Photo: Andrei Tutu
Probably the best launch of the entire 2015 Detroit Auto Show was the one showing us the 2015 MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop if we’re to be honest. That’s because the ‘Not Normal’ company decided to launch it in a peculiar way.
They brought together both the new version and the original and while the 2015 model was all silent and good looking, the rally car from the 1960s. It was a Cooper S and the people around the stand went silent when it was fired up. It wasn’t because of the sound of the engine but mostly because every gearhead over there (us included) stopped for a second to smell the unburnt petrol from the old rally car. It was intoxicating but in a good way.
The one that drove the classic was none other than rally legend Rauno Aaltonen, who won the Monte Carlo Rally in one of these beauties back in 1967.
The new model, however, is miles ahead of the first rally cars that the company made. Built under BMW’s supervision, it uses the UKL platform, shared with a plethora of new cars both from Germany and the UK.
Under the bonnet lies the most powerful engine ever fitted to a production MINI, a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbo monster making 231 HP and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque. It can be hooked up to a manual or automatic 6-speed box.
As for the one showcased at Detroit, all we can say is that the classic British Racing Green color it’s wearing was definitely out of the ordinary on the set, dominated by strong, American colors.
The seats are rather comfortable, compared to what we expected. Furthermore, they look absolutely crazy in person and remind us of the ones used in the new X5 M and X6 M cars. On the dash, as you might notice, there’s a stopwatch now, for those that will be taking the car to the track.
“This is undoubtedly an exciting time at MINI as we relaunch the John Cooper Works sub-brand as a true model in itself and with the most powerful engine we’ve ever had in a production model MINI,” said David Duncan, Vice President MINI of the Americas.
“The new MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop will be an important part of our business moving forward, offering customers a premium high performance vehicle in a small package,” he added.
The US pricing will start at $30,600 plus destination and handling.
The one that drove the classic was none other than rally legend Rauno Aaltonen, who won the Monte Carlo Rally in one of these beauties back in 1967.
The new model, however, is miles ahead of the first rally cars that the company made. Built under BMW’s supervision, it uses the UKL platform, shared with a plethora of new cars both from Germany and the UK.
Under the bonnet lies the most powerful engine ever fitted to a production MINI, a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbo monster making 231 HP and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque. It can be hooked up to a manual or automatic 6-speed box.
As for the one showcased at Detroit, all we can say is that the classic British Racing Green color it’s wearing was definitely out of the ordinary on the set, dominated by strong, American colors.
The seats are rather comfortable, compared to what we expected. Furthermore, they look absolutely crazy in person and remind us of the ones used in the new X5 M and X6 M cars. On the dash, as you might notice, there’s a stopwatch now, for those that will be taking the car to the track.
“This is undoubtedly an exciting time at MINI as we relaunch the John Cooper Works sub-brand as a true model in itself and with the most powerful engine we’ve ever had in a production model MINI,” said David Duncan, Vice President MINI of the Americas.
“The new MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop will be an important part of our business moving forward, offering customers a premium high performance vehicle in a small package,” he added.
The US pricing will start at $30,600 plus destination and handling.
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