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Mini has developed a large wing fitted with a John Cooper Works hardtop. Jokes aside, JCW will return to the 24-hour endurance race at the Nürburgring after a 10-year absence. 50th the edition held at the iconic Nordschleife will see the private team Bulldog Racing field these little monsters in the SP3T class. Modifications have been made to turn the pocket rocket into a race-worthy car, including a one-seat cabin.
The stripped-down interior now accommodates a full roll cage and body-hugging OMP seats. Due to having to circle the Green Hell for 24 hours, the fuel tank volume has been increased to 100 liters (26.4 gallons) to reduce the number of pitstops for refueling. Compared to the road-going JCW, its racing sibling swapped glass windows for Makrolon window panes to reduce weight.
46 Photo
At the heart of the Mini JCW race car is a turbocharged four-cylinder engine taken from versions of the flagship Clubman and Countryman. It pumps out 306 horsepower (225 kilowatts) and 450 Newton-meters (331 pound-feet) of torque which is sent to the wheels via an eight-speed Steptronic gearbox carried over from the road version. However, engineers have integrated a mechanical differential lock that features a locking effect of up to 70 percent for optimal torque distribution.
Interestingly, stopping power is provided by brakes borrowed from parent company BMW and its M Performance trim. The track-only JCW offers a pneumatic lift unit for easy and quick wheel changes, while the sports exhaust features a race-spec catalytic converter. Additional changes include a large rear diffuser, which is completely enclosed, and a bold front splitter as part of the radical aero package.
The car has been in development for just seven months and will race between May 26 and 29 on the 25,378 kilometer circuit in Germany. Meanwhile, additional tests are scheduled to take place at Nordschleife as well as at Miramas in southern France where the BMW Group has a testing centre.
Spy shots have revealed a new JCW road car is in the works, possibly the latter with a combustion engine considering the Mini will only use EVs from 2030.
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