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MINI John Cooper Works GP vs. BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe Nurburgring Chase Is Lit

The upcoming MINI John Cooper Works GP and BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe might seem as further apart as possible, but the two actually have quite a few things in common.
MINI John Cooper Works GP vs. BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe Nurburgring Chase 5 photos
Photo: Automotive Mike/YouTube
MINI John Cooper Works GP vs. BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe Nurburgring ChaseMINI John Cooper Works GP vs. BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe Nurburgring ChaseMINI John Cooper Works GP vs. BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe Nurburgring ChaseMINI John Cooper Works GP vs. BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe Nurburgring Chase
No, I'm not just referring to the obvious BMW underpinnings of the British hot hatch (more on that later). Instead, I want to point out that both machines are larger than their badges used to dictate.

Follow the general trend of the industry, the compact and the coupe have grown quite a lot compared to the originals. For the British hatchback, the BMW FWD-based platform means leaving behind the direct, mechanical feeling found in its family tree, while the said transformation means the 8er is a two-ton toy.

Fortunately, though, BMW has injected a ton of steroids into both models. For the four-door coupe, this led to the stunning M8 Gran Coupe concept car, which will make it into production alongside the M8 Coupe and M8 Cabriolet (think: 600+ horsepower per piece).

As for the MINI John Cooper Works GP, the smaller footprint of the car means the pumped-up muscles are even more visible. Heck, the homonymous concept car we met at the 2017 Frankfurt Auto Show looked like it came from a racing series.

And, as the production aero lurking under that wrap shows, quite a lot of the body madness has been maintained, with the list being led by those uber-flared wheel arches.

On the firepower front, the MINI JCW GP is expected to borrow the turbo-four of its BMW X2 M35i platform mate, so the spicy compact could go all the way to 300 ponies.

Will, the JCW GP also borrow the said BMW's all-wheel-drive? Well, family test chase aside, the spy video below is focused on the MINI and it does look like the hot hatch handles Green Hell corners with the nonchalance of an all-paw machine.

Then again, AWD would only make the scales even angrier, while standing in between this MINI and the FWD production car Ring lap record of the Honda Civic Type R.

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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