MPH-Online has a few new MINI spy photos today. The first two are of the Traveller testing mule that has been spotted quite a bit over the last six months. The photos give us a good overall glimpse of the shape of this new MINI but little else. As with other images we’ve seen, the rumored rear suicide doors appear to be covered up by plastic cladding.
The other two spy photos are the first seen yet of the JCW GP out on the road. If there are exterior design changes to come this testing mule doesn’t show them. However I have to say that the GP looks infinitely better in “prototype black” with those new R105 18″ JCW wheels than the grey/4-spoke combo that will be on the car at the time production this summer.
You can check them out below:
well I liked the concept traveller(s), but the length w/o all the goods makes this one look a bit bland; too early to tell for sure, tho.
GP – kind of a sleeper, huh?
Derek
I gotta say I prefer the original coloring and wheels to the GP except for the stupid red mirrors. I loved the wheels.
As Derek pointed out it looks like a sleeper. That’s not the look I’d want if I’m paying extra for it.
I think the original had only 4 spokes per wheel now shown with 5…mucho betta…The mirrors are kool….it’s the bland paint scheme that sucks.
The Traveller is a mess in those pics.
Black definitely helps. Or rather a unified color scheme really helps.
Just to clarify – This is a testing mule that is just painted black. The final GP will look pretty much the same as what we saw in October save for a few rumored nips and tucks.
I must admit the more I learn and see about the JCW GP car, the more I want one! In fact it’s been my desktop image background for the past month…
Any guesses on how much the little beast will cost? No word about interior yet either — I certainly hope they bring it with some Recaros, or similar spec seats with aggressive bolsters.
Re: Traveller
Still diggin’ it. Can’t wait to see what lies beneath the cladding.
I am very excited about the Traveller and intend to be first on the list for one at my dealership. But in these photos, the front end is so ugly! It looks like a porpoise!
The second photo of the Traveler made my day!
Here’s why. If you look at the photo closely, you can see that the whole nose of the car is faux. Beneath the hole cut for the headlamp, you can clearly see a very upright headlight much like the current car and just a glimpse of enough space to make me think that there’s a good 6″ at least between the faux nose and the actual car. That’s exciting because that means that the front overhang is likely to be a lot less than what we’ve seen in the spy shots on this and the R56. The pedestrian impact standards may not put quite so much a chin on the MINI as we’ve feared. I hope that there’s equally as much space under the faux panels on the rear of the car as we’ve seen on the R56 spy shots/video. I just a can’t handle that booty.
Great to see.
I’m looking forward to what the traveler may be.
I actually am hopeing that in two years we can have one as a loaner when we’re in for service. I figure there’s always a chance that it would be so nice we could get one of them instead of a minivan! That would make me very, very happy…
GP packaging looks better and more polished. Wheels are much better also, but still hoping for lighter 17s. Is the GP still rumored for July sales and listing for around 30K +-?
Actually, if you look closer at the GP by the front bumper, the paint is that dark grey-blue that it was rumored to have. And yes, everything else is black. It is probably the very same one that they were showing at the show.
And I thought that the name of it was the JCW GP, MPH called it the Works GP.
BTW, is there any historical significance to the name GP? Like the Traveler, Seven, Cooper, Moke, Innocenti…
That GP wing is just embarassing. Completely incongruous with those sharp folds. Worse than the Sti/Evo silliness.
Give me one of these sans all the gratuitous exterior plastic and avec a rear seat.
I think the wing is very, very kool…but then I like eggs.
Gran Prix…or USA….Grand Prix….means Great Prize
That is much better looking; understated. Those wheels also look much better in my opinion…four spoke wheels lack dynamism.
When can we get one???
<blockquote> That GP wing is just embarassing. Completely incongruous with those sharp folds. </blockquote>
Well, I doubt it is just for looks. It was mentioned somewhere on Motoringfile (I think) that the GP will have improved aerodynamics.
If that is the case, the rear spoiler is probably the most responsible part. If it effectively diffuses air into the low pressure area behind the car, that would significantly improve the coefficient of drag.
Synopsis: I don’t car so much how it looks if it improves aerodynamics.
On the GP, sane minds finally prevailed at BMW. Much more tasteful. Yes, 17s would be nice.
>On the GP, sane minds finally prevailed at BMW. Much more tasteful. Yes, 17s would be nice.
Jim – this is just a black test mule. The final GP will look like the one that was debuted in October.
Including those ugly – my opinion – four spoke wheels?
Unfortunately yes.
…argh! Cough, spit etc so on and so forth…
What’s a mother to do?