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Mini JCW GP to be hatchback only, no 'Ring record attempt in sight

The 2013 Mini John Cooper Works GP is dropping weight and lowering its lap times, but one thing it won't be losing is its flat roof. Like the original JCW GP package, Evo says that despite the fact that sportier Mini Coupes have been caught testing, the new GP will only be offered in the three-door Cooper hatchback body style. And that's perfectly fine with us.
Evo spoke with GP development chief Jorg Weidinger who said that as a part of the car's history, "It was a hatch, it is a hatch and it should stay a hatch." Weidinger also said that Mini is not planning to set any Nürburgring records with the new JCW GP even though earlier reports indicate that the car is a full 20 seconds faster around the 'Ring than its 2006 predecessor.
The new Mini John Cooper Works GP weighs 121 pounds less than the John Cooper Works Hardtop, offers a fully adjustable coil-over suspension and it will have a starting price of $39,950, (including $700 for destination) when it goes on sale later this year.

Top Gear caught filming Best of British near Buckingham Palace

YouTuber and car-fan extraordinaire Shmee probably had very little trouble tracking down the Top Gear film crew recently, as the group was putting together an episode that could accurately be described as "excessive." With its flag-waving (literally) Best of British theme, the TG guys gathered a jaw-dropping array of British cars, and parked them all right in front of Buckingham Palace to make extra sure that the point was driven home.
Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May were outfitted with a trio of Jaguar F-Types festooned with gigantic Union Jacks, with which to survey the landscape of British motoring glory. In the video below, you'll see that this includes any number of Mini, Aston Martin, Lotus, McLaren, Land Rover, Bentley and Rolls-Royce models (just to name a few), as well as a healthy dose of weird stuff that most people would never guess at being built in the UK. The lawnmowers and military vehicles are especially cool.

2021 Mini John Cooper Works GP spied in clearest photos yet

We suspect we won't have long to wait until we see the new Mini John Cooper Works GP. Why? Well, it seems Mini isn't trying very hard to hide the car. One of our spy photographers caught a prototype testing at the Nurburgring, and the camouflage, while creatively using race track outlines for the pattern, was not particularly effective. As such, we get our best look at the super Mini, and it looks wild. Although they've been tucked closer to the body and shortened, the GP still sports some wild vented overfenders at each corner like the concept. We're very curious what kind of aerodynamic advantage they provide. The front fascia has been toned down substantially and is fitted with much shorter spoilers, but what's left still blends into the front fenders. The rear fascia is similarly toned down with a far less extreme diffuser. But the rear wing is still over the top. It's arguably more interesting than the concept's since the wing is split in the middle. It also has a big "GP" embossed on each side of the wing. Since the Mini John Cooper Works GP Concept made its debut at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, a production version's reveal at this year's Frankfurt show would be fitting. And considering how close to finished this prototype appears to be, plus Mini's announcement that it will go into production in 2020, a reveal in the early fall seems quite reasonable. It should be a monster of a hatchback, too, since Mini says it will have over 300 horsepower, challenging the likes of the Honda Civic Type R and Ford Focus RS.