| New Racing Car | MINI John Cooper Works Challenge |
Got a spare 50,000 Euros and fancy a spot of racing? Then give MINI a call as it has just the thing for you. The new MINI John Cooper Works Challenge is a Cooper S that's been to fat camp, thinned down, added muscle and sharpness. The usual road-car-to-racecar route has been followed, MINI removing all extra weight and binning some of the stock parts to fit enhanced race-specific trick bits. That means suspension that's both lower and adjustable - thanks to dampers from KW Automotive - Dunlop racing tyres with 17-inch light alloy wheels and an aero kit that'll help keep the MINI on track at the higher speeds it's capable of.
Through a series of technical changes the 1.6-litre turbocharged Cooper S engine has had its power boosted from 175bhp to 210bhp. Key to this hike in power is the redeveloped twin-scroll turbocharger, modified pistons and engine management system. 62mph is possible in just 6.1 seconds, a full second quicker than the already rapid road car. All that extra speed - the top speed rising from 140 to 149mph - demands extra stopping power. So the MINI Challenge cars come with race-specification ABS brakes with four-piston callipers that can haul the Challenge from 62mph to complete standstill in just 3.1 seconds.
Should you not get on those brakes quickly enough you'll be thankful for the welded-in roll cage, six-point seatbelt harnesses and HANS (Head and Neck Support) system. Offered to race teams and private owners alike there are plenty of race series where the MINI Challenge qualifies to compete. What's more interesting for most MINI fans though are those engine modifications. Expect to see similar increases for road cars sometime soon.
Kyle Fortune - 14 Aug 2007