The new MINI Hardtop model has received some mixed reviews ever since it came to market. Some complained about its size while others wanted the hatch to be more engaging to drive. Well, for people in the latter category, if the John Cooper Works model isn’t enough, a GP version is apparently in the works and may very well enter production.
The news comes from Autocar per Peter Schwartzenbauer, who confirmed that the MINI JCW GP model might make a comeback. Since BMW took over the company, the two generations of MINI launched so far benefited from GP versions and the current CEO sees that trend continuing. “I think so,” he said, when asked by Autocar at the LA motor show whether a JCW GP would be launched. “It’s an important part of the MINI brand. It has worked well for us in the past and I don’t see why not in the future.”
In this case, you can expect a pretty hardcore version of the already hyped-up JCW model to show up, with more power and less weight to carry around. Upgraded brakes and a new suspension setup would turn the JCW GP into the hottest hatch of its segment, no doubt about it. The engineers will probably be glad to make it but the problem is, chances are we’re only going to see such a model towards the end of production for the current hatch.
That’s because, if the trend continues, GP models are traditionally launched towards the end of a production cycle, as a sort of farewell. That means the calendar for its launch places a potential reveal close to 2020. Therefore, we’re still at least 1 year away from seeing the first prototypes hitting the Nurburgring.
