More John Cooper F1 Details Slip Out
Earlier this week we broke the news of the first F1 being produced at the plant. Today we can go into details on the actual car. The non-metallic green everyone is talking about will be based off of Connaught Green and is a very dark non-metallic first seen on the Mini in 1964. Likely using the John Cooper name in its official title, it’s true to the non-metallic British racing green seen throughout the 50’s and 60’s on everything from Jaguars to Morgans.
Inside look for a standard Piano black dash with the usual JCW chequer flag detailing. Each car will come with a plaque (similar to the MC40 edition sold in the US for 2004) indicating it’s place within the production. Like other UK based JCW cars, the F1 will come standard with the JCW aero-kit and the JCW leather steering wheel. Otherwise things are relatively stock inside with the normal options still on the table for customers to order.
That brings us to availability. Rumors currently out there have the F1 as being very limited and possibly only being available in the UK market. For those outside the UK take a deep breath… this is not 100% confirmed yet. But with numbers so low and looking historically at previous BMW single market special edition models, this seems plausable. However it’s worth noting that developing a new color for production at the Oxford plant costs as much as $250,000 so it’s unlikely that this new shade of green would be use solely for this special edition (unless the painting was sub-contracted out and the cars placed back on the production line).
We’ll have more on the F1 and the other new special editions (which are being sold worldwide) over the next few days.
<p>That is encouraging that it pays for them to offer the color in the future.</p>
<p>Awe just say that they brought in some top notch paint guys and each car was hand painted instead of them doing the assembly line thing…that would make more sense then retooling the current line to accomodate the new colour</p>
<p>So, a “unique” MINI that the one special feature – color – will become available, and eliminate the uniqueness. Nice …</p>
<p>It is not so much re-tooling of the paint process. It is more the development of a new color. Once the formula is final it is buying the paint in HUGE hoppers and then it is just shooting that color. The paint is normally in one part of the factory and the paint booth is in another part of the building. There are not different delivery tubes for every single color offered so there is color contamination that happens at the factory.</p>
<p>I guess I’m clueless for how the auto industry work, why does it cost $250K for paint?</p>
<p>It would be kool if they did the racing Cooper’s white strip detail or something like it. Never cared for BRG, personally. Bu then I’m not a green or brown car colour guy.</p>
<p>Looks great! Anyone know if the power-train will be upgraded from the standard JCW?</p>
<p>Wouldn’t hold my breath on anything extra Steve, think this is basically a factory JCW with a unique color and badges. Will be interesting to see how the new MINI looks in true Connaught Green.</p>
<p>What should be funny is the outroar that will happen once the official pictures are released and the non-stop argument of what color the classic BRG cars were. I have seen enough classic BRG cars to say that the color actually quite a spread of tons in the green family. Still give Mini a thumbs up for making what will be a visually different JCW.</p>
<p>I’d like to see some explanation why it costs $250000 to change the color from the normal range. Is this like reinventing the wheel or something?</p>
<p>there better be some type special interior color or else this is going to be a waste of time. at least the MC40 offered the r90 rims in a gunmetal along with the two-tone inside and special rally stickers. especially in the non-met brg ends up going into mainstreem production. how about all alcantara inside? id like to hear more about
“the other new special editions (which are being sold worldwide)”.</p>
<p>Its about time they they painted it in the right green, not the stupid metallic colour.</p>
<p>To all wondering why it is so expensive to develop a new color. First off they work with the paint company to come up with the color that they are looking for, it is not free. Like anything in auto manufacturing there is a whole process, looking at trends in color and doing studies and such, when was the last time a car company just made a decision without throwing lots of money at it first? The paint is purchased in quantity, they don’t go to PPG and buy it by the gallon, the hoppers that hold the paint are as big as a small room.</p>
<p>When you look at it it is not that much to come out with a color that could really pay for itself if it is a hit. Is it a large investment for a limited run of cars like this one, yes it is that is why it was suggested that the cars would be painted out of house.</p>
<p>Just FYI – “it’s” equals “it is.”</p>
<p>I doubt that they will convert to a non-metallic BRG on full production MINIs. They make money on the metallic paint upgrade. Why would they pay extra to lose profit? The only way it would make it to production cars is in a special options package. In that case, the additional profit would make it worthwhile.</p>
<p>Ted – thanks for info. But – British Racing green is not a new color. The paint companies have the formula just like your local painter guy. Come to think of it Mike Cooper should still have the recipe as it was his father’s Company that used that colour on the F1 cars.
Does the factory paint cars in batches, i.e. 100 red, then 100 blue, then 100 white? or do they randomly switch on every car?</p>
<p>Greg, They do not do batches of cars. They paint each car the color that has been ordered. So one that’s getting painted black may be followed by a red and then a green. Which is also why its frustrating that some colors are only available to some countries. They are all painted and assembled on the same line at the same time.</p>
<p>I love BRG. Strange how its such a rare color on Minis. I think I saw only one the who week at the dragon.</p>
<p>BRG Power! Sorry, had to represent. I am in love with the non metallic BRG. I wish I could get my hands on one of these</p>
<p>Greg, I think a big hang up with BRG in it’s current formulation is that it’s metallic (The JCW paint fixes that). If it were nonmetallic, I suspect it would be much more popular–might have been my first choice. But with the added expense of metallic paint, the BRG lost it’s luster, so to speak–plus it’s not so hot metallic, especially in comparison to the other metallic paints.</p>