You have to give it to the good lads over at Jalopnik. Besides being huge fans of the Chevy El Camino, they also find some of the coolest stuff you’ll ever see on a car. Case in point, this race-prepped Mini.
Here are things we know about this racing Mini from Japan: mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive, gigantic wheels, Honda B18c engine. We’re not sure what compelled this individual to take the original Mini platform and flip it on its head, but we’d like to see this thing take on a Renault R5 powered by an SR2ODE motor for some reason. Clearly, what the Mini has been missing all this time is Integra Type-R power.
I’ve seen this done with a MINI (mid-engine BMW 6), but not in a Classic. Crazy.
The 2008 European MINI Challenge has officially kicked off at Hockenheim in Germany with one final testing. You can see some reports and even interview over at mini2.info. Or you can look at the photo set after the jump. A huge thanks to Sebastian for making this all available too us.
The Austrailan MINI Challenge series kicked off this weekend at Sydney’s Easter Creek race track and in doing debuted the new R56 MINI Challenge race car. We’ve got four videos of the race courtesy of our friends at Ausringers.com
The following is a transcript of Senior Vice President Brand Management MINI, Dr. Kay Segler’s speech at the Geneva Motor Show.
Today everything is dedicated to John Cooper Works. And not only the two new models are making their world debut here, but also the John Cooper Works brand, which is celebrating a wonderful premiere.
Let’s first take a look at the two cars right here in front of you: the MINI John Cooper Works and the MINI John Cooper Works Clubman. For the first time we have a John Cooper Works straight from the factory. Indeed, we even have two models, each offering 155 KW (211 hp) maximum output right from the start. And developing peak torque of 280 Nm/206 lb-ft -including 20 Nm Overboost- the twinscroll turbo ensures really powerful and dynamic acceleration at all times.
We are sure that you remember the MINI Challenge Safety Car, right? The tricked out neon-green-and-black JCW Clubman we posted about a few months back.
Good chance none of us will ever get to ride in one, so here is the next best thing. Enjoy!
MINI Australia Press ReleaseThe first ever MINI CHALLENGE in Australia has attracted over seven hours television
coverage, with the majority of that being LIVE on the Seven Network through V8
Supercars television, including two races from Bathurst.
In a massive coup for the new Series, races two and three from the return of MINI to
Mount Panorama will be shown live as part of Channel Seven’s extensive Saturday
coverage of the Super Cheap Auto 1000.
MINI CHALLENGE charges into life at Eastern Creek across the weekend of March 7-9
and the third race on Sunday, March 9 will be beamed live into lounge rooms right
around Australia.
The MINI Challenge 2008 race car is one step closer to it’s official race debut. Here’s an excerpt from a recent story on Motor Report:
The all new MINI Cooper Works R56 CHALLENGE cars have taken to the sky on their way downunder from Germany. True to their “Flying Brick” moniker, the first 20 cars are currently being airlifted from Germany to Australia, in time to race in the inaugural Australian MINI CHALLENGE Series, due to get underway at Eastern Creek Raceway on the weekend of 7-9 March.
Crash.net the scoop on MINI’s JCW Challenge Race car test at Silverstone. Here’s an excerpt:
Newly announced Avon Tyres British GT Championship driver Paul O’Neill was amongst the drivers to get a taste of the brand new MINI John Cooper Works Challenge when the car hit the track for the first time at Silverstone.
Here’s a great interview with Peter Doulman, winner of the Australian 2L Touring Car Championship in 1993, who will also be running in the upcoming Australian MINI Challenge.
“I’ve had experience working with BMW in the past so I know the quality of their product and the MINI Challenge so far seems to be an extension of that,” he said.
“They not only know how to build race cars, but with the success of MINI Challenge overseas they know how to run a professional and thriving category and we wanted to be a part of that.”
After enormous success in Germany, Great Britain and New Zealand, MINI Challenge Australia will hit Australian tracks at Eastern Creek in March.
Four months ago we brought you news that MINI USA was actively trying to assess the viability of bringing the MINI Challenge race car to the US. At the time we asked all those potentially interested in putting their money where their mouths were to contact MINI USA directly and encourage them to bring MINI Challenge car to the US. Apparently it worked.
Over the past week we’ve heard from a couple sources that the wheels are now in motion to debut the US version of the racer at the New York Auto Show.
Official MINI UK Press Release: Next year, an all-new MINI Challenge will race at some of the UK’s biggest international race meetings including A1GP, DTM and the WTCC, on some of Europe’s most challenging race circuits, in a bespoke sixteen-race championship. The prize of an official test with BMW’s three-time World Touring Car Championship-winning team will be at stake for the winner.
The grid of twenty-five hopefuls will be racing MINI’s brand new 210bhp MINI John Cooper Works Challenge cars for the chance to win an official test in BMW’s all-conquering 320si WTCC touring car, overseen by the world’s most successful touring car driver, BMW Team UK driver, Andy Priaulx.
For all those in North America who never get a chance to see this incredible race series in action, here’s an official video that MINI put together to help promote the European MINI Challenge.
We’ve got a sneak peak at the MINI Challenge Safety car for the 2008 MINI Challenge series from Europe. This Clubman is a one-off built by the same folks who created the Challenge race car. Built with various Challenge Race car pieces added for increased track performance, what you see below is easily the fastest Clubman ever built. Both the front and rear defuser make an appearance as well as what appears to be a JCW Challenge exhaust. Also take notice of the new rear spoiler - an official Clubman accessory to be offered for 2008.
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1st Gen MINI R50: One & MC Coupe R52: All 1st Gen MINI Convt. R53: MCS Coupe 2nd Gen MINI R55: Clubman R56: One/MC/MCS Coupe R57: One/MC/MCS Convt. R60: MINI SUV
Sections: Best of the Web, Motorsports May 7th, 2008 14 Comments 
You have to give it to the good lads over at Jalopnik. Besides being huge fans of the Chevy El Camino, they also find some of the coolest stuff you’ll ever see on a car. Case in point, this race-prepped Mini.
