit them as fast as possible – a rule that works very well with the MINI’s front wheel drive.

Now comes the famous "Brünnchen", one of the best spots for spectators to watch cars and their drivers taking on the ring. The area above "Brünnchen" is a big muddy car park, with hot-dog and barbeque stands to serve the audience.For the egomaniac drivers "Brünnchen" is by far the best place to show off. You enter the section through a downhill right, pass through a short valley with the spectators to your left and head up through an uphill right towards "Eiskurve".

As you come downhill through the "Brünnchen’s" first right you can create some attention by letting the car drift a little too much to the left curb where rumble strips create a dramatic drumming sound. If you’re too fast on the next uphill right, the tires will scream again. This is dangerous especially during changing weather conditions or when the track is not entirely dry. The "Brünnchen’s" exit and the so called "Eiskurve" is covered by the trees’ shadow so it stays wet for a very long time and is the first section to get very slippery when it’s really cold.

What follows now are the two "Pflanzgarten" sections and so we shift into fourth and enjoy the first downhill section of "Pflanzgarten". The track goes down in waves and if you’re really fast there is chance for a short lift-off. So you better make sure you have the right speed for the next long right uphill bend as breaking on the last knoll before the bend is not a good idea. What follows is one of my favourite rollercoaster like sections: "Pflanzgarten II". After leaving "Pflanzgarten I" and shooting uphill there is an abrupt deep dip. Heading down and up again you can gain some speed. Now is the time to shift in to fifth. You don’t see much of the track as you leave the dip so it’s only fun if you know you can go nearly in a straight line through the upcoming left and right kinks.

We are scrubbing off speed as we enter "Schwalbenschwanz" after a long right. Fourth gear and back in to third as we take the "Schwalbenschwanz" left and approach the "Kleines Karusell" another banked section with concrete blocks, but not as long and tight as its big brother. Having the right speed is again important if you don’t want to slingshot off at the end of it. We are gaining speed again for the grand finale. Fourth gear. Only "Galgenkopf", a long right bend is separating us from the very long straight called "Döttinger Höhe". As we exit "Galgenkopf" we stay in fourth and push the revs. We go downhill and the "Döttinger Höhe" stretches in front of us. Fifth gear. During races top speeds of over 180 mph can be achieved here.

During the GLP event, there is a waiting zone set up on the right side of the track. There you can drive very slowly or even stop the car. Why would you want to do this? Well, remember the GLP is all about consistent lap times. On a 13 miles long track like the Nordschleife it’s close to impossible to even get the minutes right as you may have to slow down due to overtaking or getting overtaken. And the less you have to rush yourself, the safer you are. We always set a quite high time around 13 min per lap. So yes, we stop too on "Döttinger Höhe", open the windows, relax for a few seconds, gaze over to the Nürburg castle, wave at other MINIs passing by and stare at our stop watch. Darcy starts to count down and I look into the mirror to make sure I don’t hit anyone when accelerating again.

We pass underneath the bridge at "Antoniusbuche" and go downhill into the "Tiergarten" section in fifth gear. What follows now are "Hohenrain" and the "Schikane" two tight sections we take in 3rd gear. To the right we pass by the entrance to the old pit lane. In round six we will exit here to refuel the car and stretch our legs before we approach round 7 to 12. But now concentration is needed as we turn around the sharp 90 degrees corner at "T13", the grandstand at the finish line. And off we go for another round of adrenaline and motoring fun!

(Pictures courtesy of Darcy Schott and Thomas Heiringhoff.)

Links:

[ Nürburgring and Nordschleife quick facts ] Wikipedia

[ Ben Lovejoy's comprehensive Nordschleife Website ] Nurburgring.org.uk

[ The history of the Nordschleife ] Olivier Jacquet

MINI United: First International
Annual Meeting of the Global MINI Fan Community.
MINI United is celebrating its premiere – and many fans of the brand are coming: Several thousand participants from three dozen countries have registered for a unique three-day event on the Misano Race Track south of Rimini in Italy, with fans of MINI coming from countries as far away as Ghana and Thailand. Other participants are coming by car from distant places such as Lisbon, Birmingham, and St. Petersburg to enjoy this very special highlight of the season.

The main attraction is the MINI CHALLENGE World Final, where the best drivers in the national MINI Clubsport Series will be battling it out for the official MINI CHALLENGE World Championship.

Clubsport action is however only one of the highlights in this three-day Festival, where fans of the MINI brand will also be enjoying parties with live music and fashion shows as well as a generous pool area, stunt shows or the opportunity to experience the limits to driving physics themselves on the race track. "MINI United will be a truly outstanding event only an innovative brand like MINI is able to offer ", states Dr. Kay Segler, Vice President MINI Brand Management.

Twenty Drivers going for the MINI CHALLENGE World Championship. The best MINI CHALLENGE participants from Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA will be competing for the MINI CHALLENGE World Championship at MINI United. The first MINI CHALLENGE World Final comprises a Versatility Contest made up of two circuit races and two race slaloms in technically identical CHALLENGE MINI Cooper S's boasting the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit, two kart races, as well as a driving skill test on a Yamaha Quad. All four disciplines – each with a different rating – will be included in the overall result.

The attractive prize waiting for each of the winners is a weekend trip to Great Britain, the country where the MINI was born, where in both London and Oxford they will have the opportunity to enjoy that authentic MINI air and will even receive some spending money for their stay (1st place: Euro 1,500.-; 2nd place: Euro 1,000.-; 3rd place: Euro 500.-).

The expert guests will include Mike Cooper, the son of legendary MINI tuner John Cooper, and Finnish rally driver Rauno Aaltonen, winner of the European Rally Championship in a Mini Cooper in 1965 and winner of the Monte Carlo Rally in 1967. Entering a Special Guest race in the 154 kW (210 hp) MINI Cooper S, Aaltonen will be competing with the likes of ex-Formula 1 drivers Alex Zanardi, Paolo Barilla, and Marc Surer.

Three-Day Active Programme and a Genuine Lifestyle Ambience. Beyond the race track, MINI United will offer the MINI enthusiast an exclusive, action-packed programme with highlights such as MINI Driver Training offered by "Rally Professor" Rauno Aaltonen as the Chief Instructor. Driving some fast laps on the Circuito Santa Monica, Aaltonen and other professionals will take along passengers on a very special taxi ride. And in an equally special show, professional stuntmen will demonstrate what a MINI can do with the right kind of skilful, high-precision driver at the wheel.

Participants in MINI United will even be able to test their skills on the race track themselves – either in their own MINI or, after dark, on roller skates with the entire circuit brightly illuminated. Another experience they will find just as thrilling is to compare their skills with other drivers on the slalom track or the kart racing circuit. And a very special sensation will be the test drives on tyres intentionally without air, showing that the runflat tyre system developed by MINI's partner Dunlop enables the driver to go on motoring even on empty tyres with hardly any kind of restriction.

The Festival is naturally "wrapped up" in a very special lifestyle ambience, several bands including "Dead Grateful" starring Mike Cooper on the guitar making live appearances. A number of great names from the disc jockey scene will be adding to the party mood, including Sonique, a star DJane already popular in many countries.

MINI Collection fashion shows held in the Central Event Tent will be bringing a touch of Paris and Milan to Misano, and the large, generously designed Pool Area reminiscent of the famous clubs on Ibiza or Mykonos will enable participants to relax and chill out.

In various Workshops, finally, specialists will be explaining the philosophy behind the design and technical features of a MINI, and a number of international art students will be presenting their photos for a competition in the very popular MINI International Customer Magazine. And last but not least, guests bringing along their children will be able to leave them under professional supervision in the Kids Area.

World Debut of the MINI Cooper S with the John Cooper Works GP Kit.
Many guests attending MINI United will be thrilled from the start even on their way to Misano: Meeting at three places in northern Italy (San Remo, Brenner Pass, Lago di Como), they will be driving down to the Adriatic together in a Way2United Convoy. This means that thousands of MINIs will be coming to Misano "under their own steam", virtually every model different from all the others.

At the event enthusiasts will be able to admire some truly unique MINIs, such as the special MINI designed by Missoni and Bisazza, the XXL MINI Stretch Limousine, or the classical Minis once owned by David Bowie, Michael Caine, and Paul Smith. Visitors to MINI United will also be able to enter their own car in various contests, with prizes going for the best design ideas, the longest journey to the event, the highest overall mileage, and the funniest nickname. And as a special highlight, the 700, 000th MINI will be presented to a purchaser from Hong Kong at the event.

Guests of MINI United will be experiencing a very special surprise in the "Sneak Preview Box" – the world debut of the exclusive MINI Cooper S featuring the John Cooper Works GP Kit: This 160 kW (218 hp) MINI reduced in weight by approximately 40 kilos or 88 lb has been developed especially for the most sporting and ambitious driver, presenting the atmosphere of MINI CHALLENGE on the road.

MINI CHALLENGE World Final 2005. ?Going for the World Champion ship in Four Disciplines.
The future MINI CHALLENGE World Champion must be one thing in particular: a genuine multi-talent. The decision for this title being awarded for the first time as an Official World Championship will be fought out on the race track, candidates competing against one another, inter alia, in two races and on a slalom course. In both disciplines they will be driving a 154 kW (210 hp) MINI Cooper S featuring the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit in CHALLENGE specifications.

The overall score will also include two kart races and a driving skill event with the drivers riding an all-terrain quad. With the four categories – races, slalom, kart events, and quad – offering a different number of points in each case (see the table below), the largest number of points (55 per cent) will be awarded in the races themselves.

The Races: the Leading Discipline in the MINI CHALLENGE World Final. The two races on Circuito Santa Monica each cover a distance of 16 laps, the starter grid for the first race being determined in a 30-minute qualifying session. The starter grid in the second race, in turn, will depend on the results of the first race, with the first six drivers being lined up in reverse order (in what is called a "reverse grid"). In other words, the sixth driver in Race 1 will be in pole position for Race 2, the winner will be in sixth position on the grid.

This arrangement also featured in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) guarantees extra excitement, with the crowd experiencing a larger number of dramatic overtaking manoeuvres. Drivers will receive points for their individual results in each race, the winner of each race, for example, scoring 1,650 points. In all, the two races account for 55 per cent of the overall rating. Aiming for Supreme Driving Precision on the Slalom Course.

The second discipline is the slalom event, with the drivers once again competing in technically identical racing cars. The slalom course to be completed twice by each driver is laid out on a separate section at the race track. Each cone pushed out of position or toppled over by a driver accounts for a three-second time penalty added to the actual driving time. The share of the slalom event in the overall score is 20 per cent.

Kart and Quad Adding up to One-Quarter of the Overall Score.
The kart event accounts for 15 per cent of all points, with the drivers competing in two separate races. Again, the starter grid for the first race is based on results in qualifying, while the starter grid for the second race will be lined up in reverse order, according to the results of Race 1.

The fourth and final discipline in the MINI CHALLENGE World Final is a Driving Skill Tournament on all-terrain quads on an offroad course.

In this case once again, not only the actual driving time is crucial in this event, but also the number of obstacles/cones pushed out of position or toppled over by the driver, each accounting for a one-second penalty. The result in this event has a 10 per cent share in the overall score.

The driver with the highest number of points after all four individual contests is the official MINI CHALLENGE World Champion. And just like the drivers finishing second and third, he – or she – will be rewarded by a weekend trip to Great Britain, the country where the MINI was born. Travelling to both London and Oxford, the winners will be able to enjoy that authentic MINI air and will even receive some spending money for the occasion (1st place: Euro 1,500.-; 2nd place: Euro 1,000.-; 3rd place: Euro 500.-).

Technically Identical Cars Fighting for the World Championship.
The two races forming part of the overall contest for the official World Championship title in all MINI Clubsport Series are guaranteed to be absolutely fair, with all drivers taking the wheel of a brand-new Challenge Racing Car based on the MINI Cooper S prepared by the Racing Headquarters on behalf of MINI and technically identical in every respect.

No modifications of any kind are allowed on the cars during the entire event, so that the driver's talent is the one and only factor determining the results in the race.

The racing cars comply in full with the technical MINI CHALLENGE specifications. The "basic" car as such is the MINI Cooper S with the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit, available from all MINI dealers. Featuring the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit, the 1.6-litre power unit is perfectly prepared from the start for racing requirements, the supercharged four-cylinder power unit developing a sturdy and reliable 154 kW (210 hp).

Racing Car and Driver's Equipment for Superior Safety on the Track. Right from the start, safety has been given a high standard of priority in developing these Clubsport racing cars: Featuring a welded-in steel safety cell, a bucket seat, a shoulder seat belt, an automatic fire-fighting system and a safety net in the driver's door, the MINI Cooper S is perfectly prepared for the risks of motorsport, which can never be excluded altogether. A further important point is that all drivers are required to wear the HANS helmet safety system (head and neck support) carried over from Formula 1. A sports steering wheel and power steering in turn, give the drivers perfect control over their car at all times, and a further safety factor quite unique in this class is the ABS anti-lock brake system adjusted to racing conditions and providing all safety functions required. ? The race suspension of the MINI Cooper S as well as the John Cooper Works brake system are also attuned to high-speed requirements, with the cars coming on 7 x 17-inch light-alloy rims complete with 205/620 R 17 tyres.

Specifications MINI Cooper S.
MINI CHALLENGE Racing Version for the World Final 2005.
• Engine/Power Transmission
• Type: Four-cylinder inline engine with supercharger, fitted crosswise in the engine compartment, power boosted by the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit and a special racing exhaust
• Capacity: 1598 cc
• Max Output: 154 kW (210 hp) at 6 950 rpm
• Top Speed: Approx 230 km/h (143 mph)
• Compression Ratio: 8.3 : 1
• Max Torque: 245 Nm (181 lb-ft) at 4 500 rpm
• Transmission: Front-wheel drive, sports gearbox with six forward gears
• Chassis and Suspension: Independent suspension all round, John Cooper Motorsports suspension by KW with infinitely adjustable dampers, anti-roll bars front and rear, adjustable spring strut dome bar at the front
• Brakes: John Cooper Motorsports brake system / Front: inner-vented discs, dia 330 mm (13.00"), thickness 26 mm (10.24"), four-piston fixed callipers made of aluminium / Rear: discs, dia 259 mm (10.20"), thickness10 mm (0.39"), four-piston fixed callipers made of aluminium
• Rims: 7 x 17-inch BBS light-alloy rims
• Tyres: Dunlop racing tyres without (slicks) and with (rain) tread, tyre dimensions in both cases 205/620 R 17
• Steering: Hydraulically boosted rack-and-pinion steering Body/Dimensions
• Design and Configuration: Unitary all-steel body, three doors, aerodynamics package with adjustable rear spoiler, occupant protection ensured by the steel safety cell welded to the body, Recaro bucket seat, six-point seat belt, automatic double-chamber fire-fighting system
• Dimensions: Length 3 655 mm (143.9") / width 1688 mm (66.5") (1925 mm /75.8" with mirrors) / height 1416 mm (55.7") (adjustable).
• Wheelbase: 2 467 mm (97.1")
• Weight, unladen: Approx 1180 kg (2602 lb) including driver

MINI CHALLENGE World Final 2005 – Entrants.
Team Austria: Johannes Stuck (18)
Team Bahrain: Fahad Al-Musalam (31)
Team Belgium: Sebastién Ugeux (34) François Verbist (21) Gunther Raus (19)
Team Finland: Markus Palttala (28)
Team Germany: N.N. N.N. Thomas Winkelhock (37)
Team Great Britain: Barney Craggs (34) Rob Austin (43) Arthur Forster (37)
Oliver Glen Mortimer (22) Andy Sayle (47)
Team New Zealand: Mike "Eady" Robert (40)
Team Sweden: Fredrik Lestrup (21)
Team Switzerland: Remo Friberg (39) Urs Hintermayer (40)
Team USA: Brad Davis (53) Roy "Klaus" Kindor (46)
(Figures in brackets = age of driver)

MINI CHALLENGE World Final 2005 – Schedule.

Friday, 28 October
14:00–15:30 Free All-Terrain-Vehicle Practice (offroad track)
16:30–17:00 Free Race Track Practice
17:30–19:00 Free Kart Practice (kart course in paddocks)
20:00–20:30 Free Race Track Practice

Saturday, 29 October
9:00–10:30 All-Terrain-Vehicle Race (offroad track)
11:00–12:30 First Slalom Race (short section on race track)
14:00–14:30 Kart Qualifying (kart course in paddocks)
15:00–16:00 Two Kart Races (kart course in paddocks)
18:00–18:30 Race Track Qualifying
19:00–19:30 First Race

Sunday, 30 October
9:00–10:00 Second Slalom Race (short section on race track)
11:00–11:30 Second Race
12:30–13:30 Winner's Ceremony (Main Tent)
13:30–14:00 Qualifying Special Guests Race
14:30–15:00 Special Guests Race

MINI Clubsport Worldwide: Different Rules – One Objective – To Enjoy the MINI Brand.
As was to be expected with both the MINI brand in particular and motorsport in general, it all started in Great Britain, where, in the home country of motor racing, the first MINI Clubsport Series was held in 2002: the John Cooper Challenge. Ever since the philosophy behind this spectacular racing series, the fun of enjoying the MINI with all its sporting attributes, has spread over almost the entire globe.

Two fundamentally different types of events have been developed in the meantime: In some countries MINI Clubsport is held in the same way as a traditional brand trophy with "real" races requiring specially prepared cars and drivers holding appropriate racing licences. Other countries follow the Olympic spirit under the motto "Taking part is everything" and organise popular events for everybody and every kind of MINI, focusing on sporting challenges such as slalom races.

One of the countries in the second group is Switzerland, where the MINI Race Challenge has been held ever since 2003. Here the MINIs eligible for racing – all of them fully homologated for road use – are split up into four categories ranging from series models all the way to highly modified special racing versions. All the driver needs to participate, in turn, is a valid driver's licence. The season just ended comprised a total of 14 events, both slaloms and so-called sprint tests (consistency trials at higher speed). Entrants also received points for participating in a training course.

Counting no less than 57 participants in 2005, the Swiss MINI Race Challenge attracted growing interest among fans of the MINI brand in Switzerland. MINI CHALLENGES taking up the Great Tradition of Motorsport.

The MINI CHALLENGE follows a very different philosophy in Bahrain, where all MINI Clubsport cars in the Kingdom on the Persian Gulf are serviced 100 per cent by the local organisation. Entrants thus receive "their" MINI Cooper Club Sport in race trim, ready-to-go for each event. Races are held, inter alia, on the Formula 1 track in Bahrain and on a hillclimb course.

In Great Britain, Belgium and Germany, the MINI Cooper S proves its talent exclusively on the race track. Apart from the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit available straight from the factory, the cars raced in these countries feature a comprehensive safety package (a safety cell, shoulder seat belts, a fire-extinguishing system) for racing requirements.

Developing maximum output of 154 kW (210 hp) , the MINI Cooper S was raced in Great Britain in no less than 12 races in 2005, with an average of 30 cars in each John Cooper Challenge race. The Belgian MINI CHALLENGE, in turn, has been held ever since 2003, an average of 20 drivers lining up on the grid on seven racing weekends last season.

The German MINI CHALLENGE entered the 2004 season with a brand-new concept, the organisers intentionally opting for a particularly sophisticated, high-class setting for their events. So the field of up to 37 drivers proudly made their appearance prior to several Formula 1 races, as part of the programme surrounding the German Touring Masters (DTM), at the Oldtimer Grand Prix, or in a four-lap race accompanying the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring on the famous Nordschleife or Northern Circuit.

The 2005 MINI CHALLENGE, in turn, was made up of 13 races, the cars entered in these German events all being MINI Cooper S's complete with the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit, that is the same models also being raced in the MINI CHALLENGE World Final in Misano.

German MINI CHALLENGE highlighting the Lifestyle Element.
The German MINI CHALLENGE is now taking a new approach in the social programme surrounding the race as such: Drivers, teams, sponsors, and guests meet in the Paddock Lounge, enjoying local cuisine, chill-out music, a bar, and a large plasma TV. And all teams are able to use a fully prepared working area in the Pitstop Tent, the huge Drivers' Club, with all the facilities they require. Celebrities from the worlds of sports and entertainment also enjoy this lifestyle atmosphere time and again, gaining a first-hand experience of MINI CHALLENGE as if they were sitting in the cockpit themselves: Cora Schumacher, the wife of Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher, drove the first race of her life in the MINI CHALLENGE. And former Formula 1 drivers Marc Surer and Christian Danner, as well as Finnish "Rally Professor" Rauno Aaltonen and ex-world class skier Luc Alphand, have also hit the headlines and set the pace a number of times in the MINI CHALLENGE, making successful guest starts in various events.

Mini in Sport – a Winner for Four Decades.
Everything was carefully planned well in advance: Parallel to the development of the Mini for road use, BMC's Racing Department was already in the process of preparing the first prototypes for motorsport. In a racing scene otherwise dominated by the three-litre Austin Healey, Alec Issigonis' revolutionary new "baby" quickly developed into a genuine sports machine designed and built for real business. And indeed – the score system in force at the time based on categories varying in terms of engine size favoured the Mini originally powered "only" by a small 850-cc engine.

In the car's very first racing appearance, the Norwegian Viking Rally in September 1959, Team Manager Marcus Chambers himself was sitting at the wheel. And in the 1960 Geneva Rally the Mini scored its first win in its category, with brothers Don and Erle Morley forming a highly successful team. Just two years later, the Mini was already good enough to bring home overall victory, Pat Moss, the sister of legendary formula 1 driver Stirling Moss clinching victory in the Dutch Tulip Rally.

Another two years later the Mini Works Team left its powerful mark in the annals of motorsport once and for all: Out of 36 Minis in total no less than six Minis entered the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally – already acknowledged as the most famous rally in the world – on an official mission coming straight from the Company. This was one Mini Cooper in the so-called Group 3 version (closely linked to the series model) developing 70 hp from 997 cc, and five Mini Copper S's developing maximum output of 90 hp from 1071 cc in – improved – Group 2 trim, together taking on more than 290 competitors. Indeed, some of the car's rivals had more than twice the engine output of the original Mini in racing trim, such as the 4.7-litre Ford Falcon, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SE, the "hunchback" Volvo 544, or the Alpine-Renault.

Winning the Monte Carlo Rally with Legendary Starter Number 37. In a genuine "David beats Goliath" battle, the Mini quickly proved its merits: Thanks to the car's compact dimensions, wide track and long wheelbase, roadholding and, in particular, behaviour in bends was simply perfect even at a top speed of 160 km/h or almost 100 mph. In the process Irishman Paddy Hopkirk driving the Mini Cooper S held his own all the way in an exciting duel with Swedish racing driver Bo Ljungfeldt at the wheel of a Ford. The last stage of the event, the famous – if not to say, infamous – "Night of Long Knives", turned into a genuine poker game for the right tyres. The decisive – and most demanding – trial was the drive up the 1607-metre (5271-feet) Col de Turini, some drivers placing their bets on spikes, others going for tyres with special surface tread. Tyres with an asymmetric tread, in turn, were intended to ensure optimum traction. Even "ice spies" went out on to the snowbound serpentine roads shortly before the start in order to warn drivers of possible hazards. This quickly became the great hour of the Mini Cooper S, the small but muscular engine, the car's superior agility, and front-wheel drive quickly taking Paddy Hopkirk and co-driver Henry Liddon right to the top of the overall rankings, as if they were running on rails. Even during the last stage of the event, a circuit race on the Grand Prix city course of Monaco, Hopkirk did not give his Mini Cooper S the slightest rest. And ultimately he brought home a genuine sensation, finishing the race no less than 30.5 points ahead of Ljungfeldt and scoring the first victory for the Mini Works Team in the Monte Carlo Rally. Ever since, starter number 37 and the car's registration number 33 EJB have been absolute highlights for fans of the brand everywhere.

Rauno Aaltonen brings home the European Rally Championship in the Mini Cooper.
Originally conceived as a low-cost, money-saving means of transport, the small Mini suddenly became a genuine legend of motorsport widely acknowledged as the "small man's" sports car. With a new version boasting a 1275-cc power unit entering the market in summer 1964, the Works Racing Department quickly conjured almost 100 horsepower out of this agile four-cylinder, the new Mini Cooper S standing out as a clear winner right from the start. On account of extremely bad weather conditions the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally ranks as one of the most difficult events of all times. Dense snowfall in the mountains reduced visibility for the field initially consisting of more than 200 teams to virtually zero. Then, on a night stage nothing short of torture from Saint-Claude to Monte Carlo over a distance of 610 kilometres or 378 miles, a fierce snowstorm wrought havoc among the teams, only 35 cars eventually reaching the famous city state on the Mediterranean. One of them was Finnish driver Timo Mäkinen in his Mini Cooper S, completing five out of six special trials in record time and marking Mini's second win in the Monte Carlo Rally. Another Finnish driver, Rauno Aaltonen, rounded off the 1965 season for the Mini Works Team, bringing home the European Rally Championship.

The following year was destined to be the absolute highlight, with Mini looking not only at its third win in a row in the Monte Carlo Rally, but also at all three top places on the podium. And believe it or not - Mäkinen, Aaltonen and Hopkirk made the impossible possible, crossing the finish line first, second, and third. But then came a terrible shock, the "Three Musketeers" being disqualified under extremely debatable circumstances due to four additional headlights not complying in full with French homologation standards.

Feeling more than angry, the drivers and indeed the complete Mini Cooper S Team returned to the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally bent on revenge. As if it were a stroke of justice, "Flying Finn" Rauno Aaltonen driving starter number 177 left the competition far behind, ultimately clinching victory 12 seconds ahead of Lancia works driver Ove Andersson. And so the previous year's misfortune was forgotten once and for all, Mini bringing home victory in the Monte Carlo Rally for the third time.

Numerous Wins for Mini Drivers on the Circuit.
Racing the Mini in countless circuit events, Mini drivers have been almost as successful as their team colleagues in rally racing, private drivers scoring one class win after the other in their small power machine from Abingdon all over Europe. With the Works Team focusing mainly on the British Touring Car Championship, the John Cooper, Broadspeed and Equipe Arden Teams dominated the class up to 1300 cc. And in the process drivers such as John Love and Alec Poole scored so many points that they even brought home the Championship.

Despite outstanding results, it became evident towards the late '60s that the Mini Cooper S had passed its zenith as a rally car. Because now new, modified rules clearly gave preference to more powerful cars with larger engines – and the ambitious team was certainly not willing to settle for "nothing but" class wins. So the last official works race was the Rally of the Hills in Australia in 1970, with Brian Culcheth at the wheel.

While this brought a great era to an end, the legend remained: The '60s were the decade of the Mini – no car offered the same kind of sporting performance for so little money, provided such outstanding driving pleasure, and ensured optimum handling within minimum exterior dimensions.

(MINI Press)

• 218 BHP (around 215 HP)
• 88lbs weight reduction (for a total of just under 2600 LBS).

While neither is quite as high as some had hoped for, these figures could still represent the fastast MINI ever to be officially released. We'll have more info soon.

Update: MotoringFile has learned that we should expect an official MINI USA annoucement about the Works GP availability in the US next week. We've also learned that the Works GP will come equipped with only select options and will not be custom configurable.

Across the pond UK dealers have apparently just recieved their first official info on the car via the UK dealer network. The following info, while not confirmed, seems to be legit. It also matches up well with some info we just heard this morning (via psylon at MINI2):

We are pleased to confirm production of the MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit as a limited edition within the MINI range. This limited edition MINI will feature a number of exclusive features, which will be unavailable to the rest of the range. With approximately 218hp/160Kw it will be more powerful than the standard MINI Cooper S John Cooper Works and weigh approximately 40 kilos less.

Production will be strictly limited to 2,000 cars worldwide with the UK securing 444 cars. All cars will be non-spec changeable and no additional options will be offered.

Model Code;
RE92 - MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit Exclusive Features

• Anthracite-Blue Metallic Paint (To be named)
• Contrast Roof, Bonnet Scoop and Front Apron in Pure Silver
• Contrast Mirror Caps in Chili Red
• Individually numbered (There will be no customer choice of number, all numbers will be allocated centrally for all worldwide markets)
• No rear seats
• Unique 18’’ Light Alloy Wheels

You can read more below:

[ Official GP Works MINI News ] MINI2 Forums

And if you just don't trust anything until it says "MINI Press", just hold on for a few more hours!

[Update 2]

This bit of info is burried in MINI's official MINI United Press release that was just released:

Guests of MINI United will be experiencing a very special surprise in the ”Sneak Preview Box“ – the world debut of the exclusive MINI Cooper S featuring the John Cooper Works GP Kit: This 160 kW (218 hp) MINI reduced in weight by approximately 40 kilos or 88 lb has been developed especially for the most sporting and ambitious driver, presenting the atmosphere of MINI CHALLENGE on the road.

MINI.com has a fantastic feature on both the 2005 MINI Concepts that have recently debuted. The site features both the Concept Frankfurt and Concept Tokyo as well as the various prototype components that went into both. The site also has an in-depth video showing the process of designing and building of the concepts. Excellent stuff and definitely worth checking out:

[ The MINI Concept Car (main page) ] MINI.com

[ The MINI Concept Frankfurt ] MINI.com

[ The MINI Concept Tokyo ] MINI.com

[ MINI Concept Frankfurt Video ] MINI.com (13mb QT)

Related

[ MINI Concept Frankfurt In-Depth ] MotoringFile

[ MINI Concept Tokyo In-Depth ] MotoringFile

Rumored no more.

MINI2 is now confirming what many of us had assumed all along. The images posted on the web this weekend are indeed early sketches of the upcoming MINI Cooper S John Cooper Works GP Tuning Kit. The photos are to be part of a larger press package to be released later this week (and will be seen on MotoringFile).

We've also just heard news that MINI USA is almost certainly going to be importing the car to the US market. If this does happen we've been told to expect a price around $30,000.

We will have full details of the new car later this week when it is officially launched at MINI United.

Related:

[ The John Cooper Works GP Tuning Kit ] MotoringFile

[ John Cooper Works GP Tuning Kit: Light Weight Cooper S ] MINI2

[ The Rumored Lighweight MCS: Part 6 ] MotoringFile

[ The Rumored Lighweight MCS: Part 5 ] MotoringFile

[ The Rumored Lighweight MCS: Part 4 ] MotoringFile

[ The Rumored Lightweight MCS Part 3 ] MotoringFile

[ The Rumored Lightweight MCS Part 2 ] MotoringFile

[ The Latest on the Rumored Lightweight MCS ] MotoringFile

The Problem: Sometime in the middle of June I noticed a consistent clicking upon each revolution of the wheel. I initially noticed it coming from the front left wheel but after I had others people lend me their ears, I was told that it seemed to be coming from the other wheels as well.

The Cause:
My diagnosis, which is the only one at the moment, it that since the web spoke wheels are a two piece system, the two parts seems to be moving or making and breaking contact with each other at the mating surfaces.

A few conditions have to be met to cause the very noticeable clicking. 1. It has to be hot outside. 2. It has to be humid outside. 3. the wheels have to be broken in and rotating.

You can read more from Dan below:

[ Web Spoke Isssue ] dcmini.blogspot.com

For those that just can't get enough about the latest MINI concept, here's a transcript of the speech given by Dr. Michael Ganal (Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG) at the introduction:

MINI Press Conference 39th Tokyo Motor Show 2005 Tokyo, 19 October 2005

Hello and welcome at our MINI stand. I am very pleased to present MINI to you here in Japan - the country in Asia where the MINI has touched people's hearts for decades.

This year, we can celebrate the highest retail volume in the history of MINI so far. According to the projections, we are going to sell more than 13,000 cars. This means that the lion's share of MINI automobiles in Asia goes to Japan. We are selling eight out of ten MINIs for this region in Japan. But the enthusiasm for MINI is rising in the other Asian markets as well. In 2005, we will deliver more than 16,000 MINI vehicles to customers in Asia.

MINI has continued to grow steadily in the business year 2005: During the first nine months of this year, we have delivered a total of more than 159,000 MINI vehicles to our customers, up eleven percent on the same period last year. Given the current development, we expect to reach the magic mark of 200,000 units sold for the first time this year.

What determines the success of the MINI brand? I would like to name three crucial factors for the uniqueness of MINI as well as the success of the brand.

MINI vehicles have a high-quality product substance which is one-of-a-kind in the small car class. And thanks to countless equipment options, MINI also offers maximum individuality. So the stereotyped idea that "Premium needs to be big" - which is accepted in many Asian markets - is definitely not true for MINI.

MINI is a genuine premium brand that truly cherishes its long tradition. MINI is a symbol of stylish design and the typical, unique go-kart feeling. But MINI is not a retro product. MINI has been developed further and is thoroughly up-to-date. It still seems familiar, but in fact, every little detail is new. So the appropriate slogan would be "From the Original to the Original".

The MINI brand embodies the urban lifestyle of its customers like no other brand. MINI appeals to young professionals and those young-at-heart, the trendsetters of society whose buying patterns strongly influence other groups of customers. Especially in mega-cities such as Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai or Singapore, MINI stands for cosmopolitan flair and a free-spirited life.

The success of the MINI brand, also in Japan, is proof of the fact: We are on the right track. And this is why we are going to add new members to the MINI family. Three new model variants - the MINI Seven, MINI Park Lane and MINI Checkmate - are celebrating their Asia premiere here in Tokyo today.

And I am looking forward to presenting a world premiere to you: the MINI Concept Tokyo. We have already shown a concept car at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt; but in this current form, it has been especially designed for the Tokyo Motor Show. This concept focuses on three aspects: ideal use of space, technical innovations and 'Britishness'.

Convenient storage space is provided by the cargo box in the trunk or by the sports utility box in the side window. But the MINI Concept Tokyo does not only have a lot of space for luggage and sports equipment. On its roof, it also stores a table and chairs for a picnic in the park - this is our interpretation of the typical ‘Britishness' the Japanese people greatly admire.

Moreover, this MINI offers the driver several technological innovations, such as a snap fit for the mobile phone at the steering wheel. When you take a closer look at the concept car, you will see a lot of technological details which are novelties in automotive engineering.

Another characteristic of the MINI Concept Tokyo is its color: green. You will discover light-green parts on the inside and the outside of the vehicle which are a contemporary interpretation of the traditional British Racing Green.

When looking at this vehicle, some of you will feel reminded of a classic model - the Mini Traveller which was presented almost exactly 45 years ago. We have taken inspiration from the MINI history for our concept study. And with the MINI Concept Tokyo, we have created the modern interpretation and further development of a historical vehicle.

We always promised that the MINI family would be growing, but we have taken our time. Consistent brand positioning and development with a clear focus was our top priority. Today, we are not only presenting another variant. This new variant clearly reveals the outstanding potential and modernity of the unique MINI brand.

Now I would like to invite you to see for yourself what makes the MINI Concept Tokyo so special. Enjoy your time at the Tokyo Motor Show 2005.

Thank you very much.

Related:

[ 2005 Tokyo Concept Gallery ] MotoringFile

Here's the show many of you have probably been waiting for. Todd and I (no DB this week) go in depth with Phil Wicks (of the Phil Wicks Driving Academy) about both his school and his new US racing series. And I can promise you, Phil likes to talk about both subjects.

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