Mini shed light to its new long-distance
cross-country rally car ahead of the 2017 Dakar Rally which is set to start on
January 2. The new John Cooper Works Rally car
aims to continue the successful career of its predecessor, the Mini ALL4
Racing.
Developed in conjunction with Mini’s motorsport
partner X-raid, the new 2017 JCW Rally had some areas totally reworked,
compared to the previous race car, including the aerodynamics, the thermal
management, the weight distribution, a lowered centre of gravity and new engine
mapping among others.
Mini claims that their new Dakar contender delivers
better performance with lower fuel consumption thanks to their revisions. The
engine is a BMW-sourced, dry sump 3.0-litre straight-six turbodiesel unit with
340 Hp and 800 Nm of peak torque at 1,850 rpm with the mandatory 38mm air
restrictor in place. The whole engine sits in a removable subframe which
enables engine removal in just over one hour.
A six-speed SADEV sequential gearbox sends the power
to all four wheels, with the driveline featuring lockable, oil-cooled Xtrac
front and rear diffs and the central one coming from SADEV as well. The exhaust
comes from Akrapovic. Mini says that their new 1,952 kg Dakar warrior is able to
reach a 184 km/h top speed.
The suspension was built by specialists Reiger
Racing, with each wheel riding on four fully adjustable shock absorbers and
springs, providing a 250mm wheel travel. Six-piston calipers all-around and
320mm steel vented discs provide the necessary braking, with the rear calipers
being air- and water-cooled.
The outer shell is made out of carbon fiber and
Kevlar, while a honeycomb mix of the same materials is being used for the
underside of the main body. The front hood was lowered for better visibility,
with the overall design to come from the new Countryman.
The 2017 Dakar Rally will take place in three
countries -Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina-, covering a distance of around
9,000 km. Mini will enter seven cars in total with selected international crews,
including ex-WRC driver Mikko Hirvonen, Michel Périn and Yazeed Al-Rajhi.
