Mini JCW GP3 First Drive - A Powerful Disappointment
It's very fast, but rough around the edges.
Just in case a standard Mini John Cooper Works is somehow a bit tame for your like, Mini, over the years, has offered another option - the GP. This version gives more power, a big rear wing, a rear seat delete and until the third generation, a manual gearbox. The new version, with its love-them-or-hate-them wheelarch trims is an auto only. Ah.
First impressions, it's flippin' quick!
Sadly, my time with the car was limited as I only had around 20 minutes, but it was enough to discover just how ferocious the power is. Powered by a 2.0 litre four cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, the Mini JCW GP3 offers 306hp and a whopping 450Nm of torque. In reality it feels even faster than that, would you believe it? 0-62mph is done in just 5.2 seconds, and the top speed is 164mph - in a Mini?!
As much as this is a very fast car indeed, there is a price to pay for this - torque steer. I don't mind a bit of torque steer as it can add character to a car, but in the GP3 it's quite distracting and makes the drive rather unruly. A limited slip differential is fitted as standard, but on my short drive, I couldn't really feel the effects of it.
What about THAT 8-speed auto?
Yes. The 8-speed elephant in the room. The transmission has drawn much criticism from other road testers and I'm afraid I need to be added to that list. Don't get me wrong, the gearbox is not awful, but for me it doesn't match the character of the car and it makes you feel detached from the car. Not fitting this with a manual is a MASSIVE mistake by Mini, if you ask me.
What about the rest of the car?
The brakes weren't as confidence inspiring as I would have hoped and the ride is harsh. As much as this is unlikely to be used a daily, I think the ride would prove too wearing to be used every day. It's certainly competent in the bend, the steering is well weighted enough, and it's direct. There's plenty of grip on the corners as well, so there are no doubts about its handling credentials.
Not fitting this with a manual is a MASSIVE mistake by Mini, if you ask me.
Despite this, though, the Mini JCW GP3 is missing a spark, an X factor. It feels like the car is not as good as it could have been and that makes it disappointing. It almost feels like Mini thought an outlandish exterior and lots of speed would be enough for this limited run model (3,000 worldwide) to be successful. That's not the case, though, and the exclusion of a manual gearbox could come back to haunt Mini. Maybe my thoughts would change if I had the opportunity to spend more time with the car, but I'm doubtful.
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Comments (2)
I think they are more fun if you race them against other mini's
A friend of mine does use his as a daily and I must say while it is impressive it is just not a happy package, I would honestly say my 1994 Rover 220 is a better car to drive fast as the mini just has too much power for its drivetrain and gearbox