With only 3,000 units produced worldwide
By THEPHILPBIZNEWS STAFF
MINI Philippines announced that all six units of the new MINI John Cooper Works GP, the fastest model of the British brand that has ever been approved for road use, are now in the Philippines.
“The new MINI John Cooper Works GP is a rarity with racing genes and sets new benchmarks for performance in the premium compact car segment,” said Jeff Lizardo, General Manager of MINI Philippines. “Due to overwhelming interest in the months leading up to its arrival, all six units in the Philippines are now reserved. With only 3,000 units being produced at MINI Plant Oxford, the 306 hp 4-cylinder turbocharged engine accelerates the two-seater model from zero to 100 km/h in just 5.2 seconds.”
An intense, purist race feeling is conveyed by what is by far the most powerful engine ever to be used in a 3 Door model of the brand, suspension technology that is fine-tuned based on John Cooper Works’ comprehensive racing expertise and a body that is optimized in terms of lightweight construction, torsional stiffness and aerodynamics. The new MINI John Cooper Works GP offers unrivaled sporty flair and overwhelming agility. As such, it forms part of a fascinating tradition that has been closely linked to the name of the legendary Formula 1 designer John Cooper ever since the debut of the classic Mini 60 years ago. On both road and racetrack, this combination has been a constant source of sporting highlights: from the first Mini Cooper and winning the British Touring Car Championship to the three overall victories in the Monte Carlo Rally, the MINI Challenge racing series, achievements in the Dakar Rally and the latest generation of the John Cooper Works models.
The exclusive character of the new MINI John Cooper Works GP, uncompromisingly geared towards extreme driving pleasure, is expressed in both its engine power and its performance characteristics. More clearly than ever before, its standing is at the very forefront of the MINI and John Cooper Works model range. Its additional output over and above that of the MINI John Cooper Works is 75 hp. As such, the outstanding position of the new MINI John Cooper Works GP is even more clearly defined than that of the extreme athletes of the two previous MINI model generations, each of which was manufactured in a small series of 2,000 units. The MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit, launched in 2006 and the MINI John Cooper Works GP of 2013 already reflected unusually intense racing flair with their 218 hp turbocharged engines, specific suspension technology and exclusive design and equipment features. The new MINI John Cooper Works GP takes the experience of performance in a premium small car to a whole new level. In the course of test drives as part of the series development process, it completed a lap of the Nordschleife at Nürburgring in less than eight minutes – almost half a minute faster than its direct predecessor.
The new MINI John Cooper Works GP has model-specific design features that make its standing as an exceptional athlete unmistakable right from the starting line. These also make a significant contribution to the car’s driving characteristics – namely stability and precise controllability even in highly dynamic situations. The body, which has been modified in detail, primarily optimises the car’s aerodynamic balance and the targeted supply of cooling air to the drive units and brake system. The large roof spoiler with double wing contours, the model-specific design of the front apron surround known as the Blackband and the front spoiler lip of the new MINI John Cooper Works GP form a precisely coordinated package designed to reduce lift. As a result, lift values on the front and rear axles are significantly reduced as compared to the MINI John Cooper Works.
The front apron has particularly large air intakes. The roof spoiler, which extends far beyond the side line, has a key role to play in optimizing driving dynamics. With its reversed wing profile, it generates maximum downforce with the lowest possible aerodynamic drag in order to press the vehicle onto the road at high speeds.
The new MINI John Cooper Works GP comes standard with automatic climate control and the Wired package that includes telephony with wireless charging. The standard trim also includes a digital instrument cluster on the steering column. The high-resolution 5-inch colour screen shows the road speed both numerically and on a scale. A GP logo is permanently shown at the top of the screen. The graphic animation before vehicle start shows a model-specific image including the GP logo.