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2020 Mini John Cooper Works GP is priced from $45,750

Mini hasn’t even given us all the details for the upcoming John Cooper Works GP, but it already has a price. Set to debut at this month's L.A. Auto Show, the GP will start at $45,750. The last GP-badged Mini sold for $39,950, so this mid-$40,000 price point isnÂ’t out of the ordinary or unexpected. However, itÂ’s still pretty nuts considering the competition. Mini previously told us the GP will have “over 300 horsepower” and go around the Nurburgring in less than 8 minutes. Global production is also limited to 3,000 total cars, but itÂ’s not clear how many of those will be coming stateside.  Mini John Cooper Works GP View 30 Photos A regular 2020 John Cooper Works Hardtop starts at $34,250, but itÂ’s making do with considerably less horsepower at 231 ponies. A Civic Type R retails for $37,230. A Golf R is $41,290 and the WRX STI costs $37,895. WeÂ’ll note that Mini hasnÂ’t said how much standard equipment is included with the $45,750 asking price, so it could get much more expensive from there — Mini will surely let you go nuts with the configurator. That said, we can hope the high asking price does include an array of niceties you'd have to pay for on higher trims of the JCW Hardtop. When it launches later this November, Mini has already promised it will be the fastest car itÂ’s ever produced. WeÂ’re excited to see the extreme Mini take to the streets in mid-2020, as the GP models in the past have always provided us with a gloriously fun driving experience.

Porsche, Jaguar continue dominance in 2015 JD Power APEAL study

The top of JD Power's 2015 APEAL Study has not changed much in the last year. Porsche remains No. 1 with Jaguar nipping at its heels, although both premium brands saw their overall score fall compared to 2014. For those that need a refresher, the APEAL Study looks at how "gratifying" a vehicle is to own and drive, rating cars and brands on a 1,000-point scale. The industry average for 2015 has increased from 794 to 798, while the total number of automakers that finished above the curve increased from 16 to 20. While Porsche and Jaguar finished at the top, their scores dropped eight and seven points, respectively, to 874 and 855. The top "non-premium" brand was Mini, which scored an impressive 825, up from 795. If the BMW-owned British marque is still a bit too premium for your tastes, last year's non-premium winner, Hyundai, did climb five points and is this year's runner up. At the opposite end of the scale, Smart sits at the very bottom of the rankings, with a score of 683 (it didn't appear on the 2014 rankings). Fiat also dropped, from fourth worst in 2014 to second worst in 2015, despite the 500 being named most appealing city car. Subaru made an impressive climb, from third worst to seventh, falling just 10 points shy of the industry average and two points south of the non-premium average. In the individual vehicle segments, eight brands earned multiple awards, with Ford, Chevrolet, and Porsche earning three apiece. Surprise segment victories included the new Ford Expedition, which beat out Chevy's popular Suburban. The Infiniti QX80 bested the likes of the Cadillac Escalade and Range Rover for best large luxury SUV, and the Dodge Challenger beat its muscle car rivals from Ford and Chevy. Most of the victories, though, were quite predictable. The Mazda6 and CX-5 took wins for the midsize sedan and compact SUV categories respectively, while the Volkswagen Golf captured the compact car win. The Ford F-150 won the large pickup category, while the Porsche Cayman was named most appealing compact premium sporty car. Check out the official release on the 2015 APEAL Study, available below, from JD Power. 2015 U.S. APEAL Study Results The latest safety-related technologies are among the drivers of customer satisfaction with new vehicles, according to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S.

Watch Chris Harris take a 360° tour of the new Top Gear track

For the new series of the BBC's Top Gear, the familiar test track has been reimagined. Gone is the Astra that the celebrities used to bash around the track, replaced by a rallycross Mini. And what better way to get acquainted to the new track than a 360° video of a lap around the track? It's even presented to us by the Top Gear Chris we like, Chris Harris! Harris gets the Mini fantastically sideways on the asphalt sections, and gives it some stick through the gravel sections and splashes of water. It's a bumpy ride tailored for the kitted-out Mini – even if one can't help but wonder if it would be better television to see a fish-out-of-water car like a humdrum, front-wheel-drive Astra thrashed through the course instead. The Mini almost has it too easy, even if celebrity drivers will surely find the track hard to master. As a note of functionality, the video will only play as intended if you are using Google Chrome, says Top Gear. News Source: YouTube/BBC Top GearImage Credit: BBC Top Gear Celebrities Motorsports TV/Movies MINI Videos chris harris chris evans top gear test track