Skip advert
Advertisement

Mini Works GP hatchback only

The hardcore Mini John Cooper Works GP is set to be hatchback only, and there'll be no Nurburgring record attempt

The Mini John Cooper Works GP will be made as a hatchback only. There have been spy shots of Mini Coupes believed to have more hardcore upgrades, and a two-door GP with sportier styling would seem a logical step forward for the brand. But the GP’s development chief Jorg Weidinger has all but killed off the chances of further GP variants, despite the heavy investment that’s gone into the special edition’s all-new suspension components and bespoke Kumho Ecsta tyres. ‘For the moment there are no plans to share these components with any other Minis’ Weidinger told evo. ‘The GP has history: it was a hatch, it is a hatch and it should stay a hatch.’

Advertisement - Article continues below

He also ruled out a chase for any Nurburgring headlines, despite the new GP lapping the Nordschleife substantially quicker than its predecessor, and its 8min23sec time hauling it towards the front-wheel-drive records set by various Renaultsport Meganes.

‘The Nurburgring was just for development. We did lap times during our runs, of course, and it’s 19sec faster than its predecessor. At the moment a record attempt is not planned.’

2013 Mini John Cooper Works GP review here

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Mini JCW 2025 review – too feisty for its own good
Mini JCW – front
Reviews

Mini JCW 2025 review – too feisty for its own good

The petrol-powered JCW lives on – for now. But in its latest incarnation, has this supermini survivor become too hardcore?
6 Jul 2025
Mini JCW Electric 2025 review – the Alpine A290 has nothing to worry about
Mini JCW Electric – front
Reviews

Mini JCW Electric 2025 review – the Alpine A290 has nothing to worry about

Mini has given its new-generation electric hatch the JCW treatment, with Alpine’s A290 in its sights. The results are… mixed
4 Jun 2025
2025 Mini John Cooper Works gets design tweaks but no more power
2025 Mini JCW
News

2025 Mini John Cooper Works gets design tweaks but no more power

Following the launch of the JCW Electric, Mini has revealed its updated petrol-powered John Cooper Works 
22 Oct 2024
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

TVR: Why we think it’s all over
TVR Griffith
Opinion

TVR: Why we think it’s all over

There’s barely a flicker of life when it comes to TVR and the ‘new’ Griffith. We can only fear the worst
17 Jul 2025
Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!
Range Rover
News

Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!

Discounts on new Range Rovers are so big you could buy a new Renault 5 with the money you save…
15 Jul 2025
​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
14 Jul 2025