GP 2 Revealed at last...

[Burple]

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/ne...ks-gp-revealed


only 215bhp? hmm... Have to say it looks pretty nice in that colour of grey!
Loving the interior as well..

[Mon the fish]

Coilovers! At last! Running some amount of rear negative camber though. And still no fixed buckets...

[N16SHP]

Aside from the power issue which I think we've all more than covered, I really do like the actual look of the thing. I would go against the grain and ditch the alloys straight away and endure the ear-ache of modding something that should be standard and so on. And you a spot on about the interior Euan, looks like a pretty sweet place to be if you ask me!

[Gismo]

Am liking that

[ELFMAN]

First impressions on seeing the 'new' clearer photos? It certainly looks a bit nicer, particularly the colour, which is far more striking than the original rather dull PR efforts, and as I said before, the suspension, brakes and the aerodynamics (undertray, diffuser, wing etc) are a decent step-up from the 'normal' JCW.

HOWEVER (here he goes...)

'Only' 215BHP? Surely this must be an 'understated' figure from MINI. I know power isn't everything, but it's not much more than the JCW, when the above upgrades could clearly handle more quite comfortably. Maybe they'll offer an official 'Stage 1' type upgrade at some point - although by that time I'll bet most GP owners will have been to P-Torque for a remap... I know I would!

Despite the seat-delete etc, the Interior is hardly as 'track-biased' as the rest of the spec would suggest, so I can't say I agree with the lads on that one (is the leather dash standard? If so it's quite nice, but more 'inspired by Goodwood' than proper 'Race Stylee'). The Recaros look a bit on the 'plump' side for a start. I'm sure there was something about the 'original' Gen 2 Recaros not fitting in the Coupe and Roadster because of roof height? These look identical to the newer 'Coupe/Roadster-friendly' version, which don't seem to be quite as slim/light or as supportive. Obviously it's cheaper to use the same Recaro for everything, but when you're paying £29K for a Road/Track car, 'economies of scale' shouldn't really be a hardware issue, and as I know from experience, the seats are one of the most important items for 'connecting' with the car. Also not a whiff of 'Works' Carbon Fibre in the cockpit - my steering wheel and gear shift look better. And the Wheels are MINgin'!

I think MINI have shown good intentions with the GP, and they've certainly produced something a bit more 'focussed', but I have to say that while it'll doubtless be a cracking drive (as would a tuned S or JCW on Coilovers etc...), I think they've maybe 'chickened out' to a certain extent in some fairly vital areas in order to preserve some 'mass market' appeal in a car which is basically a niche within a niche, and there's still the usual 'miserly' approach to bits and pieces you might expect to come as standard - like using the standard steering wheel etc when you should be getting to grips with some Alcantara and Carbon. The Engineers and Petrolheads at MINI have made a valiant effort, but I'm afraid that the unseen hands of the Bean-Counters and Marketeers are unfortunately still in evidence. The phrase "Having their cake and eating it" springs to mind. We don't want cake - we want Vindaloo! Or should that be "MINDALOO"?

Do I want one? Well yes and no. Over the last few months I had been seriously considering going 'GP Mad' to mark my 50th (AAAARGH!) in December. It was always marginal money-wise, but you can often find a way with the pennies if you really want to. However, it was incredibly dependent on having ALL the right bits, and to be honest, I'd feel a bit 'short-changed' sitting on seats which quite possibly aren't as good as mine, and maybe looking at a remap (and a big Intercooler) to get the most out of the new chassis, when I could spend a few £K on my current car for something approaching the same result. Never say never, but it's a "Probably Not" now. Maybe if there was one in Douglas Park MINI...? Recaros and 'Coolers can always be swapped and ECU's can be remapped, slap on a set of lightweight Alloys and Bob's your uncle! Well he's my Dad actually...

[Mon the fish]

The alloys are hideous, and no doubt heavy too. But the car seems a good base to improve upon

[stoney]

Have to say I don't like the wheels and would need to remove some of those stickers

[rpn]

Nice, but like most of you already said could do with different design of alloys

[ELFMAN]

How can a (presumably highly qualified and highly paid) designer create those wheels and think "Yeah, that's one great looking Alloy!"
It looks like something created in an Early Learning Centre Iron Foundry. Then it's been signed off by an obviously equally aesthetically challenged Committee... WHY???

[Craig]

well, with the price being leaked at close to £29k then it's a no from me.... it was a consideration next year, but not at that price....

I think as others have said, they have the wheels wrong... right to go for 17's but not that look... can't understand why they only left it around 218bhp, we know that engine can do more...!