Now that we know the price ($39,950) and the timing, lets talk a bit about how to get one of the 500 GPs and what comes on the car.

MINI USA will be allotting one GP to each dealer in the US for March delivery. The rest however will go to customers on a first come first serve basis. MINI USA will set-up a toll-free reservations number in mid-November that will allow anyone to plunk down a deposits (likely around $1,000) and name their dealer where they want to take delivery. However a few questions remain. Will those dealers that are given allotment based on the reservation line, be held to MSRP pricing? Obviously one would hope and assume so but we wouldn’t be surprised if a few didn’t.

Yet we’re not all that worried about people wanting GPs not getting them. Even with the first GP owners getting first crack at the reservation line, we would suspect many of them (who are actually interested) already have a deposit or an understanding of some kind with their local dealer. And beyond that this is a car that is not a widely attractive buying proposition for most. At $40k with no amenities such as Nav and lacking rear seats, the GP inherently has a small market compared with most MINIs. In our minds if you want a GP, we’d bet that you’ll be able to get one either through the reservation line or finding one on the lot somewhere.

So that’s how you buy a GP. But what are you actually buying? Find out after the break.

Interestingly the GP will technically be sold as a R56 John Cooper Works with option code 7KH. The standard equipment list is broken into three categories – the first being equipment that is available on all MINI. The second list is what (some of it unique) makes up the 7KH options package (aka the GP). The final list are the options that will come standard on the US GP.

Series Equipment

– Air condionting
– Fog lights
– Sport Button (re-calibrated for the uprated GP engine)
– Radio MINI Boost CD

7KH Equipment

– Roof in Silver
– 3A2 Black Headlights
– 423 GP Floor Mats
– 522 B-Xenon lights
– 550 On-Board Computer
– 563 Interior Lights Package
– 785 White direction indicator lights
– Z1XX Special Upholstery
– 940 Special Equipment
— Coil-over suspension
— Optimized 6 pot caliper brake system
— Gear knob JCW badge in red with black symbols
— Specific JCW sport leather steering wheel (a version of the thicker aftermarket steering wheel)
— PU stocker with GP lettering on fascia
— Knee roll in leather ray carbon black with stitching in chili red
— Topper pad in leather ray carbon black with stitching in chili red
— Floor mats with chili red binding
— JCW Recaro seats with stitching in chili red (incl. 494 seat heating & 450 passenger seat height adjustment
— Engine under tray
— JCW Front and rear bumper
— Brake air duct painted chili red
— Modification Aerkokit rear diffuser
— Rear Spoiler & rear spoiler upper finishing
— Aerolips front and rear
— Radiator grille with new geometry and painted black
— Radiator grille frame painted in black
— GP Tailgate badge
— JCW Side Scuttle
— New rear screen (deletion of hole/rear wiper)
— Rubber spacer for brake lines
— R56 GP Exterior graphics
— Strut brace
— 7.5 x 17″ GP alloy wheels
— Kumho ECSTA V700 (215/40 R17)

US Specific standard Equipment (options in other markets)

– 534 Auto air conditioning
– 6ND Bluetooth hands free kit with USB interface
– 302 Alarm system

The one optional extra will be the standard JCW Challenge spoke wheels with run flats available for an extra $100. That will be there for anyone who prefers the safety of run flats and/or the styling of the more classic JCW Challenge spoke.

We’ll have many more details on the GP soon.

MINI JCW GP Final Specifications (PDF)

MINI JCW GP Interior, Exterior & Engine Photos

MINI United Debut Photos

Official GP Photos