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2020 Mini John Cooper Works GP appears to have its Nurburgring time on the dashboard

Details on the 2020 Mini John Cooper Works GP hot hatch have been trickling out, and it sounds and looks impressive. It will have over 300 horsepower (probably at least 301 like the Clubman and Countryman), and it has wild bodywork like its concept. Mini has also been promising a fast Nurburgring lap time, with the only information given that it will be under 8 minutes. Before the company could announce it, someone found it on the dashboard of the car. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Twitter user Will Pierce shared a photo of the dash, and the time wasn't just on a piece of paper, it was molded into the plastic trim of the dashboard. Mini is really proud of it, but maybe they shouldn't be that proud because it's not a record, giving it the benefit of the doubt that it's front drive like past GPs. The time is 7:56.69. The current front-drive record holder is the Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R at 7:40.1. That's over 16 seconds faster. It also edged out the Honda Civic Type R's old record of 7:43.8. Even the third-fastest front-driver, the VW GTI Clubsport, did a lap in 7:47.19. In the grand scheme of things, Nurburgring lap times aren't that important. They're a fun bragging right, but there's much more that's important about cars than raw times. We're just giving the Mini a hard time because, well, if you're going to throw a time in someone's face every time they hop in the car, maybe you should make sure it's truly impressive. But we're sure the GP will be a riot, and we can't wait for more details and the opportunity to drive one.

2025 Mini Cooper and Cooper S hit the gas, raise the price

Mini's "Power of Choice" smorgasbord — its mix of gas, diesel, PHEV, and battery-electric powertrains — grows with these, the gas-powered 2025 Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S. For the U.S. market S trim, we'll get a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 201 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, able to get the hotter hatch from zero to 60 miles per hour in 6.3 seconds. These numbers represent improvements of 21 hp and 15 lb-ft over today's Cooper S, and a 60-mph sprint that's 0.1 second faster. Mini's refusing to share output figures for the standard Cooper that will use the same engine with lower gumption, preferring to wait until closer to launch. Other markets will slot a base turbocharged three-cylinder engine into the lineup, that mill making 154 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. The current turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder in the base U.S.-market Mini makes 134 hp and 162 lb-ft, so buyers are in for improvements no matter what market they're in and which engines they get. Outside of powertrain, the primary points line up with what we saw on the 2025 Mini Cooper E and SE, albeit with a touch more ornamentation because this hatch doesn't pray to the god of ultimate aero. That's how you get tweaks like curved door handles, a hem of black cladding that trims the wheel arches, and more texture applied to the rear bumper insert. The LED headlights and LED matrix taillights feature three customizable signatures called Classic, Favoured, and JCW, so you can choose your own adventure for your carÂ’s outward appearance and welcome illumination. Those are the three theme names for configuration, too. There will be three available roof colors, the Favoured theme adding the option of a multi-hued roof with a three-color gradient. Down low, Mini plans to offer 17- and 18-inch aero wheels in the U.S. Our 16-inch wheels, like the three-cylinder, won't make it to the new model year, although other markets will get them. The cabin in the photo car possesses a little less razzle dazzle than the bright or patterned multi-tone textures seen in other reveal models. That can be addressed in the configurator with colors or with the optional Mini Experience Modes. The Modes use two projector units in the cabin ceiling to flash designs onto the instrument panel, as seen here. Relocating the gear selector to a steering column stalk has opened up space for the Wireless Charging Shelf 2.0 for smartphone charging.

Xcar takes the Mini Challenge, and it sounds awesome

The third-generation Mini is well and truly on sale in markets across the world. The new four-door model should be arriving soon, if it isn't already on sale in your neck of the woods, and the latest John Cooper Works model made its official debut just a few weeks ago at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. We aren't going to be talking about any of those right now, though. That's because our chums at Xcar took it upon themselves to sample the third-generation Mini Challenge racecar, a 275-horsepower, hardcore, fully committed competition version of the otherwise adorable Mini Cooper S. At roughly 30,000 British pounds (about $45,200 at today's rates) there's a lot to like about the Challenge car. Aside from a gutted cabin and aggressive aerodynamic kit, the racer has been fitted with slick tires, a Quaife sequential gearbox, adjustable dampers, Alcon brakes and a consequently lower curb weight – under 2,600 pounds with an average-sized driver. It's fair to say the Challenge driving experience figures to be unlike your typical road-going Mini. And considering that, we think the folks that built the car, Total Track, have fulfilled their promise of delivering a "touring car experience at a fraction of the cost." Have a look at the Xcar video and let us know what you think. Be sure to crank up your speakers, because the Challenge sounds excellent.