Prodrive Working on a MINI WRC Entry?
Rumors are continuing to swirl around a possible MINI WRC entry in the form of the Countryman crossover. The latest comes from Autosport and sources within the team that would build the car – Prodrive. Reportedly confirmation of the deal has now been stalled until spring but work seemingly is continuing deep within Prodive Uk headquarters. Here’s an excerpt from Autocar:
>The Crossover road car was due to be launched this year, but that has also been postponed until either next year’s Geneva or Paris motorshow next year. AUTOSPORT sources indicate the World Rally Car would be likely to be launched at the Paris show. Prodrive has been working on a theoretical new generation World Rally Car for much of this year, developing the parts required without actually working on a base model.
>Technical director David Lapworth said: “Right now there is nothing to say and I don’t think there will be anything to say until the spring. This is not an official statement from me, it’s just the way things look. “That said, it’s going to be very difficult to keep this thing under wraps. Very soon we will have to start involving more and more people: the FIA, a lot more suppliers and things like that. Once we do that, more is bound to come out.
Related:
+ MINI to Join WRC with Countryman? / MotoringFile
+ MINI to Launch Special Edition Countryman JCW Model / MotoringFile
<p>I eagerly await whatever comes out…maybe we will get an early christmas present and have some kind of concept sketch as to what this juicy bundle of goodness might look like…</p>
<p>Waiting…</p>
<p>Patiently…</p>
<p>please, please, please…</p>
<p>since rally has made it back to US TV in the past few weeks, i’ve forgotten how much i love it. much more entertaining than F1.</p>
<p>love F1 for the engineering, love WRC for the stages & driving.</p>
<p>Well if it works for WRC maybe next step would be the Dakar. Didn’t know WRC was back on TV here in the US? SPEED? Where?</p>
<p>Maybe MINI could hire Loeb or that new kid Ken Block or if 199 ever gets his head outta his… and gets tired of being a stunt clown give him a chance.</p>
<p>discovery HD theater:
<a href="http://dhd.discovery.com/tv/world-rally-championship/about.html" rel="nofollow ugc">http://dhd.discovery.com/tv/world-rally-championship/about.html</a></p>
<p>they’re playing catch up for the 2009 season right now, so I’m hoping it’ll be live next year, or same weekend recaps like MotoGP on SPEED.</p>
<p>please please please please please please please please please!</p>
<p>Prodrive built an incredible version of the Subaru WRX…was featured on Top Gear a couple years ago…turned so tightly and quickly it made Clarkson puke.</p>
<p>Wonder how this is going to work with the 1200cc max/min engine size rule for next year.</p>
<p>1.6L is 1600cc so if so they are going to have to take the largest and heaviest Mini and put a smaller engine into it.</p>
<p>Fantastic news! Eagerly awaiting more…</p>
<p>i thought the max engine size was 2.0L.</p>
<p>yup, just checked; 2.0L and 300hp.</p>
<p>My bad on that one, went to check the details and looks like 2011 rules FIA are going to 1.6L turbo units, there was some talk of going to 2.0 L naturally aspirated engines earlier this year.</p>
<p>I too have rediscovered WRC with the Discovery HD coverage — and a MINI in the future mix would be an awesome addition. Somebody is gotta break Citroen’s dominance.</p>
<p>Don’t you mean Loeb’s? I think you could put that guy in a Trabant and he’d win.</p>
<p>Prodrive’s plan was delayed due to the late introduction of R60, but here is my solution:</p>
<p>Use Lancia Stratos’s old trick – built a special batch of Homologation MINI WRC “road” cars to make FIA happy and sell it to the public.</p>
<p>Prodrive has got to be steamed about the delays. It’s gotta be hard to optimize a chassis that you don’t have.</p>
<p>Matt</p>