Mini JCW GP

So, here it is: two and a half years after we first saw that extreme concept car at the Frankfurt motor show, the new Mini John Cooper Works GP has finally arrived.

Yes, it has been a rather drawn-out development cycle for the fastest road-going Mini model yet. Indeed, there were times when it appeared plans for a new GP had been abandoned for lack of any official confirmation on its progress. Still, you know what they say about the kind of things that come to those who wait.

Like its distinguished predecessors, the GP will be produced in a limited run of just 3000 examples, of which 575 are reserved for the UK. At £33,895, it’s a big (£7935) step up from the standard John Cooper Works. Two versions are on offer: a full-specification model and more track-biased ‘naked’ one, which goes without air conditioning or an infotainment  system.

The good news is that Mini has stuck to its guns and delivered a car not too far removed from what it originally promised for its 60th birthday: one that incorporates all the gregarious spirit and driving enjoyment delivered by its various competition cars down the years.

Performance-wise, the third-generation GP raises the bar by a not insignificant 74bhp and 98lb ft over the JCW three-door hatchback, upon which it’s heavily based and alongside which it’s assembled at the Mini factory in Oxford.

It runs the same-specification turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine as the larger and heavier Clubman JCW All4 and Countryman JCW All4 – the B48, as it’s known internally within the BMW Group.

The 2.0-litre unit delivers 302bhp, endowing this most powerful Mini with a power-to-weight ratio that’s up by 67bhp per tonne over its predecessor, at 241bhp per tonne. No less influential to the driving experience is the torque, which peaks at 332lb ft between 1750rpm and 4500rpm.

Changes over the engine used by the JCW include a new twin-scroll turbocharger running greater boost pressure, a reinforced crankshaft with a larger main bearing, lighter pistons, new connecting rods, a redesigned vibration damper, a larger sump and greater cooling potential.

Although it retains front-wheel drive, the GP is sold exclusively with an automatic gearbox. This seems an odd move, given its positioning as a road-and-track car. However, Mini says the ZF-produced eight-speed unit, with its unique, centre console-mounted gear selector and steering wheel-mounted shift paddles, is key to providing the GP with the sort of performance to challenge rivals such as the Renault Mégane RS 300 Trophy and Honda Civic Type R – even though it retains the same individual gear ratios and 2.96:1 final drive ratio as the JCW.

Like its predecessor, the GP is a pure two-seater. While the front of the cabin is little changed from the JCW, apart from the inclusion of a digital instrument display and new trims, the rear bench has been removed in the interest of weight-saving and body-stiffening. A transverse brace is added behind the front seats, although this is simply to stop luggage sliding forward and plays no part in improving rigidity.

What's the Mini JCW GP like on the road?

Hitting the starter button unleashes a rich blare of exhaust noise that’s eminently appealing and fully befitting of the GP’s track-bred character.

On the move, where it emits the odd crackle on a lifted throttle and during downshifts, the acoustic qualities are clearly more expressive and immediate than in other Minis, thanks partly to the adoption of a new stainless steel exhaust system featuring unique ducting and purposeful-looking, 90mm-diameter tailpipes.

There’s no arguing with the effectiveness of the engine in motivating the GP’s relatively low kerb weight of 1255kg. There’s a hint of low-end lag, but keep it percolating above 2000rpm and it remains engagingly responsive and nicely linear in terms of delivery, with plenty of torque-driven urge and tempting smoothness through the mid-range.

There’s too much torque for the mechanical differential lock and dynamic stability control (DSC) system to properly cope with on occasion, in fact. The result, when accelerating hard, is some moderate corruption of the steering as the GP struggles to fully place its reserves to the road in lower gears.

This aside, the performance feels every bit as strong, if not stronger, as that indicated by Mini’s claimed 0-62mph time of 5.2sec. The engine remains willing, with a fittingly muscular character to the 6800rpm cut-out, while the gearbox performs wonderfully crisp and rapid shifts on a loaded throttle in manual mode.

There’s no need to bother scrolling through different driving modes to tickle the best out of it, either: the uber-Mini is programmed for Sport only. 

It doesn’t take too long to discover that the GP operates on an altogether higher performance plane than any previous production Mini. At all points, it feels faster, more urgent and generally a good deal more fervent than even the JCW.

Happily, these traits also apply to the handling, which if anything is even more impressive than the sheer speed generated by the new engine. There’s a terrifically agile feel to the GP, and it’s never less than incisive across a winding back road.