Mini is showing off a modern look at a Mini track car with the John Cooper Works GP Concept.
It's inspired by Mini's wins at the Monte Carlo rally in 1967. But more directly, it takes design queues from the big-wing John Cooper Works GP cars from 2006 and 2013. But this one takes those cars' designs and turns them up to eleven. It even takes other BMW group styling cues, like the massive fender flares that look straight off of the BMW 3.0 CSL racer.
This car is wide. Much wider than the stock car. And if Mini isn't saying exactly how much wider (they're not), then I'm going to estimate about half a metre. Ok, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea. The massive flares protrude from the lowered body, linked by huge front and rear aprons and big side skirts. Mini calls the look, along with that son of Viper ACR rear wing a "confident appearance." We'd call it the Mini Batmobile.
Move beyond the wing and flares and there are still many details that would be the showpiece of other cars. The Union Jack taillights, the rear diffuser, the 19-inch wheels hiding gigantic brakes, and in case you weren't sure by the rest of the design, the billboard-sized Mini script on the tailgate.
Inside there is...not much. It's a stripped-down interior with a roll cage and racing seats. There's a three-spoke steering wheel with paddle shifters. Oh, and a fire extinguisher and emergency cut-off switch. We told you this was a track car concept. There are controls for the adjustable suspension, too.
Mini says that parts of the cluster and door panels were 3d printed, and the seats have 3d knitting. The roll cage is aluminium, which means that you probably won't actually be able to take it on track. Sanctioning bodies don't generally like aluminum cages.
Is this Mini headed for production? Likely not. But what hopefully does make production is a new version of the John Cooper Works GP hot hatches from years past.
