2013 Mini John Cooper Works GP Hatchback

We’ve previously run a couple of speculative stories on the Mini John Cooper Works GP. It is with some relief that we are now able to provide some official information and images of Mini’s worst-kept secret.

Officially debuting at the Mini United Festival in Le Castellet, France, the 2013 Mini John Cooper Works GP is basically the Mini John Cooper Works with more of the works. That includes a mean-looking body kit with an air-gobbling front fascia, new side skirts, a rear diffuser, and a carbon-fiber wing above the backlight. Four-spoke wheels—and lipstick-red mirrors, for that matter—tend to look funny on cars less whimsical than the innately jocular Mini, but as with this car’s predecessor, the mischievous 2006 Mini Cooper S John Cooper Works GP Kit, this model looks rather snappy. The C/D jury is out on the new GP’s black, silver, and red body graphics, but stickers come off as easily as they’re applied.

All We Know is 8:23

Other performance enhancements include the removal of the hatchback’s rear seat as well as the fitment of a suite of race-worthy chassis bits, including an adjustable suspension, upgraded brakes, and high-performance tires. Detailed specs on those components as well as those pertaining to the GP’s engine, which we expect to be a version of the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-banger found in the larger JCW Countryman, will be revealed later this year closer to the GP’s market introduction. The GP should get the same 211 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque from the 1.6-liter as the JCW Countryman, however. We also must wait to learn how much Mini plans to charge for the new super Cooper, as well as what slice of its 2000-unit production run will be dished out to American customers. We did learn, however, that all 2000 vehicles confirmed at this point will be hatchbacks. If Mini goes ahead with any JCW GP coupes would be part of a separate production run.

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2013-mini-john-cooper-works-gp-hatchback-photos-and-info-news

Chicago Mini Cooper Dealers

2011 MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 - Road Trip Redemption

After spending too much time hanging around Ann Arbor, our four-seasons Mini Copper S Countryman ALL-4 finally busted out of town in April, heading for New York with editor Jean Jennings and her husband, Tim.

Jennings reports: "Tim did the straight shot out from Michigan, down US 23 to the Ohio turnpike, across Pennsylvania on I-80, stopping in Clarion overnight to visit friends, and then continuing on to Manhattan. I joined him for the ride home, leaving New York City on Thursday afternoon of Easter week. It took us about two hours to creep through the meatpacking district, into the Lincoln Tunnel, and out to New Jersey. We made it to our favorite stop off I-80, The Inn at Turkey Hill (exit 236). Exceptional rooms for just over $100, gourmet dining room, brew pub on the premises, fabulous breakfast buffet included, super nice staff. A definite oasis in a sea of Super 8s.

"Surprisingly, the Mini proved to be a pretty comfortable long-distance cruiser. The hobby-horse ride it delivers on rough pavement -- and most awfully, on New York City streets! -- goes away out on the highway. Helping that long-drive comfort is a cruise control that performs flawlessly, whether driving across the flat wasteland of Ohio or through the hills of Pennsylvania.

"The Countryman's back seat knee room was partly achieved by cheating space from the front passenger, but the addition of that back seat space is worth it. The extra passenger and cargo space are not just a marketing ploy, but are extremely useful if this is your only car. The MASSIVE amount of crap we took with us astonished our bellman.

Back in Michigan, the Jennings put the Countryman's luggage area to work carrying a very different cargo. "The weekend we got home, Bob [the Chesapeake Bay retriever] was in a dog show and we were able to put his cage neatly in the back along with his gear and our two duffle bags for the weekend. We had to shim the floor a little underneath his cage so it would ride flat. But there was plenty of room, and opening the hatch and window gave him lots of air and a good view of the dog world around him at the show."

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1204_2011_mini_cooper_s_countryman_all4_april_update/#ixzz1tGnIt9QO

2013 Mini John Cooper Works Coupe GP II Spy Photos

What It Is: A Mini John Cooper Works Coupe that’s been given the GP treatment, caught wearing very little camouflage. It’s already been confirmed that the high-performance Mini JCW GP II hatchback model is coming to the U.S. by the end of the year—we’ve even spotted one out testing—but this is the first time we’ve caught wind of a Mini JCW Coupe GP II. The Mini is wearing a few GP hallmarks, namely a set of four-spoke wheels and an aggressive rear diffuser.

You may be wondering why we’re referring to the coupe as a GP II, when this would be the first time the model has received GP kit. We doubt that Mini would refer to it only as the “GP” but at the same time call the three-door the “GP II.” It makes more sense for Mini to use common GP nomenclature, even if doing so means the coupe’s name makes a little less sense. The original Mini JCW GP was slightly lighter and slightly more powerful than a contemporary JCW three-door, attributes we expect will carry over to both the new hatchback GP II, as well as this new coupe.

Why It Matters: When the first-generation Mini John Cooper Works GP went on sale in limited numbers back in 2006, the Mini lineup had yet to expand beyond the Cooper hatchback and convertible. Today, Mini’s offerings include the Coupe, Roadster, Clubman, and Countryman, and extending the GP upgrades to a second model is easy and makes some sense.

Platform/Powertrain: Just like the tin-topped GP II, the coupe likely will get a power bump from the 208 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque in the standard JCW model to 220 hp and 220 lb-ft of torque. One of the original GP’s key features, or rather the lack thereof, was its missing back seat and A/C. Both omissions contributed to that car’s 62-pound weight loss compared to a normal JCW Hatchback. Of course, the Mini Coupe doesn’t have a back seat to begin with, so figure on perhaps only the deletion of the A/C here. Just as the three-door GP II should get an even sharper and more track-ready suspension tune, so would the coupe.

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2013-mini-john-cooper-works-coupe-gp-ii-spy-photos-news

Chicago Mini Cooper

2013 Mini John Cooper Works GP II Spy Photos

What It Is: Essentially, a Mini John Cooper Works hardtop with more muscle and less flab. This won’t be the first time the Works has hit the gym—for 2006, a run of just 415 John Cooper Works with GP kits came to the U.S., bringing a slight boost in power, a sharply tuned suspension, big four-spoke wheels, a unique gray paint scheme with lipstick-red mirror caps, and a bracket-style rear spoiler. More significant, perhaps, is what it left behind: the back seat and A/C, resulting in a 62-pound weight loss. Watch for most, if not all, of said modifications to apply to the next limited-edition model along with one or two new features.

Why It Matters: The first GP model was a swan-song special that added some razzle-dazzle for the previous-generation hatchback’s last year of production. Likewise, the new GP should help keep interest alive in today’s hatch, which, at six years old, is starting to show some gray around the temples. This will be the most powerful Mini hatchback available, and should be the most sought-after collectible.

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2013-mini-john-cooper-works-gp-ii-spy-photos-future-cars

Mini Indiana

Mini to Show New High-Performance GP II at Mini United Gathering in May [New York Auto Show]

We previously confirmed that Mini was working on a sequel to the hard-core 2006 John Cooper Works GP, and now the company has announced the new car will debut at the annual Mini United event this May. Details on the GP II, as Mini is calling it, are scarce. However, based on the previous GP, expect the new one to be lighter and slightly more powerful than the 208-hp Mini Cooper S JCW. Also, expect the GP II to be built in extremely limited numbers—only 415 of the original GPs made it to our shores.

Read More: http://blog.caranddriver.com/mini-to-show-new-high-performance-gp-ii-at-mini-united-gathering-in-may-new-york-auto-show/

MINI changes Paceman name to Countryman Coupe

The production version of last year’s Paceman Concept will get a new name: Countryman Coupe.

According to Car and Driver, the Oxford-based automaker decides to go to the production with the Paceman under the Countryman Coupe name. The Paceman is labeled as a crossover with two doors and a more dynamic stance. Both the Countryman and Paceman share the same front fascia, grille, headlights and hood.

Just like the MINI Countryman being built in Graz, Austria, the Paceman will be joining the production lines at Magna Steyr as well. Dr. Klaus Draeger confirmed in the past that production of Paceman will begin in late 2012 with first units arriving at dealerships in 2013.

While the Mini Countryman production is expected to deliver 100,000 units a year, the now-renamed Countryman Coupe will bring to the market around 20,000 units.

A few patent drawings have already made their way to the web, indicating the final version will be remarkably similar to the concept we’ve already seen.

Read More: http://www.bmwblog.com/2012/03/15/mini-changes-paceman-name-to-countryman-coupe/

MINI Clubvan Concept Live Photos: 2012 Geneva Motor Show

Small vans are big business in Europe. In cities with tight streets and for businesses with only lightweight cargo to carry, the small van is the convenient and importantly, tax-friendly answer.

It's no surprise that MINI is interested in entering the market then. It's expected to do so with a vehicle like the 2012 MINI Clubvan Concept, seen here in our live photos from the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

While the Clubvan is labelled as a concept, a representative with the car on the MINI stand--whose appearance resembled an extra from Mary Poppins or Oliver Twist--seemed to hint that the car would see production.

Walking around the vehicle, it's clearly more production car than concept. Unlike some small vans but like all MINIs--and the Clubman the van is based on--it's beautifully-built and well-trimmed. This certainly isn't a van suited for builders and plumbers, but florists, art dealers and jewellers will love the flat, carpeted load area, and similarly-trimmed sides and headlining.

Read More: http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1073800_mini-clubvan-concept-live-photos-2012-geneva-motor-show

AUTO SHOWS: First Look: 2013 Mini Clubvan Concept

Small commercial vans may just be the next big thing. Not only are seasoned van builders starting to tiptoe into the segment, but so too is Mini. The new Mini Clubvan, shown above, will debut as a concept at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show but will enter production by the end of 2012.

A work-ready Mini seems a little odd, but it isn't exactly unprecedented. The original Mini gave birth to a panel van variant in 1960, which in turn spawned the Traveller Wagon a year later. The Traveler itself inspired today's Mini Clubman, which in turn serves as the basis of the Clubvan. History seems to be repeating itself, albeit in an inverted manner.

As you can likely glean from its name, the Mini Clubvan is essentially a van-like twist on the existing Mini Clubman model. The rear seats are eliminated in favor of a flat, carpeted load floor, which stretches from the split rear doors to an aluminum bulkhead affixed just aft of the front seats. The rear-hinged third door - located behind the passenger-side door - remains, opaque polycarbonate panels replace the Mini Clubman's rear quarter windows. Dimensional data has yet to be provided, but we assume the Mini Clubvan's cargo space is similar to that of the Clubman, which offers 32.8 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded flat.

Would anyone put such a Mini to work? The automaker points out that many companies, including Red Bull and cosmetics giant Sephora, already use Minis in a commercial setting (the latter actually uses the Mini Clubman to deliver products in New York City). Like the Ford Transit Connect and the forthcoming Nissan NV200, the Mini Clubvan could appeal to small business owners looking for a nimble urban delivery vehicle - but unlike those vanlet, the Clubvan could provide an extra dash of style. Interestingly, officials tell us they suspect the Mini Clubvan will be seen as less of a commercial vehicle in the U.S, and more of a quirky, "sub-culture" personal lifestyle vehicle - the sort perfect for hauling bikes, surfboards, DJ equipment, and so on.

Those ideas will soon be put to the test: Mini officials tell us the Clubvan will go on sale in late 2012 as a 2013 model. Pricing is still unknown, but we wouldn't be surprised if it runs near or just below the $25,000 base price of a 2012 Mini Cooper Clubman.

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/geneva/2012/1202_2013_mini_clubvan_concept/index.html#ixzz1ntwrsxuI

Mini Clubvan Concept Takes Clubman to Cargo Town [Geneva Auto Show]

Mini’s lineup is more expansive than you might think. The basic Cooper three-door hatch currently shares showroom space with the four-place convertible, the extended-length Clubman, the high-riding Countryman, and the two-seater Roadster and Coupe. Mini will debut yet another (potential) derivative next month at the Geneva auto show, the Clubman-based Clubvan commercial van concept. (The Paceman, a three-door Countryman, is on the way, too.)

The Clubvan’s transformation to micro cargo hauler is pretty simple, as it’s essentially a Clubman with no rear seats. It uses the same body as the Clubman—which is a longer-wheelbase Mini Cooper with split rear barn doors and a third door on the passenger’s side—and gets opaque rear side window coverings and heavily tinted rear-door glass.

Mini didn’t just rip the back seats out, tint the windows, and call it a day, though. The aft space is made more cargo-friendly through a completely flat and cloth-upholstered load floor, six tie-down hooks, and a fixed partition between the front seats and the rear stowage area. The partition is a particularly trick-looking piece; the top features stainless-steel grating, while the bottom is finished in solid aluminum. Our only gripe, we suppose, is that the partition appears to intrude into the opening created by the third side door, limiting its usefulness.

Read More: http://blog.caranddriver.com/mini-clubvan-concept-takes-clubman-to-cargo-town-geneva-auto-show/

First Drive: 2012 Mini Cooper Roadster

If you're puzzled, as we are, by what the new Mini Roadster is supposed to be that the existing Mini Convertible is not, the folks from Mini offer this explanation: "It's the return of the British roadster."

Uh, we know it's been a while since actual British roadsters -- MGs and Triumphs and the like -- zipped along America's back roads (and broke down on their shoulders), but we remember them as quite a bit different than this Mini. The slender sports cars followed a classic formula seemingly laid down at the dawn of time, with a longitudinally mounted engine up front driving the rear wheels. The Mini Roadster, on the other hand, follows the formula of other Minis, with a transverse-mounted engine and front-wheel drive.


Soft-top sibling to the hardtop Coupe The Roadster is essentially a softtop version of the two-seat hardtop Coupe, which went on sale last fall. In both cars, the back seat area is given over to a bulkhead that has a lockable, 14-by-8-inch pass-through to an 8.5-cubic-foot trunk -- which betters the 6.0 cubic feet you get in the Convertible. As in the Coupe, the deck lid here incorporates a pop-up rear spoiler that deploys automatically at 50 mph to provide additional downforce (or flip it up manually with a switch on the windshield header). The Roadster also has the Coupe's reinforced body structure, lower ride height, and deeper front spoiler.

Yep, it drives like a Mini

These are not exactly transformative changes. And indeed, the Roadster drives pretty much like any other Mini. Mostly, of course, that's a very good thing. The Roadster will be available from launch in all three strengths: 121-hp Cooper; turbocharged 181-hp Cooper S; and full-tilt-boogie, 208-hp John Cooper Works. We drove the Cooper S version, and it is a lively performer (6.7 seconds from 0 to 60 mph, according to the manufacturer). Turbo lag is not an issue, and this engine gleefully zings the Roadster down urban freeways and rural two-lanes, accompanied by a snarling exhaust note -- and the occasional racy popping through the exhaust on throttle lift-off.

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/driven/1201_2012_mini_cooper_roadster_first_drive/index.html#ixzz1lzuitqlF

Green Car Reports - MINI Cooper Diesels May Be U.S. Bound: Report

Contrary to the myth that U.S. buyers don’t want diesels, MINI head Dr. Kay Segler reports that diesel MINI models are the most common request from its U.S. customers.

Segler told Car and Driver that, “We’re delighted to hear it,” before confirming that the brand is seriously looking into the possibility of importing diesels into the United States.

Don’t expect this to happen with the current, second-generation MINIs, since Segler admits that U.S. diesel models are a “medium term” consideration, not a short term one.

If that sounds vaguely ambiguous, there’s probably a good reason for it. At the moment, emission standards for diesel passenger cars differ between the U.S. and the E.U., but that changes in 2014 when the E.U. adopts the current (stricter) U.S. standard.

It’s not economical for manufacturers to certify diesels just for the U.S. market, especially when they won’t sell in the same volume as gasoline-powered equivalents. That changes in 2014, which is why we expect to see more diesel options in the future.

Read More: http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1072250_mini-cooper-diesels-may-be-u-s-bound-report

Confirmed: Mini Planning Another John Cooper Works GP Model

We’ve learned from a Mini executive that the company will build another hard-core John Cooper Works GP variant. The first GP model, sold in limited numbers for the 2006 model year, was more powerful and lighter than the contemporary Cooper S JCW on which it was based; these traits likely will carry over to the new one. (The first-gen car is pictured above.)


Figure on a very modest bump in output to 220 hp or so from the 208 on tap in the current JCW. It’s possible that the GP’s amped-up 1.6-liter turbo four will be tuned identically to the one scheduled for the upcoming John Cooper Works Countryman, as we were told that the mini-SUV will offer a touch more than 208 hp, too.

The original GP also featured an extensively revised suspension; the weight savings came through the removal of the rear seats and air conditioning. Similar modifications probably will be made to create the new car.

There was no word from Mini on timing, but we expect it to appear within the next year.

Read More: http://blog.caranddriver.com/confirmed-mini-planning-another-john-cooper-works-gp-model/