Hottest MINI for SA - price

With weight cut by 50 kg and an increase in engine power to 160 kW for a top speed of 235 km/h, this strictly limited special model offers a standard of performance significantly better than the most powerful MINI available from the factory so far, the MINI Cooper S with its John Cooper Works Tuning Kit.

The two letters "GP" in the name of this very special model stand for "Grand Prix" and thus clearly pay tribute to the motor sport DNA of this exceptional MINI.

The MINI Cooper S with the John Cooper Works GP Kit will be limited to a production run of exactly 2 000 units - just 30 of which will be arriving in South Africa in September 2006.

The MINI CHALLENGE Racing Series has been thrilling enthusiasts and racing fans in Germany and many other countries the world over since 2004.

The MINI racing cars entered in these events feature the supercharged 1.6-litre engine of the MINI Cooper S boosted to an even higher level of output by the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit.

In the production model, which is covered by the full works warranty, the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit increases engine output to an impressive 154 kW.

Modifications to the intercooler on the supercharger and the electronic engine management increase engine output on the MINI Cooper S with the John Cooper Works GP Kit to 160 kW..

With this kind of extra power, the fast-revving engine offers even more performance, with acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h in less than 6.4 seconds (the standard MINI Cooper S with JCW manages 6.6 seconds).

And to get this extra power safely on to the road, the Limited Edition MINI comes as standard with a limited-slip differential, and DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) is fitted as standard.

An essential feature of the John Cooper Works GP Kit is the sports suspension with even firmer springs and stronger dampers.

The high-performance brake system has 16-inch inner-vented discs with red-painted brake callipers on the front wheels.

Low-profile tyres and 18-inch light-alloy rims developed especially for the
MINI Cooper S with the John Cooper Works GP Kit are further standard

The MINI Cooper S with its John Cooper Works GP Kit also features
an exclusive aerodynamics package.

New highlights are the front and rear air dams, the extra-low side-sills, and the underfloor cover.

The roof spoiler with its wing profile is already featured in a similar configuration on some of the cars raced in the MINI CHALLENGE.

The new MINI Cooper S with its John Cooper Works GP Kit has exclusive metallic paintwork in Thunder Blue.

Another exclusive feature is the combination with a roof finished in Pure Silver colour.

The surrounds on the air scoops along the engine compartment lid and in the front air dam are also finished in Pure Silver, while white direction indicators come as standard.

The exterior mirrors, in turn, come in an attractive contrasting colour - Chili Red.

Inside driver and passenger have Recaro sports seats finished in Panther Black leather, with red seams providing contrast.

There's a special three-spoke leather sports steering wheel.

The principle that "less is sometimes more" is also borne out clearly at the rear, with the entire rear seat bench removed in the interest of weight reduction, leaving the space formerly taken up by the rear seats as a flat loading area.

And for greater convenience, the entire floor of the luggage compartment can be folded up in Z-arrangement for easy access to two additional storage boxes.

Further weight reduction has been achieved by making the rear axle track control of aluminium, while further modifications reduce the overall weight of the car by approximately 50 kg versus a MINI Cooper S with an average range of equipment.

Apart from the special components of the John Cooper Works GP Kit (power unit, suspension, Aerodynamics Package), this special model also comes as standard with an on-board computer, and velour footmats.

There's a radio complete with CD player (Boost model), the leather sports steering wheel with multi-function buttons, a lights package as well as sun-dim glazing on the rear side windows and the rear window.

The John Cooper Works GP Kit comes with an individual production number (1?2 000), printed on both the roof and the dashboard in black on silver.

Only 30 South African?s will get the opportunity to own the fastest MINI yet produced, at an indicative but as yet unconfirmed price of R290 000.