A rarity with racing genes sets new benchmarks for performance in the premium small car segment. The new MINI John Cooper Works GP (combined fuel consumption: 7.3 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions: 167 g/km) is the fastest model of the British brand that has ever been approved for road use. A 225 kW/306 hp 4-cylinder turbocharged engine accelerates the two-seater model – based on the MINI 3 door – from zero to 100 km/h in just 5.2 seconds.

The new MINI John Cooper Works GP will be presented to the public for the first time at the Los Angeles Auto Show (22 November to 1 December 2019) and subsequently produced in a limited edition of 3,000 units at the MINI plant in Oxford. Delivery to racing enthusiasts around the globe will get underway in March 2020.

An intense, purist race feeling is conveyed by what is by far the most powerful engine ever to be used in a small car of the brand, suspension technology that is fine-tuned based on John Cooper Works' comprehensive racing expertise and a body that is optimised in terms of lightweight construction, torsional stiffness and aerodynamics.

As such, it forms part of a fascinating tradition that has been closely linked to the name of the legendary Formula 1 designer John Cooper ever since the debut of the classic Mini 60 years ago.

The exclusive character of the new MINI John Cooper Works GP, uncompromisingly geared towards extreme driving pleasure, is expressed in both its engine power and its performance characteristics. More clearly than ever before, its standing is at the very forefront of the MINI and John Cooper Works model range.

Its additional output over and above that of the MINI John Cooper Works is 55 kW/75 hp. As such, the outstanding position of the new MINI John Cooper Works GP is even more clearly defined than that of the extreme athletes of the two previous MINI model generations, each of which was manufactured in a small series of 2,000 units. The MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit, launched in 2006 and the MINI John Cooper Works GP of 2013 already reflected unusually intense racing flair with their 160 kW/218 hp turbocharged engines, their specific suspension technology and their exclusive design and equipment features.

A 4-cylinder engine designed for maximum performance and based on motor racing expertise delivers the power required for the thrilling performance characteristics of the new MINI John Cooper Works GP.

The 2.0-litre engine features the latest generation of MINI TwinPower Turbo technology as well as numerous precisely modified details that set it apart from the engine of the MINI John Cooper Works. Model-specific modifications include a reinforced crankshaft with enlarged main bearing diameter, specific pistons, bushless connecting rods and a new torsional vibration damper with optimised cooling.

Optional features for the new MINI John Cooper Works GP include automatic climate control, the Connected Navigation Plus package, which also includes telephony with wireless charging, and an alarm system. The Connected Media system comes as standard. The standard trim also includes a digital instrument cluster on the steering column. The high-resolution 5-inch colour screen shows the road speed both numerically and on a scale. The model-specific display includes temporary feedback and permanent display after activation of GP mode.