When you talk about the Mini brand, you know that it is about a machine that has racing and rallying pedigree. It is a marque that has made a name for itself across the globe as the ultimate hot hatch, and while there are a plethora of models to choose from, it is the car with the JCW badging that stands out the most. After all, this exclusive package is built on years of history and legendary performance that has made Mini what it is today – the ultimate hot hatch brand!
Down memory lane
The Mini was originally designed to address an economic crisis; as fuel prices across Europe skyrocketed, small cars were seen as the answer. Little did the then BMC-owned brand know that their little car would go on to become one of the most influential automotive brands on the planet.
Though it started its journey as an economical solution, John Cooper saw potential in this compact car as an answer to the growing motorsport scene across Europe. With Mini’s blessing, he set out to re-bore the engine and give it the necessary tweaks to make it worthy of competing in various championships. The Mini Cooper burst on the motorsport scene in 1961. To its name its accomplishments, the car won numerous British Saloon Car Champion-ships, the British Rally Championship four times, the European Rally Championships as well as several endurance races and touring car championships. With its long and distinguished wins, the car was well-received on the motorsport scene in the 1970s — its most iconic being the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967.
With the brainchild of John Cooper winning trophies, a partnership was formed — and soon his name and logo would become synonymous with the sportier versions of the Mini cars. John Cooper Works was officially registered as a company by John’s son Michael in the early 2000s with the business of supplying JCW tuning kits to Mini. The brand was finally acquired by BMW in 2008, which now owns Mini, in order to offer the first of the factory JCW models to the world.
2013 JCW GP Limited Edition
Loosely based on the JCW Challenge race car, the 2012 GP2 was a true-blue John Cooper Works GP limited edition track-oriented Mini. Fitted with a 218 hp engine, this model was limited to 2,000 units worldwide, and it came with high-performance parts to ensure that it could deal with the added power and deliver unadulterated fun on the race track. This particular model set a new lap time at the Nurburgring-Nordschleife track as it did the lap in 8 minutes 23 seconds.
2020 JCW GP Inspired Edition
Building on the iconic history of the John Cooper Works brand within Mini, the brand has now unveiled the JCW GP Inspired Edition — a limited edition car that was spurred by the original race machine. With only 3,000 being built for sale worldwide, the allocation for the Indian market is just 15 units! Faster, more powerful than ever before and a tribute to the greatest Minis across eras, this car is a pure collector’s item.
Bringing the flair of the racetrack to the road, the car carries a race-inspired look including the JCW spoiler, 18-inch John Cooper Works 2-tone alloys, exterior body cladding and neat looking surrounds on the headlights, rear lights, door handles and fuel filler cap. The quality and workmanship of how the car is put together with fine shut lines and a high-quality paint job also add their bit to make this car stand out.
Racing heritage unleashed
The cabin of the Mini John Cooper Works GP Inspired Edition is a throwback to its pure racing heritage. It has that same aura of sportiness that the exterior carries thanks to the exclusive treatment it has received. Key elements include the JCW sports seats finished in Leather Dinamica with the tell-tale GP badging, the GP logo on the floor mats along with red stitching to bring out that race-inspired feel, the Walknappa leather-covered steering wheel, 3D-printed paddle shifts with the GP badging on them, JCW stainless steel pedal caps, door sills with the GP badging and a panorama glass roof that gives the cabin a fresh airy feel.
A car as exclusive as this one need to pack quite a punch and Mini has ensured that you won’t be left in the lurch when it comes to outright performance. Under the hood of this hot hatch is a 2.0 litre, 4-cylinder TwinPower Turbo engine that can hit 100 km/h in 6.1seconds, mobilising a peak output of 231 hp and a maximum torque of 320 Nm. Paired with a precision-tuned 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission, this car is touted to be extremely fun to drive and delivers in terms of handling prowess as well. The Mini John Cooper Works GP Inspired Edition comes fully equipped with tech that includes a high-end infotainment system with 12 speakers, and connectivity features that also include Apple CarPlay. The iconic LED ring remains and it surround the 6.5-inch display. Built safe and with performance at its very core, this exclusive Mini is a car you can’t go wrong with.
It is a worthy collector’s item and for `46,90,000, you do get your money’s worth!