PressClub United Kingdom · Article.
Winning type: the MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50.
Thu Dec 10 12:09:42 CET 2009 Press Release
Limited MINI special edition evokes the birth of the brand and John Cooper’s Formula One title victory 50 years ago. Munich. Both were revolutionary and triumphant: in the summer of 1959 Alec Issigonis presented his concept for a small car which, with its transverse-mounted front four-cylinder engine and space for four occupants plus luggage, was to become a byword for economy of space and driving fun. That same year, sports car constructor John Cooper won his first Formula One World Championship title with Jack Brabham at the wheel. 50 years on, the MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50 evokes both the start of the triumphal path of the classic Mini as well as victory in the F1 Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship for John Cooper’s racing team. This MINI special edition was inspired by John Cooper’s son, Mike. His signature appears on the facia and on one of the bonnet stripes. It will have a limited production run of 250 units and was unveiled to the public at the 2009 MINI United Festival in Silverstone.
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Wieland Brúch
BMW Group
Limited MINI special edition evokes the birth of the brand and John Cooper’s Formula One title victory 50 years ago.
Munich. Both were revolutionary and triumphant: in the summer of 1959
Alec Issigonis presented his concept for a small car which, with its
transverse-mounted front four-cylinder engine and space for four
occupants plus luggage, was to become a byword for economy of space
and driving fun. That same year, sports car constructor John Cooper
won his first Formula One World Championship title with Jack Brabham
at the wheel. 50 years on, the MINI John Cooper Works World
Championship 50 evokes both the start of the triumphal path of the
classic Mini as well as victory in the F1 Drivers’ and
Constructors’ Championship for John Cooper’s racing team.
This MINI special edition was inspired by John Cooper’s son,
Mike. His signature appears on the facia and on one of the bonnet
stripes. It will have a limited production run of 250 units and was
unveiled to the public at the 2009 MINI United Festival in
Silverstone. The car is based on the MINI John Cooper Works and driven
by a 155 kW/211 hp four-cylinder engine with Twin-Scroll turbocharger
and petrol direct injection. The production version of the MINI John
Cooper Works World Championship 50 features numerous exterior and
interior details reflecting the racing pedigree of the brand.
The bodywork of the MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50
comes in a new colour for MINI, namely Connaught Green – harking
back to the famous colour of British race cars of the 1950s and 60s
era. It is combined with the roof and bonnet stripes in Pepper White.
The green with the white bonnet stripes mirror the colour concept of
the Cooper F1 cars. The specification of these colours was provided by
Mike Cooper giving the car its authenticity. Mike was consulted
throughout the development by the MINI Design department. Mike’s
full name is “John” Michael Cooper and he signs himself
John Cooper. His signature appears on one bonnet stripe and on a facia
plaque. Further accentuating the competitive character of the special
edition are the John Cooper Works aerodynamics package and John Cooper
Works Cross Spoke CHALLENGE light-alloy wheels in Jet Black.
Designed for extreme sporting fun outside and in.
Ensuring
both an optimal view and a striking look are bi-xenon headlights with
black interior surfaces and additional driving lights with black
housings. The MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50 also
features a plethora of carbon fibre features, among them the bonnet
scoop on the bonnet, rear diffuser, exterior mirror caps and tailgate
handle. These provide the link to the modern racing era. Special
numbering on the side scuttles finishers identifies each MINI John
Cooper Works World Championship 50 as an individual entity of an
exclusive limited series.
Regarding the interior colour and
trim, the racing theme is maintained by Carbon Black overlaid by
subtle sporty red touches. The full leather sports seats come in black
with red piping and the red theme is perpetuated with co-ordinating
red knee-rolls, armrests and red stitching on the floor mats,
gearshift & handbrake gaiters. Facia, and door grip finishers
continue the carbon fibre theme, as does the John Cooper Works insert
on the Sports Steering Wheel, which has an Alcantara rim conceived for
sporty driving fun.
Technology from the race track: four-cylinder
engine with 155 kW/211 hp.
Like the design features of the MINI
John Cooper Works World Championship 50, the power source under its
bonnet is similarly defined by the racing competence of MINI John
Cooper Works. This 1.6-litre four-cylinder unit is based on the engine
of the MINI John Cooper Works CHALLENGE that was first fielded in the
2008 MINI CHALLENGE. It provides 155 kW/211 hp and develops maximum
torque of 260 Newton metres between 1 850 and 5 600 rpm, which can
even be briefly increased to 280 Nm thanks to an overboost feature.
Power transmission is via a six-speed manual gearbox. All this enables
the MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50 to accelerate from
standstill to 100 km/h in just 6.5 seconds, going on to a top speed of
238 km/h. Average consumption in the EU test cycle is 6.9 litres per
100 kilometres, with a CO2 figure of 165 grams per
kilometre.
Also key to the superior performance of the MINI John
Cooper Works World Championship 50 is its suspension technology, which
is unique for this vehicle class. In addition to the McPherson struts
on the front axle and a central-arm rear axle otherwise not found in
the small car segment, electromechanical power steering (EPS) also
helps guarantee safe and thrillingly precise handling. A Sport button
(also standard) on the centre console activates a palpably more
dynamic setting with sharper steering response and enhanced precision.
In keeping with this, the Sport button also switches the accelerator
pedal control map to an even sportier mode. The large sports brake
system with red aluminium callipers guarantees short stopping
distances. It responds with precision and brake power can be finely
applied.
Standard equipment also features Dynamic Stability
Control (DSC) including Hill Assist, Dynamic Traction Control (DTC)
and Brake Assist. With DTC switched off, furthermore, an Electronic
Differential Lock Control system (also fitted as standard) is
activated for the drive axle, supporting more dynamic driving when
accelerating out of corners or switchbacks, for example.
50
years ago: revolutionary concepts lead to success.
The MINI John
Cooper Works World Championship 50 is the youngest and at the same
time the most intriguing result of a long motor sport tradition shared
by the MINI and John Cooper Works brands. Even before the classic Mini
was launched onto the market, sports car constructor John Cooper had
been casting his eye on this revolutionary new small car. A boost in
engine output and a few minor tweaks rapidly transformed what was
above all a practical two-door car into a thoroughly competitive
sports machine. In the 1960s the Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S models
made their mark as serial winners both in rally racing and on the race
track. Absolute highlights in the racing career of the classic Mini
are its three overall wins in the Monte Carlo Rally of 1964, 1965 and
1967.
As a close friend and business partner of Mini creator
Alec Issigonis, John Cooper paved the way for – and gave his
name to – these Mini variants that were to prove so successful
in the sporting arena. The man who recognised the competitive
potential of the Mini early on and then systematically capitalised on
it had previously already created a revolution on the world’s
race tracks. He was the first constructor, along with his father
Charles Cooper, to field a mid-engined sports car in the Formula One
World Championship. In doing so, the team set a trailblazing trend for
the entire motor sport sector. In 1959 and 1960, Cooper race cars
scooped up the Constructors’ and Drivers’ title in the
Formula One World Championship – a first in racing history for
mid-engined models. It was a concept that caught on: to this day, all
Formula One cars are built according to this principle.
50 years
on, the legendary British race track at Silverstone provided the
perfect backdrop for the world premiere of the MINI John Cooper Works
World Championship 50. From 22 to 24 May 2009, MINI fans from around
the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of the brand at the MINI
United Festival. They gathered together to enjoy an exciting programme
of live performances by top stars from the international music scene,
lifestyle action in typical MINI style, and countless intriguing
glimpses of the brand heritage. There was of course plenty of racing
action as well: Silverstone hosted two rounds of the current German
MINI CHALLENGE – reason enough to look back on a racing history
as successful as it is diverse.