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MINI John Cooper Works GP Concept Is All About On-Track Performance And Heritage

When MINI was owned by the British and it wasn’t written in capital letters, the iconic city car sold in great numbers thanks to the affordable price. But the Mini was more than the sum of its parts, as the automaker managed to make a name for itself in the motorsport realm by winning the Monte Carlo Rally outright three times, almost four if it weren’t for a shady disqualification.
2017 MINI John Cooper Works GP Concept 21 photos
Photo: MINI
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Fast-forward to the present day, and MINI is more about crossovers and electrification than John Cooper’s development of the automotive icon. But for all that, BMW-owned MINI didn’t forget to whom it has to pay tribute for the go-kart handling and overzealous engine options. It’s no wonder that modern cars bearing the JCW moniker are the fastest MINIs available today.

Now enter the John Cooper Works GP Concept, which is arguably the most exciting one-off the Oxford-based company has come up with in recent memory. Set to join the Electric Concept at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Batman-esque brawler is inspired by the last triumph in the Monte Carlo Rally, which happened exactly 50 years ago. The 1967 edition of the sporting event saw Rauno Aaltonen and co-driver Henry Liddon take the win.

The victory is all the more a part of MINI folklore if you look at the competition: Lancia Flavia 1.3 HF, the Fulvia, a couple of Renault 8 in Gordini attire, and even the Porsche 911 S. “This design study embodies undiluted dynamic flair and the ultimate in driving fun,” claims the company, pointing out that the car picks up the baton from the John Cooper Works GP of 2012 and Cooper S John Cooper Works GP Kit of 2006. What a machine, huh?

As mad as it looks and as fast as it may appear to be, the concept doesn’t want to reveal what makes it tick. MINI gingerly “forgot” to mention the engine, output, drivetrain layout, the lot, which is a serious letdown considering the size of the roof-mounted air intake and the ginormous rear wing. It’s certainly internal combustion, though, based on the digital instrument cluster’s readouts for oil temperature and revs per minute.

Fingers crossed MINI has some good news at the IAA 2017.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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