While the electric Minis have been very good so far - and the prospect of a GPE (or whatever it’s called in the end) is really intriguing - something about the experience is inevitably lost when ditching combustion power. Which Mini has confirmed will happen this year. That rowdiness of every Cooper S since the dawn of time will surely be toned down a tad, unless Mini can do the impossible - a la Hyundai - and deliver an EV that does a very convincing impression of something petrol-fuelled. It’ll be fun to see what happens, that’s for sure, with something potentially to come at this year’s N24 given Mini’s fondness for endurance racing.
Until then, the three generations of Mini JCW GP with engines remain highly coveted, such were the extreme lengths gone to for all of them. The first came in under 1,100kg, the second employed Bilstein coilover dampers, and the third channelled more torque than a Golf R through the front wheels exclusively. They were mad Minis in the best tradition, so hopefully that indomitable spirit can continue to the electric version.
Launching a £35k JCW in 2020 wasn’t the easiest task, not least thanks to a certain Toyota that also arrived that year (and which must be mentioned whenever the Mini is). But even without a glamorous launch to show off its track-honed ability, the 2,000 units of GP (including 575 UK cars) sold out. And it was easy to understand why, with crazy performance - including a 164mph top speed - wild appearance that featured carbon from BMW i8 production, and the promise of some much-needed attitude to the F56 experience.
Certainly, the GP was memorable, fizzy and frantic on bumpy British roads if a little restricted by its automatic gearbox. Definitely it lost out for not being launched on a warm, smooth track that would have shown off its strengths - we know this because a press car lapped the Nordscleife in a whisker over eight minutes with sportauto, which is some going for a car equipped as standard with fairly regular Hankook Ventus TD tyre.
Imagine what it might be capable of with, for instance, a set of nearly new Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, just like this one. In fact, this GP3 should be an absolute riot on track, thanks to the addition of monster AP Racing brakes as well, which necessitated the bigger alloy switch-up. Given our review suggested the standard version’s ‘emphatic front end’ made it ‘redolent of the Mini JCW race car’ even on the road, this is surely begging for a good go at the 2025 track day season. Where an auto that can’t be mis-shifted might come in handy.
This one has certainly been enjoyed as intended, with 20,000 miles and a full BMW service history. It’s the very opposite of those GPs tucked away in the hopes of appreciation and all the more appealing for it (not so say hopefully a tad more affordable as well). PPF’d from the showroom and serviced just last month, it presents basically as new, and comes with the desirable GP Touring Pack optioned on. If this is the year for by far and away the most powerful Mini yet made, this one looks a corker. Bidding has just kicked off…
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