New Mini JCW Challenge
Mini has just announced a new limited
edition of the John Cooper Works, inspired by the latest Challenge racing car
for even bigger thrills.
The new Mini JCW Challenge shares the
228 hp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine with the normal JCW but comes with
significant upgrades in the areas of chassis, tires and braking for better
performance on the road and the track.
The differences on the visual department
include enlarged air intakes at the front for increased cooling, unique wheel
arch extensions and a rear spoiler. The lightweight Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2
wheels still measure 17 inches in diameter but now they are half-an-inch wider than
before and save 1.5 kg of unsprung weight per corner. Tires are the sticky
215/45 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s.
Total weight of the car is set at 1215 kg
or 15 kg heavier than the standard model with Mini saying that performance
figures remain unchanged, thanks to the added traction coming from tires and
the LSD. 0-100 km/h comes in 6.3 seconds while top speed is rated at 246 km/h.
There is also a range of accessories
straight from the options catalog, including the JCW Pro Aerokit which offers
lower front splitters, rear spoiler add-ons, a rear diffuser, rear splitters
and a carbon air intake. The JCW Pro exhaust comes with carbon tailpipes and
can be controlled via Bluetooth for switching between Sport and Track modes
while braking is provided by a set of grooved brake discs with
unique-to-the-model Mintex pads fitted.
Mini worked with the same suppliers
involved with the race car and that translates into Nitron providing a NTR R1
coilover suspension which is adjustable for bump, rebound and overall ride
height. The suspension was developed directly from the racing items used in the
one-make series, and apart from being hand built features many titanium and
hard-anodised parts.
The Challenge offers significantly
different suspension geometry to that of the regular JCW thanks to the camber
and castor being adjustable now. The front axle now features a set of camber
adjustment plates at the front, allowing for an increase in negative camber,
with the new Challenge having two degrees of negative camber on both front and
rear. The company will supply customers with their recommended settings for
road and track use.
The front axle also features a Quaife
ATB limited slip differential instead of the standard open diff, with helical
gears instead of a plate-type LSD, which works in combination with all the
onboard electronic systems like DSC and Performance Control.
Mini will build 100 copies of the JCW
Challenge solely for the UK market. The six-speed manual gearbox is the only
option for the hottest current-gen Mini, with the price set at £ 32,000).
The new hot hatch will be unveiled to
the public for the first time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
