With all the hype and build up of the rumored “lightweight” Cooper S, there was probably little MINI could do to actually impress everyone. With numbers like 230bhp and 15% weight reduction being bandied around, it would have taken a Herculean effort by BMW engineers to meet expectations and keep the car certified for sale around the world easily without spending a boat load of engineering time and money. Not to mention that all this work was going into a model less than a year away from being completely replaced. With that in mind, the JCW GP starts to make a bit more sense.
The JCW GP prototype shown in Misano ant MINI United was just that… a prototype. BMW/MINI engineers are still working on the final engine modifications, styling, and interior design. So with that said we’ll be offering our analysis on the car shown at Misano and the specifications provided by MINI Press.
Performance
Since we don’t have test figures yet, we can only judge the car by it’s raw performance.
Power: 218bhp (likely to be around 215hp for the US)
The JCW GP power gains over the standard MCS JCW are accomplished by modifying the intercooler and tweaking the ECU. Not rocket science but then again what could we hope for with a supercharged engine in it’s last year of production. But 218 bhp? Surely this special edition could be more special? I imagine the economic realities of tweaking an engine that was soon to be discontinued were hard to overcome. While MINI engineers surely could have squeezed more power out of the trusty Tritec, they most likely didn’t have the time, staff, or budget to get it done. Furthermore, they have to retain the engines eco-friendly qualities for it to be certified for sale on many world markets. So 218 bhp it is.
Weight savings: 40kg (or 88.1 pounds)
There were lots of rumors of carbon fiber but in the end MINI decided against it. Reportedly it would have been too costly to homologate for worldwide sales (the proposed thinner glass fell into this category as well). So that leaves us with aluminum control arms (not insignificant), deleted rear seats and sound deadening material. MINI is also planning to offer optional radio and A/C delete to further reduce the weight of the car. While undoubtedly the use of aluminum and carbon fiber would have been welcome by most, final costs would have sky-rocketed. And if costs weren’t the only issue with light-weight materials, you can bet that government regulations were right behind them.
I think MINI has walked a fine line rather well between weight reduction and producing a car that is still marketable to a wide audience. While engineers could have certainly pulled out more weight and in turn more creature comforts, the potential market would have likely been reduced to a level that would have not made the car economically feasible.
Improved Aerodynamics and Increase Downforce
As it turns out the JCW GP actually did spend some time in the wind tunnel. This is a nice surprise as it was assumed the body kit and wing were purely cosmetic. In fact it’s been reported that the JCW GP’s drag coefficient has been reduced from .36 to around .30. Since the MINI is known to get a little unbalanced in some high speeds situations, these are welcome additions. Particularly interesting is the “under body paneling”.
The other performance improvements on the JCW GP are no brainer. The JCW suspension kit helps get the power to the road and the car balanced in the corners and the JCW Brakes of course help it all come to a stop safely and quickly. However one aspect of the car that’s surely going to disappoint enthusiasts; the apparent brake cooling ducts are reportedly just for show. This is odd since JCW Motorsport actually sells a brake cooling ducts for the JCW Challenge cars. It would have seemed a no-brainer to integrate them into this car.
But all that said, the performance of the JCW GP isn’t necessarily where I’m personally disappointed. When one looks at the features and performance, for around the price of a well equipped MCS (roughly £22k or if we’re lucky low$30s), the JCW GP is not at all unreasonable.
Design (Exterior)
Yes folks, this is where things get ugly. Let’s start with the front.
The MINI design team have chosen to go a bit more extreme with the front apron. On the face of it I have no complaints there. And I have to say the front of the car really succeeds in letting everyone know it’s intentions. With the color coded grille, the flat black in the air-scoop (a great detail), slick brake ducts (unfortunately faux), it would seem the designers really sweated the details and the car is better for it.
But wait… what’s this? Why does the beloved black fender arch not visually extend to the apron? There’s certainly no well crafted design theme on the car that would make sense of this. Yet the MINI designers didn’t stop there however. They extended this design language to the side skirts. Here too, the decision still makes little sense. Visually there a disconnect that is obvious to almost all who see the car. Naturally MINI designers didn’t want to paint the arches as it de-empathizes the corners of the car (one of the most integral parts of the design). So why not simply extend the black trim to the bottom of the front apron at the very least? Could this be a classic case of something working in the sketches that simply didn’t translate well to the finished product? Or perhaps this portion of the design isn’t complete? I personally hope it’s the latter.
As we move around towards the rear, some of my faith is restored in a fairly simple and well executed rear apron. The base design is essentially the same as a standard MCS. However MINI have added extended lower black trim and added two silver bits that look to be air defusers of some kind. While they may not be functional, they do a good job of covering the black stock rear grilles (which as we all know are also not functional).
The rear wiper deletion is actually quite a nice touch. Apparently the change also mandated the JCW GP getting the MINI Convertible’s third brake light. All welcome changes for a car that probably won’t see a lot of in-climate weather.
And what about that rear spoiler? I was inclined to dismiss it’s size and form as a product from a designer who’d seen too much WRC. However I’m now told that it was specifically shaped in the wind-tunnel to reduce drag and increase down-force. Again, all good attributes for a high performance car. So the wing gets a nod of approval from this corner.
The color is hard to judge at this point. The photos I’ve seen from MINI PR range from blue-grey to just grey. I imagine it’s makes a but more sense in the flesh. Yet I can’t help but feel MINI is missing an obvious chance to give the car more of a motorsport feel. A medium red (BMW’s Imola) or even a traditional non-metallic British racing green would have seemingly been more welcome. But I’ll withhold final color-related opinions until I see the car in person.
That said there’s one aspect of the color I’m all too happy to judge; the red mirror caps. I’ve tried hard to understand the logic behind them. I’ve tried looking at the car at every angle imaginable. Yet I still can’t fully understand the logic of red mirror caps on a blue-grey car. I’m told that once we see the final interior, they will make more sense. Perhaps… but you can’t see the interior from the outside.
But all this pales in comparison to those absurd four-spoke wheels. Now I have to be honest, I loathe four-spoke wheels in general. At best they look inconsequential and weak. At their worst they look simply terrible. I’m afraid in this instance the answer would be both A and B. MINI has succeeded in creating an 18″ performance wheel that neither looks big or athletic. In fact it’s hard to believe they’re 18″ wheels at all. And there’s really no other way to put it, they simply look weak and contrived. Or to put it another way, like the product of a design theme gone too far.
Despite this, there’s still hope for the JCW GP. As an owner, you could easily replace the mirror caps. And of course there’s three other fine choices for 18″ wheels in the JCW catalog (not to mention countless after-market options). What’s the point of buying a MINI if you don’t make it your own!
The better news is that MINI isn’t quite done with the JCW GP. The final production version (again the one shown here is simply a prototype) will be debuted at the Geneva Motorshow in March. This gives MINI a little more time to touch up a few areas and finish off what sounds like a very impressive interior.
It’s probably safe to say that the JCW GP isn’t the car that most of the hardcore enthusiasts have been waiting for. However (assuming our pricing forecasts are correct) it just may be a viable option for someone interested in a no-frills JCW MCS. And as a bonus they’ll also be getting the rarest and fastest production MINI ever.
I know it’s redundant, but the wheels/mirrors suck.
Excellent analysis! ’nuff said.
BCNU,
Rob in Dago
Good to know there is still time for and intent to improve.
that’s a nice way of showing what not to put on the mini (styling wise)
I can’t help but think “cobbled up” when I see this car.
I like the wheels!
I know I’m in the minority.
So, if any of you fellow motorists buys one of these, let me know, I’ll take these rims off your hands when you get your aftermarket rims, all for free!
Such a deal!
Isn’t the R56 supposed to debut at the Geneva Auto Show as well? What’s the point then? This JCW GP, I fear, has certainly come way too late to the MINI party to be more than a blip. No more than they did to it in terms of modification and weight-reduction, this should have debuted in ’05 with the re-gearing of the MCS and the small increase in the JCW package that came that year. Overall, the car isn’t bad, I just think it’s too little too late.
It may be the fastest produced but I think you may have to check the rarest claim. There will be a run of 2000 of these worldwide where the much maligned MC40 was only a run of 1000.
<blockquote>It may be the fastest produced but I think you may have to check the rarest claim. There will be a run of 2000 of these worldwide where the much maligned MC40 was only a run of 1000.</blockquote>
That’s open to some debate I think. Some would not consider the MC40 a true limited production car since it was simply a base MCS with dealer accessories installed at the port. I guess in the true sense of the word it would still be more rare than the GP. But consider this, the US will only get a few hundred GPs… where with the MC40 they got 1000.
Nicely reviewed. After seeing some of the many-bhp super-versions of other brands this is significantly underwhelming, but that doesn’t mean I need to insult any engineers.
Even lame, unimaginative hacks. I mean, individuals are modding up their own MINI’s far better than this every day.
Hmmm… maybe I do need to insult some engineers.
I guess I am looking at it from Mini inc’s point of view and not the enthusiast pov. Anyway, excellent analysis.
You forgot one important critisim Gabe…. the silly badging which looks cheap and contrived.
GP badge on the rear is crass.
Number on the roof is contrived to make it appear more ‘special’ than the reality of this car is. It ain’t that special and buyers will be more dissapointed when they realise that modifiying such a defined ‘special edition’ will really hurt the whole point of the car.
Nice write up.
I don’t understand why everyone is having a hard time with the red mirror caps?! I think they are very cool. I also love the wing and felt from my 1st site of it that is must have been a design specific to this car and I was right. Your comments on the front end fascia are spot on, love those little wingy things along the lower edge. It’s a boring colour scheme and that puzzles me. They should call it “London Drizzle Grey” UGH!
As far as power I think your spot on it that area also, maybe, as you said, MINI was actually trying to be a little eco here. In my younger days I would have hoped for major increases here but as I see what’s happening with our environment I’m not a fan of huge displacement anymore.
But too each his own these are just my thoughts.
What, What was that? Oh… The GP. You woke me up for this? (Goes back to bed)
Ok ok. I agree.
I’m still torqued that they killed Idigo blue. Hyper blue is just so bland.(well I needed to say it somewhere)
All and all I don’t think the GP is too bad. It could have been imrpoved, but before I make any opinions, I would like to see what has been done with the interior (besides the rear seat delete of course).
The MC40 looked great. I don’t understand why it didn’t sell. The interior was terrifc with the red seats, CF dash and aux gauges. The driving lamps, anthracite R90 wheels, chrome and magnetic decals. A great anniversery tribute. All it needed was a complete JCW upgrade.
I like the wheels in general, except near the center where there’s not enough material. I would have preferred a little more presence there, maybe a bit more material mating the spokes. It’s the spoiler where I start cringing and the flares in front of the rear wheel wells.
In general, the car does look like it’s been cobbled together from disparate parts, and that is partly from the different colours used. Two colours is the limit with me, I think.
As far as engine power goes, well, I think the difference is much like the WRX to the WRX STI. I felt like there was too much power with the STI while the standard WRX was plenty sporty without having the car taking off like a rocket when you accidentally twitch your foot. Maybe I’m just getting old.
Still, overall, I’d prefer a standard MCS in looks.
Thanks for the writeup!
The colour will be Michigan blue which is currently avaliable on the 7 series range. I’m told the the factory colour code is the same, and BMW being as they are would never use one code where two would do…
To keep the brands separate, it’ll probably need a different name, but if you want to see the colour in the metal – find a Michigan blue 7…
Unfortunately, the more I see it the more it annoys me. I have no problem with the mechanical spec because it would give me a JCW+ for less than speccing my own, but the exterior is a complete disaster – and particularly disappointing in comparison to the exciting-looking artist sketch previews. Apparently, some nice and exclusive things are planned for the interior (UK market, anyway)but, unless the exterior is sharpened up with the right blend of racy appeal and class, I’ll be taking my deposit back. Really, this offering is nothing like as good as any aftermarket specialist could have done. So shame on BMW/MINI for letting the fans down.
Dead on as usual Gabe. 🙂
Paint the wheel arches for crying out loud. That would tie the new front end to the new side skirts to the new rear facia. I know it’s been stated, just had to et it off my chest. – Other than that (and the wheels) I’d be happy with it.
– Chuck
The front black wheel arches don’t bother me.
It seems in USA we want all to flow in continuous patterns where as in Europe they seem fine with broken paint themes. I like both styles. I may be way off in that judgement but when I go to Europe that’s what I see a lot of bright broken patterns on commercial vehicles as well as street racers. Maybe someone like Philip could deny or confirm this thought.
They could have painted the side skirts black to give a bit more continuity. It’s that LONDON DRIZZLE GREY that sucks!
Yeah, it would be awesome if they painted the car black or astro black or cosmos black, keeping the silver roof and accents along with the red JCW brakes (add red rear brakes) and mirror caps
Ditch the tints! It looks like a tiny hearse.
Wonder if the engine tweaks will be made available to the existing JCW client base…
The more I see and read, the more I come to dislike this effort.
I agree with Greg previously, The MC40 was more attractive.
This looks like a hotch-potch effort.
You could do better by customising your own car from the after-market tuners.
Great, analysis. I hope that this “prototype” has more to give when its finally done.
I forget who said it first, but I couldn’t agree more with them. The JCW GP MINI looks like they asked seven random disigners to randomly add one thing to the car without seeing what the others were doing.
“In fact it’s been reported that the JCW GP’s drag coefficient has been reduced from .36 to around .30.”
If that is true, it’s remarkable and justifies all the oddness of the spoiler, skirts, etc. I have no problem with an ugly car – as long as the ugly is functional!
The red mirror caps look odd, too, but in a trend-setting way. I think it’s only a matter of time before we see lots of mix and match MINI mirrors. I wonder what would look best with my PW/B? Maybe Hot Orange…
Orange looks good with anything 😉
we have a michigan blue here in the showroom… its beautfiful… don’t know about that color on a sporty car… but on the 7 its beautiful
does anyone have more specifics on the Aluminium control arms or the underbody panels? (part numbers, specifics pics, etc).
from my experience with other cars/BMWs both make significant differences.
also, any word on wheel weight? when it comes to unsprung weight or lift you can never have too little…
What the hell? I will say this again…..ANYONE WHO BUYS THIS CAR OUGHT TO BE LAUGHED OUT OF THE MINI COMMUNITY.
Sorry, but this is really really pathetic, it just ticks me off it is so weak.
If I want a car like this, all I need to do is go order a JCW MCS, order up some lightweight 18″ tires and wheels from tirerack, remove my rear seat and buy the rear wing at the dealer and get the same excact performance for well under 23k
So yes you are an idiot the likes of paris hilton (i.e. more money than brains) if you want this car!
Excellent analysis Gabe, this project has certainly stirred the pot.
I agree with your points on improving HP etc. they are certainly high cost items if not controlled. The outside is another matter. I like the mirrors, the wheels are awful and do it no justice. I would have liked to have seen either the black wheel arches continued around the car or colour co-ordinate them to match the body.
BRG would have been a great choice with a tan interior.
It’s not for me. Too much body kit, not enough true performance. That being said, there may be a part or two that I’d like to retrofit to my ’04 MCS.
For example, I like the black trim on the rear bumper. I wonder if that would fit the stock MCS bumper?
The under body paneling sounds interesting to me; I’d like to find out more.
I’m curious to see what the rear seat delete looks like, although my Golden Retriever probably wouldn’t appreciate it if I ditch the rear seat. (Humans don’t sit back there, but she does…)
I like the factory tinted rear windows.
Actually, I kinda like the look of those 4-spoke wheels, they show off the brake discs & calipers better since they are quite open…
The real question is – what to they <strong>weigh?</strong> That’s all I really care about. I wish the specs on them were available now.
Side note… Gabe… no cookies on the new site to store the name & email? Kinda silly to have to keep typing it before putting in a reply.
Nevermind… cookies seem to work after all. Oops.
Back on topic…
dr, you said:
<blockquote>If I want a car like this, all I need to do is go order a JCW MCS, order up some lightweight 18†tires and wheels from tirerack, remove my rear seat and buy the rear wing at the dealer and get the same excact performance for well under 23k</blockquote>
I don’t know what kind of twisted up logic you have, but the CHEAPEST brand new (factory) 2006 JCW MCS you can buy is $28,850… that’s a LONG way from the 23K you spouted.
MAYBE you can get it cheaper by purchasing a BONE STOCK MCS for $21,150 and having the JCW tuning kit installed by a dealer, but you’ll still end up spending over $27,000 and you won’t have the LSD or JCW brakes for that price either. Not to mention you still have the base 16″ wheels…
If you’re going to complain about the GP, at least use the right information to do it. A little research goes a long way.
Hey Gabe,
Why not have a bunch of us do the side view layouts the way we would do them and you can post them………..not that you have nothing to do.
I have to disagree on the mirrors/wheels. IMO they accent little things on the GP. i.e. Mirrors with the brakes, and the side reflectors. The wheels silver trim with the silver in the front/rear bumper, the silver around the “nose”, and of course the silver top. But then again it has been mentioned on a few occasions that my taste is a bit eccentric.
All in all, great write up!
2 little 2 late. I won’t bite. Nice try though!
All I hope is that MINI don’t continue the downward spiral on exterior styling to the R56, because that turbo Prince engine should blow this special away, imo. 😀
This has nothing to do with the JCW GP Kit, but I like the new look to the comments site.
<blockquote>It’s probably safe to say that the JCW GP isn’t the car that most of the hardcore enthusiasts have been waiting for. However (assuming our pricing forecasts are correct) it just may be a viable option for someone interested in a no-frills JCW MCS.</blockquote>
A no frills JCW S would cost $27,450. That is $28,850 less $1400 for the frilly Sport package that is “required” to order factory JCW. If they could hit that price and offer a rear seat, I’d be all over it. Somehow, I don’t think that’s going to happen.
<blockquote>This has nothing to do with the JCW GP Kit, but I like the new look to the comments site.</blockquote>
Thanks!
hope to see that the final production will be much better than this, in term of styling.
I love everything– including the rims–….well, maybe not the mirrors.
I keep hearing that, with economics and the limited market of something more expensive in mind, Mini have done a fair job. (So we settle for fair now, do we? ;))But what I miss in the above write-up: what is the actual point to this car? To what unique, distinguishing feature(s) does it owe its right to exist (crude translation of a Dutch term that is not nearly as crude, but I can’t come up with nicer wording)?
I’ve always learned, if you can’t do it right, don’t do it at all, and I’m very much getting that feeling with this car; why did they bother? A significant driver behind this type of development usually is the image-boost it gives the brand as a whole (never mind the actual sales, I wouldn’t be surprised if a manufacturer is happy when the sales make up for a large part of the costs of the project), but I don’t think this is doing Mini as a brand any good.
The only bright spot might be the aerodynamic work, but only if that results in a significant difference with a “regular” JCW S I would think there is any real point to this car.
Some serious ‘back-peddling’ from the BMW Camp no doubt!
Good analysis Gabe.
Quick comment about the brake cooling ducts and some past experience with BMWs.
Some of you may know the E36 M3 also has factory brake cooling ducts. However, on US-spec cars, these ducts are blocked off inside fender well. I know this for a fact because before the MCS, JerseyGirl had a 100% stock ’97 M3 and the block-off covers were still in place.
Why? Apparently because in wet, rainy conditions, the ducts <em>might</em> channel water onto the brakes, and while the brakes are easily capable of dispensing of this water the moment they are applied, BMW legal decided the <em>possibility</em> of slightly increased stopping distances was too much risk to take. It is very common to open up the cooling passages. A second or third owner may never know the passages were ever blocked off.
My guess is that making the GP’s “decorative” ducts functional will be a simple matter.
<blockquote>Some of you may know the E36 M3 also has factory brake cooling ducts. However, on US-spec cars, these ducts are blocked off inside fender well. I know this for a fact because before the MCS, JerseyGirl had a 100% stock ‘97 M3 and the block-off covers were still in place.</blockquote>
I know the BMW brake duct block-off issue well. My ’86 325es, ’92 325i, and ’93 325is had working ducts where all my other BMWs have not. What you just explained is the same thing I heard as to why they disappeared in the US. However if the JCW GP has working brake ducts that are just blocked off they would most likely be operational in the EU. Since we’ve now heard that they are not operational elsewhere in the world (from BMW officials in the EU, not USA), I would guess that it won’t be as simple as punching out a hole to allow them to work. Just a hunch.
JCW actually market/sell brake ducts that can be fitted in place of foglights on MCS so couldn’t they have gone with these? They were used – and promoted – on the Targa MINI which carried MINI Accessories’ sponsorship, if I recall correctly. Like most enthusiasts, I suspect, I prefer working features rather than stuck on fancy or faux ones, generally, irrespective of appearances. In fact, my favourite looking cars are mean and functional; what I’ve always thought of as “Beautifully Ugly” — know what I mean?
I think, given the constraints of cost, time, and manpower they were working under, this kit turned out pretty well. I get the impression that some people were expecting a race-ready MINI for $30k, which in my opinion is a little unrealistic.
By the way, I’m surprised so many people are down on the color scheme — personally I think the grey/red looks pretty sweet.
Sometimes it takes a while for me to get used to a new look. That is not happening with this car. Sad that BMW would consider making this the last hurrah of 1-st generation MINIs. Fugly. Contrived.
Great analysis Gabe, and I appreciated your comments on the Woofcast. One question — during the show you intimated that the Mini’s “lead designer” was involved in the design of the JCW GP kit. Didn’t Frank Stephenson ex-Mini design lead move over to Ferrari about a year ago? If so, then it helps explain why the GP kit has poor design integration (although the .30 drag coefficient is impressive.)
<blockquote>Great analysis Gabe, and I appreciated your comments on the Woofcast. One question — during the show you intimated that the Mini’s “lead designer†was involved in the design of the JCW GP kit. Didn’t Frank Stephenson ex-Mini design lead move over to Ferrari about a year ago? If so, then it helps explain why the GP kit has poor design integration (although the .30 drag coefficient is impressive.)</blockquote>
Frank Stephenson moved to Ferarri/Maseratti/Fiat a 4-5 years ago. Gerd Hildebrandt is currently the lead designer at MINI (and has been for quite awhile. While Frank designed the current car, I don’t believe he ever held the position of head of design at MINI.
It’s been implicated by a few people that Gerd Hildebrandt was somehow directly involved in the JCW GP design. While I’m not sure of what exactly he did on the car, he’s at the very least a figure head for it and all MINI design (and the one that subsequently gets the press positive or negative).
I’m fine with the car except for the color. But it DOES seem as if it were photographed on an overcast day. Maybe it will look better in the sun….or not.
The JCW GP! The car looks superb for what it is. Lightened, redesigned spoiler along with a new aero kit make me smile. My complaints are minor, or not, you decide. I would’ve liked to see the standard mini grill replaced with the black honeycomb ones (minor gripe). The problem about automotive performance nowadays is that manufacturers design and sell cars that are supposed to be marques and perfect for whatever they are designed to do as soon as they’re driven off the showroom floor. The Brakes and the Suspension Drop! Where are they? Calipers comparable to a Porsche 911 Turbo’s and a suspension drop like a GT Spec DB9’s would’ve made a good thing GREAT!!!
There’s nothing more unsightly than a gap between the tire and wheel arch. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the wheels. The cosmetics of the GP are of an aquired taste, as is anything else. You either like it or you don’t. And frankly, I LOVE IT!!! If the engineers made the car perfect ( slammed to the ground & with big fat brakes), then I would’nt have to screw up a perfect thing like everyone else. I already own a 2005 Cooper S and look forward to seeing the GP on the road soon. My opinions are all that they are. I’m sure the GP is as perfect as the engineers wanted it to be. Well see, I guess.
ALOHA from Hawaii,
MARONE
what is up with this thing? i mean, they couldn’t have at least made it appealing to the eyes? if i was building a high performance street car, i would add as much carbon fiber to the body as possible:
-carbon fiber mirrors
-carbon grill bars
-carbon front splitter
-carbon wheel arches
-carbon body panels under the side markers
-carbon hood scoop
-carbon roof
-carbon tailgate handle
-carbon door handles
-carbon interior package i.e. dash, trim, steering wheel, door panels
-carbon guages and a whole lotta them i mean boost, tach, speedo, oil guages, volt guage, temp guage
-better brakes, cross drilled/slotted brembos front and back
-sparco jcw seats
-aero kit rear bumber cover with real grilles
-carbon fiber aero kit style side skirts
MORE POWER!!!!!!! 250 bhp at the least
On F1 cars the team leader has a red camera pod. I recently happened across some photos on the web of a couple race cars with red mirror caps which did not seem to be part of their graphics package — could the JCW GP red caps be derived from this racing visual language?
It would be great for you guys to get someone from Mini design on the Whiteroof Radio podcast sometime.
God, I get more pissed every time I look at this… thing. Despite the MC40 debacle, I actually had hopes this would be the real deal.
Well, the next-gen Mini better be pretty effing incredible to make up for this sacrilege.
I have a deposit down for one with this thought: I have eight months to decide if I want it. I love my modified 02MCS and was planning to drive it a couple more years. I have 60K miles on it, and I am sure I do not want either a longer wheelbase car or a turbo (no matter what the HP). My mods give me about 190 HP (crank), a very balanced car, and great ride on the five or six tracks I run on every season. But the two mods I do not have – big brakes and a stiffer suspension – are on the upcoming GP. I can’t decide about its looks.
Finally, if I decide I don’t want it, it’s a sure bet that if I take delivery of the car at MSRP (as promosied by the dealer), I will make a few thousand dollars if I sell it. Enough to make a couple more improvements on my much-loved 02. Seems like a win-win however I play it.
There isn’t much blue in Michigan Blue! I stopped by the local BMW dealer the other day, and although they didn’t have any 7 Series cars in “Michigan Blue” (Color Code A38) on the lot, I looked at the color samples, and if NJT is correct and the GP is in fact coming in “Michigan Blue”, then the car photographs with a lot more blue in it than the color sample shows.
Is NJT sure that the GP will be done in this color, ’cause it more like “Michigan Gray than Blue”!
I didn’t like the GP when I first saw it. I think like others it was not what I was expecting. But the more I’ve looked at it, the more I’ve come to like it. So much so I plan on buying one. The reported price here in the UK is £22K and for that you get a fully kitted out limited edition JCW, with Recaro’s to boot. To spec a similar MCS would cost well over £26K. It’s a steal !!!