AUTONEWS

Mini Cooper makes a mess at the Nürburgring

The Nürburgring layout is the track where sportspeople will measure, so it is only natural that German publications take models there to assess their potential. The Mini has recently released its newest version, with a powerful engine and a chassis adjusted for maximum efficiency, so it is not surprising that this was the choice of the German Sport Auto.
The Mini John Cooper Works GP, or JCW GP, is equipped with a 2.0 turbo engine, with four cylinders and capable of delivering 306 hp. To this mechanic the small British sports car combines a conventional automatic gearbox with eight speeds, with a torque converter. But it is the small dimensions of the Mini that will give you an advantage, since, at just 3.88 meters in length, it is far from its rivals for the best lap on the German circuit, from the VW Golf R to the Honda Civic Type R (7.43, 80) and, more recently, the Mégane RS Trophy-R, the current record holder with 7 minutes and 40.10 seconds.
In the hands of the Sport Auto driver, the JCW GP achieved a lap of 8.03.86, a good record but a long way from its rivals, some of them less powerful because they have less cylinder capacity, such as the Renault. But, according to the Germans, when Mini was on the mythical German route to make the last adjustments in the sport, the JCW GP went through a lap in 7.56.69, which was never confirmed by an independent entity. Still, 16 seconds per lap worse than the Trophy-R.