Skip to main content

Mini John Cooper Works GP: The fastest Mini ever?

2012 Mini John Cooper Works GP front three-quarter viewSaying, “I drive a Mini” is a really vague statement. BMW’s revival of the classic British hatchback may have started with one model, but now Mini is legion. From the Coupe to the Countryman, there is a Mini for everyone. It’s not just body styles either: Minis are endlessly customizable. That makes them perfect for people who care less about cargo space, and more about speed. Witness the redesigned Mini John Cooper Works GP.

Mini says the John Cooper Works GP is its fastest ever. It was also tested the Nurburgring, the German racetrack where nearly every car company tests its high-performance models. The John Cooper Works GP set a lap time of 8:23, 19 seconds faster than the previous, 2006 John Cooper Works GP.

Mini is keeping most of the John Cooper Works GP’s mechanical features a secret until it is ready to put the car on sale. The company is only saying that the John Cooper Works GP’s engine will be turbocharged, which isn’t much of a clue. The current Mini performance leader, the John Cooper Works (no GP), has a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-banger, so it is likely that the GP will have a more powerful version. The regular John Cooper Works has 208 horsepower; the 2006 John Cooper Works GP had a 1.6-liter supercharged engine with 214 hp.

Over 200 horsepower in one of the world’s smallest cars should make for lively acceleration, but handling has always been the Mini’s calling card. The John Cooper Works GP shouldn’t disappoint, since it will have adjustable suspension and race-spec tires and brakes. They look pretty good with the unorthodox four-spoke wheels. The body also gets some aerodynamic adjustments, including a carbon fiber rear spoiler, to improve downforce. Finally, the rear seats are left at the factory to make the car lighter.

The original John Cooper Works GP was a limited edition model that sent the first-generation BMW Mini out with a bang. The new version will probably do the same. Like the first GP, only 2,000 will be made. Since Mini is planning on launching a new Cooper soon, this could be the last variant built on the current platform. If the John Cooper Works GP turns out to be the fastest Mini ever, it will make an excellent swan song for the current Mini. It should also be easy to sell 2,000 of them.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Mercedes to trial humanoid robots for ‘low-skill, repetitive, demanding’ jobs
Apptronik's Apollo robot at work in an auto plant.

Humanoid robots have been coming on leaps and bounds in recent years, and some major companies are starting to take note.

Mercedes-Benz, for example, has just entered into an agreement with Texas-based robotics specialist Apptronik to collaborate on identifying applications for highly advanced robots that the auto giant could deploy. The deal will involve a trial that will see Apptronik's Apollo humanoid robot work alongside Mercedes' human workers on the factory floor.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 9: price, release date, range, and more
Hyundai Ioniq 9 Front

Hyundai has been at the forefront of EV development for a while now, largely thanks to the success of the crossover-sized Hyundai Ioniq 5. But the company is readying another new EV that could be even more popular than the Ioniq 5 -- or at least more desirable in the U.S., the land of big cars.

The upcoming Ioniq 9, previously set to be called the Ioniq 7, will be Hyundai's take on an electric SUV. It will be to Hyundai what the Kia EV9 is to Kia. It will have three rows and carry over design elements from the Ioniq 5.

Read more
Audi Q6 e-tron ushers in the automaker’s next EV phase
2025 Audi Q6 e-tron front three quarter view.

Audi doesn’t get enough credit for getting luxury car buyers comfortable with EVs. While Tesla took care of the image-conscious types, the German brand unveiled its e-tron electric SUV in 2018 with the tagline “electric has gone Audi” in hopes of getting loyal customers excited about (or, at least, acclimated to) electric cars by pitching the e-tron as an Audi first and an EV second.

The e-tron wasn’t a one-off, either. It’s since evolved into the Q8 e-tron and has been joined by the sporty e-tron GT and entry-level Q4 e-tron. So, while some car brands are only just introducing their first electric models, Audi is ready for round two.

Read more