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2021 Mini John Cooper Works GP First Drive | Loud, harsh, expensive, hilariously fun

The Mini John Cooper Works GP has always represented the pinnacle of Mini performance. It’s the most-powerful, lightest and most uncompromising in its pursuit of going fast. And it has never hidden that purpose, wearing bold bodywork to convey its seriousness. Even with a reused powertrain and no manual transmission option, the new 2021 Mini John Cooper Works GP delivers the raw, entertaining driving experience you would expect. As such, it should be a treat for Mini fans, but for the brand agnostic, there are better hot hatch options. From the outside, this Mini GP is the most radical of all. It pulls its design straight from a Frankfurt Motor Show concept complete with unique carbon fiber fender flares that stand proud from the actual fenders. The rear wing is bigger than ever and bisected in the middle. Contrasting the dark gray paint are bright red accents and stripes. It looks remarkably menacing, which is impressive for such a cute little car. Matching the appearances is the GPÂ’s output. It shares the same engine and transmission with the John Cooper Works Countryman and Clubman, and thus the same mantle of being most powerful Mini in history with 301 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. The GP feels substantially more potent, though, since the engine has just 2,855 pounds to haul around ­-- that's nearly 800 pounds less than the next-lightest Clubman JCW with the same engine. For further comparison, the regular Cooper S Hardtop weighs about the same yet has only 189 horsepower. Combined with a smooth, fast-spooling turbo, the GP rockets all over the place. And if youÂ’re not keeping a firm grasp of the wheel, your steering could be all over the place, too. Plant your foot and the wheel starts wriggling as torque steer rears its head. ItÂ’s uncouth, uncivilized, but also kind of fun if youÂ’re up for a ragged experience. Perhaps not so much if you were looking for a precision instrument to combat the Civic Type R and Veloster N. Further differentiating the Mini from those hot hatches is the GPÂ’s sole eight-speed automatic transmission option. No, itÂ’s not as engaging as a six-speed manual would be, and yes, it's a step behind the best DCTs and other automatics. However, it shifts smoothly and quickly with smart shift logic in normal or sport shift modes. Leaving it in automatic would be just fine, but then you'd miss out on tapping the 3D-printed aluminum shift paddles.

Mini marks International Women's Day with Pat Moss Edition

Mini is celebrating International Women's Day with a new Pat Moss Edition package for the 2023 Mini Cooper. Moss was the first driver to win an international rally behind the wheel of a car wearing the Mini badge when she took first place in the Tulip Rally — from Noordwijk in the Netherlands to the French Riviera and back again — in 1962.  "This special edition not only commemorates the launch of MINIÂ’s extraordinary sporting career, but it also marks a pioneering achievement for women in motorsports," Mini said in its announcement. "Success in the Netherlands turned the classic Mini, Pat Moss and her co-driver Ann Wisdom into enduring heroines in a discipline otherwise dominated by both significantly larger vehicles, and male driving teams." Moss was the sister of Stirling Moss; she died in 2008. This appearance package includes Pat Moss signature decals on the front bumper (where Moss originally signed the car after one of its rally victories) and dash, stylized tulips integrated into the side markers, sill plates, steering wheel and wheel center caps, a fender decal detailing the Tulip Rally course and a decal on the hood commemorating the original rally victor's registration number.  To the left of the wheel, there's another decal on the dash which might at first appear to be a stylized picket fence, but it's actually meant to look like pistons moving up and down, arranged to look like the letters "M" and "W" for "Moss" and "Wisdom."  Globally, Mini will offer the Pat Moss Edition on the Cooper S Hardtop 2-door, a Cooper S Hardtop 4-door, and a John Cooper Works Hardtop, but only the JCW will be an option for U.S. customers. Pricing will be available closer to launch, we're told, but the Pat Moss edition is limited to just 800 units worldwide and given that it's based on the JCW's existing Iconic trim, which starts at about $40,000, it won't be cheap.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mini John Cooper Works GP coming in 2020, special editions in the meantime

Every once in a while, Mini releases a monster of a Cooper with the designation of GP. It created one in 2006, and another in 2013, and they both featured less weight, more power, a big rear wing and no rear seat. They were the hardest-core of hardcore Minis. And now a third GP is coming in 2020. The big little car brand announced the GP will return, but not much else. The only other detail shared was that it will have styling inspired by the Mini John Cooper Works GP concept shown at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. As seen above, it was a thoroughly over-the-top interpretation of the GP with huge fender flares featuring big trailing fins. The rear wing was also enlarged to near comic proportions. We'll see if Mini commits to the gonzo styling, or if it dials things way back. 2019 Mini John Cooper Works Knights Edition View 18 Photos To supplement the announcement of this new Mini, the company also announced a few special-edition Mini models on sale now or very soon. The most interesting of the three newly announced Minis is the Mini John Cooper Works Knights Edition. It's a Mini JCW Hardtop in black with a silver roof, mirrors and hood stripes. On the sides are silver and red stripes, and all around the car is black trim. The door handles, badging and grille surround are all painted black. It's a menacing-looking car, or at least as menacing as a Mini can look. It also gets the remote-controlled exhaust flap to go from mild to wild exhaust note at a push of the button. This model goes on sale in the first quarter of 2019. Next month, you'll be able to get your hands on the Mini Countryman Yin Yang Edition. This is a basic Mini Cooper S Countryman in either black or white, with the other color for the roof and hood stripes. It also gets a black grille and black light trim. Then there's the Mini Clubman Starlight Edition. This is a Cooper S Clubman in dark blue with a silver roof, mirrors and hood stripes. It's on sale now. Both special editions also throw in some luggage accessories as standard equipment. Related Video: