This list will include a mix of PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, Stadia & Mobile so you can play on your favourite gaming platform.

The Crew 2 – PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC & Stadia

The Crew 2 is an open-world game that has land, sea and air cover as you can switch between any time of vehicle anytime you want to give you the vehicle fix while you’re stuck indoors. The open-world is a mix of the US states in a large map which can be covered by a variety of vehicles including cars, motorcycles, boats, and aeroplanes.

The game features a nonlinear story that follows the unnamed player character as they go to become a racing icon in the United States by winning in all racing disciplines available in the game. There are four disciplines: Street Racing, Off-Road, Freestyle and Pro Racing. In Street Racing, the player is assisted by Latrell. In Off-Road, the player is assisted by Tucker “Tuck” Morgan. In Freestyle, the player is assisted by Sofia and her father. In Pro Racing, the player is assisted by Alexis.

MINIs in the game:

2010 – R56 MINI Cooper S

2013 – R60 Mini Cooper S Countryman All4

Both have a rallycross edition to them, and another plus to the Crew 2 is that you modify your car to your liking with visuals to fully race car with engine mods etc.

Need For Speed: Heat – PlayStation 4, Xbox One & PC

NFS: Heat returns to it’s rooted with the latest iteration with racers and police but this interesting take on it all. By day is a certified league of professional racing to climb up the ladder and then switch over to the darkness of the night it’s illegal street racing and avoid the police. The police are on the hunt for street racers, so they won’t let you go easy and they will hunt you down whether your cruising around or in a race and the gloves will be off.

Heat’s key feature is modifying your car to your dreams right down to the colour to the actual exhaust note of the car which can be done in the game or through the mobile NFS Heat Studio app. Your car can also be modified to different disciplines ranging from road racing to drifting so you can have the edge over the competition both online and offline.

The games start with you the player arriving in Palm City for the Speedhunter Showdown, a citywide exhibition which draws in racers to compete in legally sanctioned races throughout the day, and illegal street races throughout the night. Lt. Frank Mercer, leader of the police department’s High-Speed Task Force, announces his intent to ruthlessly pursue and arrest all street racers in the city. Lucas Rivera, a local mechanic and retired street racer, sells the player their first car, helps the player enter their first Showdown race, and becomes their mechanic and mentor for much of the game. Lucas’s younger sister, Ana Rivera (Ana Marte), is a street racer whose crew recently disbanded after a task force raid nearly killed one of her friends.

MINI in the game:

2017 – F60 Mini Cooper S Countryman All4

Gran Turismo Sport – Playstation 4

The lastest run in the longest-running Playstation exclusive real driving simulator from Polyphony Digital on the PS4. This is not your arcade racer but more of sim so your inputs will need to be like how they would be in real life; otherwise, you will crash or spin out. Gran Turismo has always tried to blend the line between real life and the digital world, so there are real tracks, cars and competitions which have FIA approved around the world. The tweaks to your car are all about the suspension, aero, gearing setup etc like you would have in real life in order to gain that extra second on lap time.

Gran Turismo Sport has VR for a feature which is cool to look around cars and there is photo mode to get your clicks to make the best images around the various locations and scenes. Gran Turismo will receive one-off concept cars made by manufactures exclusively to the game which will not be found elsewhere like the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo.

GT Sport doesn’t have a story mode or anything is just go out there and race on real or original tracks and go compete online to win to be the best and actually become a real racing driver.

MINIs in the game:

MINI Clubman Vision Gran Turismo Concept

1965 – Mini-Cooper ‘S’

2005 – R53 Mini Cooper S

GRID – PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC & Stadia

This is another return to beloved franchise but more of reboot to bringing back white knuckle bumper to bumper racing. GRID was created by the Codemasters who made the TOCA, Colin Mcrae, DIRT & F1 s they know how to make a great car game.

GRID covers the following disciplines Touring, Stock, Tuner & Invitational which ranges the cars from Hot Hatches to F1 to bring out your inner Stig. The game has an arcade feel to as it allows some liberalities as there is a rewind feature which lets you go back to where you ran out of talent then move forward from correcting your mistake. There is a mix of racing from the day, night and different weather effects so there plenty of locations on the drive on through your career.

There is only visual customisation with liveries on the vehicles and setup of suspension etc to make the most of laps times.

MINIs in the game:

2012 – R56 Mini John Cooper Works

1965 – Mini-Cooper ‘S’

Driveclub – PS4

This one on the list is one of my personal favourite car games of all time. Driveclub gave you all the cars you could dream of and made you feel like you were driving them with the sounds and visuals. There is an arcade feel to the driving, but that was built in to give you some fun straight away so the words easy to learn and hard to master come to mind.

The car list is something to lust about as there is everything from Hot hatches to hypercars, but there are no mods just changing the colour or the liveries.

Driveclub makes up for the lack of changes with the weather effects in the game ranging from sunny days to snow. Along with the best locations in each corner of the world, so one race your racing through the Scotland highlands to Tokyo Turnpikes with a fantastic level of details with lighting, backdrops and the most realistic cars sounds ever with backfires, deeper noise echoing in turns with in-car views outlaying every single stitch in the Ferrari 458 speciale.

Another feature that was added later on was the DLC of having to drive on two wheels if that tickles your fancy with Drive Club Bikes along with the paid-for upgrade to play in VR for more sensory overload.

MINIs in the game:

2013 – R56 Mini GP2

Forza Motorsport 7 – Xbox One & PC

A Microsoft exclusive that runs with the leader of the pack Gran Turismo with giving you real racing to hoon your skills in the digital with fastest cars on the street to every series of racing on the track.

Forza Motorsport 7 features over 700 cars—including new Forza Edition cars, most of which have been brought over from Forza Horizon 3—and more than 200 different configurations to race on across 32 locations at launch, including all from Forza Motorsport 6; a fictional street circuit in Dubai is one of the new circuits and several tracks returning from Forza Motorsport 4 including Maple Valley Raceway, Mugello Circuit and Suzuka Circuit. Two features that are new to the Motorsport title include dynamic weather which changes over the course of the race and customisable drivers.

Don’t be brushed off by this sim racer as it can be tailored around skill level as you can a lot of driving aids on like it show the racing line as a minimum to auto braking for corners to help you learn cars and tracks the easy way.

Most of these games do have an online feature but Xbox wins hands down on the community given the number of laughs I have had in lobbies and racing on the track.

MINIs in the game:

1965 – Mini Cooper S

1965 – Mini Cooper S Forza Edition

2012 – R56 Mini John Cooper Works

2013 – R56 Mini John Cooper Works GP

2013 – R56 Mini John Cooper Works GP Forza Edition

2014 – R60 Mini Monster Energy All4 Racing X-Raid

Forza Horizon 4 – Xbox One & PC

Another open-world car game with an arcade feel, but this includes real cars with added FUN to the world as you go about racing for money, prizes and doing ridiculous with cars like racing a train or Vulcan bomber to a finish point. The aim here is to buy and drive your favourite car in open-world which changes through the seasons yes you hear me right seasons, so it changes throughout your time from summer to snow-filled winter. Every type of racing is here from circuit racing to drag racing on a frozen lake and that’s just the start with the DLC adding more depth and madness to the mix like LEGO world where you can drive lego versions of the Bugatti Chiron.

Whatever car you can imagine it’s in the game ranging from James Bond’s DB5 to V10 howl of the Lexus LFA. If any of those cars don’t tickle your fancy you can modify to your heart’s content by taking a Land Rover Defender and shove in big V8 race motor and change it to rear-wheel drive then modify the bodywork or paint to any colour want.

The game is continuously updated for free and with paid DLC of new cars or races so the fun will always continue until the next iteration comes out.

MINIs in the game:

1965 – MINI Cooper S Traveller

1965 – MINI Cooper S Traveller

1965 – LEGO Version MINI Cooper S

2009 – R56 MINI John Cooper Works

2012 – R56 MINI John Cooper Works GP

2014 – R60 MINI X-Raid All4 Racing Countryman

2018 – F57 MINI John Cooper Works Convertible

2018 – F60 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4

2018 – MINI X-raid John Cooper Works Buggy

Dirt Rally 2.0 – PS4, Xbox One & PC

Codemasters worked their magic as they always do with car games as they made the legendary Colin Mcrae rally games.

Dirt Rally 2.0 is focused on rallying and rallycross across timed stage events on tarmac and off-road terrain in varying weather conditions. The locations for races are in Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Spain and the United States, Finland, Germany, Greece, Monte Carlo, Sweden and Wales. There are remastered versions of the stages included in the original Dirt Rally.

The car roster covers 50 cars: World Rallycross Supercars, historic rally cars from the 1960s through the 1980s, Groups A, B and R rally cars, and modern rally cars from the 1990s to the late 2010s.

There is a new weather modelling system changes the level of grip, visibility and the surface of the stages degrades as more cars pass over a stage. The level of detail with damages not only be visual but also mechanical effect so have to fix a race without a wheel or broken gearbox.

MINIs in the game:

1965 – MINI Cooper S

2018 – XITE Racing F56 Mini Cooper SX1

Gear.Club Unlimited 2 – Nintendo Switch

The game is an arcade-style racer which uses the switch controllers to its advantage with the face buttons are used for braking and accelerating. The game has local split-screen with online multiplayer covering more than 250 different races across the four main environments and over 50 licensed cars.

The game includes a story mode as well as a Club feature they can be shared with friends and challenge rival clubs across the world. There is a garage feature so players can upgrade and customise any model of car from the paint and bodywork, or change the performance with engine tuning.

MINIs in the game:

2015 – F56 MINI John Cooper Works

CSR Racing 2 – Mobile (Andriod/iOS)

Custom street racing 2 is a free to play drag racing game on mobile devices. The game is split into five tiers, with each tier introducing progressively faster opposition and vehicles. To move on to a new tier, the player must race and beat the crew boss for the level. After beating the boss of each level, the player will be challenged to a high stakes rematch to which if you win again you win the boss’s car. However, if the player loses, they must give back the gold won from the previous boss race.

The car list ranges from hot hatches to hypercars for straight-line drag races as the racing is limited to 1/4 mile or 1/2 mile races. The game focuses on timing gear changes and use of the nitrous upgrade by tapping the screen, which allows a low barrier of entry to the game so anyone can play.

MINIs in the game:

2015 – F56 MINI Cooper S

That’s my list of car games to get you through the lockdown and I hope to meet some of you online and keep the MINI community going online. If there is any that you know, please chime in the comments or reach out to me on social media.

Gamer Tag Playstation: AM_AUTOS

Gamer Tag Xbox: AMAUTOS

If anyone needs me during this difficult time, please do not hesitate to reach over social media and over the time of the lockdown, I will be reaching out to the community to keep all of us moving forward.

Hope to see you at the next corner for the next MINI Adventure…

Ali

Founder of JCW Adventures

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The post Digital Racers: Best Car Games With MINIs appeared first on JCW Adventures.

Here all the main details you need to know about the MINI GP3:

• Limited to 3,000 units worldwide (UK – 575 units & US – 400-500 units)
• 306 bhp & 450 nm of Torque from the revised 2-litre engine
• 0 to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds with a top speed of 164 mph
• 8-Speed Steptronic Automatic & Torsen Mechanical Differential
• Multistage traction control with GP Mode
• Lightweight wheels with Hankook track-focused tyres
• 20mm wider front track & 10mm reduced ride height from JCW with adaptive suspension
• Rear seats deleted with a rear brace
• Nappa Leather steering wheel with metal 12 o’clock position and GP metal paddle shifters
• Digital & Analogue Dials
• Improved Aerodynamics with Carbon Fibre Arches & Rear wing
• 90mm exhaust tips finished in matte brushed stainless steel
• Darkened LED headlights & rear lights and Black MINI badges
• Exclusive metallic Racing Grey paint with metallic melting silver roof
• Unique GP side stripe with individual numbers on Carbon Blades
• Preorder is now available at your retailers with RRP of £33,895 (US – $44,900)
• GT Touring Pack (£2,000 – Option)- Adds dual-zone air- conditioning, heated front seats and Navigation Plus – which includes Satellite Navigation and wireless charging
• First UK deliveries start in March 2020

Now with the key points outlined will this be ultimate F56 when it comes out?? I still loved R56 GP2 which I test drove for review a while a back which was still raw, and they just turned the R56 up to 12.

I am not gonna lie the F56 series MINI has been a bitter disappointment to me and the only model that I have driven from the range that has made me smile has been the F56 MINI Hatch Cooper and F56 JCW Convertible as they charm to them. The Cooper had all the power you wanted as it was fun extracting it from its peppy engine while the Convertible JCW brought back some of the visceral rawness of what a MINI should be.

I am yet to drive the F55 Clubman JCW with its ALL4 drive with the same engine as the MINI GP3, but in the real world, the clubman will be faster! It’s ALL4 will allow a quicker 0 to 60 dash at 4.9 compared to the GP3s 5.2 plus you can take your mates with you.

The proof will be in the driving when I get a hold of a set of keys from MINI or a JCW clubman owner willing to borrow it me for a while. Probably the car I am most excited to drive along with the MINI Cooper SE.

Now the car has officially unveiled it has grown on me, and I see more details on it which are cooler than first perceived. The Carbon blades don’t look that much out of place, but I can see it being a nightmare in the real world – people trying to clean them and a lot of people touching them when you are away from it. Plus I am annoyed there is no manual option as the torque figure was too high for them to justify so auto won that fight : (

They should have made the mirror caps Red to follow tradition and the lower grille should have been black as that lower grille is something you don’t want to highlight…

GP numbers on the roof again for tradition reasons but the mega disappointment has been the wheels as they are very much lacklustre. The whole 3rd Gen MINI range as it’s like they gave up in that design department. But the person who made the centre caps deserves needs promotion to head of wheel design.

The wing again should have followed tradition with being carbon fibre and my OCD is kicking off with the base being red next to a silver roof!! Just why why why why

The paddles look nice, but the top parts should have been longer as everyone drives differently and they should have looked to supercars for better inspiration.

Alright, enough of the negatives here are my positives – dark line headlights & rear lights, black door handles, black fuel cap and black badges are perfect but that new racing grey paint though really pops under the sun! The upper red bar grill intake is a pleasant update to get more in and go with the GP3 more power theme.

Interior is where they did their best work with the rear seat delete being something to behold than a rush job with the GP logo, flush carpet and new back strut brace design. New seats are a nice touch with the grey and GP logo, but you will be glad for the new digital with GP interface. It will make you feel that much special every time you got in with GP door stills and mats.

The better diffuser is welcomed as well but could have had a more menace to it. My favourite touch of them all is the matte brushed stainless steel trim exhaust tips. They are something very different much a new look, so it caught my eye straight away.

I thought they were titanium when I did walk around the Goodwood festival of speed back in the summer.

Now that we have done everything at face value, let’s dive deeper into the changes under the hood and beyond.

The engine was revamped to achieve the new power levels with the following upgrades:

The post Coming In Hot: All The Details On The F56 MINI GP3 appeared first on JCW Adventures.

Let’s get straight to business with the headline figure and MINI are finally leaving the 200 BHP realm with the last 2 Gens JCW & GP2 with the official figures being at their highest at 218 BHP officially. The standard 3rd F56 JCW brought more power to the table at 228 BHP courtesy of extra displacement now with the 2.0-litre engine instead of the outgoing 1.6-litre capacity. The MINI GP3 will use the F56 2.0-litre engine but pumping out 300 BHP which is a massive jump of 72 BHP from the JCW.

God knows how fast it will be now and how it will put down through the front wheels!!!! I predict the GP3 will shave a 1 second of the F56 JCW and hit 0 to 60 in at least 5.4 seconds with some of limited slip differential.

The limited run model will be 3,000 units worldwide which is a 1,000 increase over the last two GPs which only had 2,000 units worldwide. I gather all the original GP1 & GP2 will soon be getting emails/invites like last time to secure their slots and have matching numbers of their current car/s.

MINI didn’t release pricing but let’s look at the MINI timeline:

R53 GP aka GP1 – Original RRP – £22,000 in 2006 – 2,000 units worldwide
R56 GP aka GP2 – Original RRP – £28,790 in 2012 – 2,000 units worldwide

If I use my maths and look at how the price changed over 6 years here are my estimates on how much the sticker price will be:

F56 GP aka GP3 – Estimate – £34,950 in 2020 – 3,000 units worldwide

The price might be lower if they are producing 3,000 units instead of 2,000 so the economy of scales might be on your side but even then expect to pay at least £30,000 for MINI GP3.

Looking at the teaser shots the large front and rear aprons, a striking roof spoiler and the extensive use of carbon fibre will make it to production after all. Engineers have said aerodynamic properties, optimised weight and suspension will be a crucial part of the GP3 toolbox to make the most of the power and go-karting handling as they want to beat the GP2 Nurburgring lap time of 8 minutes and 23 seconds. I think with the aggressive aero and power the GP3 could break the 7 minutes barrier with a lap time of around 7 minutes 45 seconds.

As soon as I hear more information, I will update this post, and hopefully, I can get some seat time with the MINI GP3 with some road and track time.

Since writing this I have now seen the MINI GP3 at Goodwood Festival of speed so here is my walkaround video:

Let me know in the comments or on social media what you think of the forthcoming MINI GP3? Hit or Miss

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The post Track Star: 300 BHP MINI GP3 appeared first on JCW Adventures.

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The original Mini arrived in 1959 and became an instant Icon to the 60s generation. This love affair lasted until 2000 under MG Rover stopping production. The Mini was meant to an economy car but evolved into a classless motoring icon and a rally legend, showing that power isn’t everything. A quick hop and twist to 2001 the legend was reborn under BMW ownership with the design penned by an American. The second iteration of the new MINI under BMW’s ownership arrived in 2007. For this 3rd generation new MINI, BMW went back to the drawing board to create this new model from the ground up with an all new chassis, engines and components.

Will this new original live up to the hype and legacy of that famous badge?

The automotive industry is still in its infancy but has been rapidly evolving through the years with leaps and bounds with engines, safety, materials and technology. The original Mini was designed to be cheap affordable car to the mass population. The engineering team cleverly designed the front wheel drive layout to utilise the same oil sump for the gearbox and transmission giving a compact design. The new MINI is very far from this ingenuity as that famous badge as it has become a powerful marketing tool in positioning this small car as premium hatchback.

2014 saw the launch of the new original MINI with dealers across the UK officially inviting prospect customers and existing owners to see the new hatch in person. The dealer launches started at 19:59pm with a MINI show reel of MINI through the ages with the video ending at 20:14pm to welcome the new hatch in the UK (clever touch with the times).

Rybrook MINI Shrewsbury provided me with a F56 Cooper S in Thunder Grey, as you all know I only work in black or very very dark grey. This S rode on 18 inch Cone spoke wheels with black roof, mirror caps and bonnet stripes with JCW rear spoiler. The interior was lavished in satellite grey leather on sport seats with black, chrome and satellite grey setting the theme of the cabin. The cabin was tech laden with mini connected, nav and head ups display giving any techno geek a sensory overload with LED headlights illuminating the road ahead.

With the pics taken and a quick walk around and nosed about I climbed in shut the door with the familiar MINI clunk to find a quieter cabin already. I took a moment of silence as wiggled my bum in the Sport seats, which can say are on par with my JCW Recaro bucket seats on the side bolstering. I was in a trance as basked in the plushness of the cabin running my heads on the door panel, dashboard and passenger seat. The sheer quality and feel of the interior set me back to what I would expect in dare I say it a Bentley. Yes there is a BIG difference in a Bentley interior but coming from visiting the factory earlier in the year I was sent back to think. MINI has really stepped up their game! It’s not like the R56 was not a nice place to be but even more so it was somewhere you could call home yet again.

From there on it got a little confusing for a MINI owner, the light switches are not the stalk but on the right side of the dash of the steering wheel and window & door switches on the door. Madness I tell you!!! NO NO NO NO Why would you do that? It felt like MINI caved in and followed a bunch of surveys & focus group just to conform to the mass market. A MINI is meant to be quirky in it’s design and feel! My beloved scaredometer has gone to show my passengers how fast we are going but instead being replaced with a Tron identity disc which changes colour dependent on modes. It is nice touch which complements the mood lighting but the speedo has been moved and moulded in with the rev counter and fuel gauge. This tacho which gives you all the information you will ever need on the running of the car.

My next annoyance was where is the key slot??? Oh there isn’t one Hmmmmmm. Instead there is a pulsating red fighter jet toggle waiting you to awaken the beast. The speedo lights up like fighter jet cockpit with the heads up display raising from the dash to greet me with the road speed limits and navigation information at easy glance (cue the Top Gun music). The central screen brought up the MINI Logo, three lower heater controls lit up and the radio came to life as I buckled up for the test drive ahead.

I slotted her into first with new gear knob which is reminiscent of an 8 ball and dropped the hand brake to see what this new chick on the block was made of. I noticed straight away the clutch was alot lighter and easier to engage to find the biting point and gearbox was silky smooth. As I drove out of the dealership I could noticeable feel that the new generation of runflat tyres gave a better ride comfort as this F56 Cooper S over the R56. This F56 Cooper S was fitted with Dunlop Sport Maxx with a tyre profile of 205/40 R18 86W which seems to be standard fitment at the moment. I hit the dual carriage ways to see what this all new four-cylinder 2.0 litre engine is all about which is happens to be fitted to other BMW models which will give more leeway for tuning and scoop for mods.

I had been reading the specs on this 2.0 litre F56 Cooper S to find it only has 192Bhp & 280Nm which is minor increase from the last generation as the 1.6 litre which had 184Bhp and 240Nm of torque. The extra torque is welcomed but only 8 more bhp??? This is strange given the engine size as theoretically been increased by 25% which is total U-turn in the face of companies downsizing engines for emissions and efficiency. Even with this bigger engine the all new MINI meets all EU6 emission laws and this extra grunt of torque gives engine more of a punch.

As I headed to the test route I noticed the extra grunt from the engine when leaving from standing still and at speed as the new gear knob makes life alot easier than the stock R56 gearknob. But that heads up display is sooo cool!!! God I was like a kid watching it slide up from the dash and it telling me all information I needed for the road ahead. It would warn me if went into a different speed zone and indicate the limit in that area. We all get caught out sometimes wondering ermmm is this a 30 or 40 zone in an area we don’t know? If only you could play tetris on it when in traffic jams…

The lack of any pops and bangs was a big let down for me as a fruity exhaust note is deal breaker for me. I had it sports mode with the windows dropped to get her to play ball but she wasn’t having it. It didn’t even pop once during my hour of play as I tried various methods of letting her warm, changing modes, backing off at various rpms.

Whilst driving on the test route I noticed straight away how much more composed the steering and suspension was with the steering feedback being on par with the GP2 on feel. I got that exact same confidence I got from driving any MINI, how it encourages you to push that bit future is there. But I was left with a strange after taste which wasn’t MINI like at but more BMW as it was like I was driving an 1 series. It was like going to your favourite restaurant, sitting down and ordering the perfect meal and it not tasting the same as your remembered. God how I wanted to love it, as I read how it was an all new platform and built from the ground up but that cheeky grin I get every time I hop into my MINI wasn’t there. I guess they made it too good??

Its like the refinement has killed all the excitement? Is it too good for its own good? The MINI character as been lost! By taking away the rawness/edge of the noise and sense of speed the magic has definitely been engineered out thus making the MINI like any other car (I must sound like a 1st gen owners after they drove the R56). Not once did I smile on this test drive, the F56 S engine it felt like it was held back from its fully potential with no joy from winding her out to the redline.

I couldn’t seem to fault the F56 as a car but as a MINI it lacked the fun factor brought me into the brand with the R56 MINI One (my first car). Given I have driven a cumulative of over 90,000 miles in the R56 I felt disappointed in driving the F56 as I expected a more fun whilst being the better car. But it was the latter, the F56 clearly is better car but at the cost of fun as the feeling of driving the F56 is no way near as any of the 2nd generation MINIs. I have driven the whole 2nd Gen range from the One D to GP2 and even the MINI Clubvan felt better to drive than the F56 S which sounds odd but is true for me. The Clubvan had the Cooper D engine but it felt more involvement from the steering wheel. I giggled on the test route with its Harvey Dent aka Twoface colour scheme (another review for another time).

This is where I would be normally give my conclusion on the F56 but I am not going to but instead take a flight to the US for MINI TAKES THE STATES 2014 (MTTS 2014) and my exclusive drive of the F56 Cooper S with JCW tuning upgrades. I was the first person to spot this sneaky addition to the MINI USA fleet on the MTTS. I spotted the carbon exhaust tips on this F56 hmmmm. Upon closer inspection it was true but there was something different about this F56 as it sat low to the floor than anything other F56 MINI I had ever seen with no wheel gap (wheel gap police fall back).

The F56 Cooper S was fitted the JCW coilovers, JCW tuning kit and a JCW exhaust with carbon fibre exhaust tips. This JCW tuning kit raises power from the 189Bhp to 208Bhp and torque increases by 20Nm to 300Nm all done by MINI with that lovely warranty intact. The JCW exhaust brings a lot more noise but this exhaust isn’t merely a bolt exhaust but a bi-module which has an bluetooth enabled clicker. Once double pressed it bypasses the rear silencer to give a significantly louder exhaust with all the pops, bangs and crackles all at the command of your right foot.

JCW Exhaust

Officially JCW exhaust can not be sold without the JCW tuning kit meaning this will be only a dealer fit option plus the carbon fibre tips are on option on top with pricing of the exhaust at an eye watering 1600 Euros. Carbon exhaust tips at 208 Euros.

JCW Coilovers

Coilovers with red springs are another dealer fitted option which allow 10 to 20mm drop in height is 1300 Euros.

JCW Brakes

Another option I learned about later but wasn’t fitted were the JCW brake kit which are JCW branded 4 piston calipers with 350 x 30mm drilled and slotted discs for that extra rip your face off braking performance. This will be another expensive option at 1650 Euros.

All these additional modifications gives us a real insight into the forthcoming JCW. You can imagine I am dying to drive the F56 JCW as I feel I can’t back to anything under 200 Bhp which mixes driving fun, performance and out of this world cornering speeds all wrapped under that infamous JCW badge.

In this leg of MTTS I would be driving from Memphis to St. Louis which would be about 300 miles and take around 6 hours with stoppage at the half way point for lunch stop at birth place of pink lemonade. The night before I was told I would be handed the keys to this F56 in question to enjoy on the US roads. I presumed I would be accompanied with the head of After sales of MINI USA instead I was met with Andrew Zolper Head of Sales for MINI USA who was a more of local as he lived in Chicago (cool dude, really down to earth guy and strangely has similar taste in cars like me).

We headed out of Memphis from the partying the night before on the infamous Beale Street under police escort who were stopping all traffic en route to the highway. This left the population of Memphis looking at us in disbelief on the colours of the rainbow our MINIs were making. I laid back with my shades on taking pictures as we would be soon be stopping to fill up and to switch seats for me to drive.

Sitting in the passenger seat I could feel the difference in the ride quality as the ride was firmer but better damped as we drove through town and on to higher speeds on the on ramps and highway. There was one thing I forgot the mention this F56 S was fitted with the automatic gearbox NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. This autobox is actually a carry over from the R56 but with some tweaks and better software programming. Yes this is sacrilege to me but this would give me a better view on how the auto MINI felt and whether or not is actually worth premium given the autobox shifts faster, improves mpg and has a lower 0 to 60 dash time.

I did quick walk around video for you guys before once again for my drive in the US I sat on the wrong side but with no manual gearbox so no worries with wobbly shifting with my right hand. I double tapped the Bluetooth remote for the exhaust and slotted the box into D and floored to join the free way towards that lush pink lemonade.

Straight away there was more of rasp from the exhaust and the engine was reeving more freely to the redline. I am not gonna lie the autobox made the F56 very easy to drive, as I wasn’t full comfortable sitting on the other side and the fact you can drive through a red light if your turning right!

We were following the route to St.Louis which was more of the scenic as the route laid out by MINI USA was there for you to enjoy that go karting handling whilst see the sights. We hit some classic country western corn field back roads so we could open the taps on the tight switch backs. She didn’t disappoint as flicked the autobox into Sport for full control as I wanted to dedicate on the gear changes. Change ups were rapid with a tiny amount of power interruption but alot less than a manual with auto blipping on the down shifts as the JCW exhaust crackled, popped and bang (the F56 manual gets auto rev match down shifts too). I cant wait to see how the ZF gearbox will improve over the revised R56 transmission and try out the paddles as this car didn’t have the shift paddles behind the wheel. Rating the autobox as a whole and comparing it the R56 autobox it was vast improvement! It didn’t get confused which switching into manual or on quick down shifts or full throttle gear changes and not once did it pull me away from the fun I was having driving it on the highway, back roads or around town. BIG THUMBS UP!

Going back to the coilovers fitted on this F56 S, I definitely felt more of a road connection which was more of a welcomed addition as I said previously the F56 S felt like a BMW which I didn’t like. These coilovers address this issue of more steering and road feel whilst driving. The coilovers bring back that more MINI go-kart feel as the ride is firmer and balance yet which doesn’t distract from any form of driving around town, highway or back roads.

I was deliberately driving on crack highway roads and rough road to see how well the coilovers soaked up the bumps and uneven roads to fully test this dealer fitted option (don’t worry I did warn my passenger Andrew before doing so). I honestly couldn’t fault it as it felt like normal road compliant suspension going over the potholes which no harsh noise or crashing in the cabin. If you have the money definitely worth cost as it comes with a warranty from MINI if you do have any problems. On a major plus your MINI will have that STANCE straight from the start when you pull that cover off and handed the keys.

The next part of the drive to St.Louis couldn’t make up and should how easy the F56 S is able to change direction. I was cruising in the slow lane doing just under the limit and this Doge Caliber comes blowing past with a blown out tyre front passenger tyre with sparks flying from the rim. I look over to Andrew and say ‘What the hell? Are you seeing this!!???’ as he was down in his phone doing emails. About a few seconds later the tyre completely gives away and as I howl out the words ‘EVASIVE MANOEUVRES’ so immediately check my mirrors and drop the box down two gears and dodge incoming shrapnel of tyre left and right using both lanes. I gently slowed down the F56 S and said you all good? When’s the last time to read a car review like this? I felt like Will Smith dodging car on the highway in Bad Boys 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaLtd0H8G-s.

Moving over to more aesthetics than go faster bits as the F56 S was fitted with John Cooper Works Pro design mirror caps, rear view mirror and side scuttles which are nice additions to add some extra flair. One thing I hate about the side scuttles if you don’t know are the fact they have to be bonded on by glue!!!!! No thank you as I would go to any vinyl design place and get a design done to get my own custom design to go over that area, that way I could change or remove it with ease. Another subtle detail was the JCW rear wing and John Cooper Works Pro LED door stills which touches off the design for the exterior and interior nicely which give you that smerk you get when you look back at your MINI after parking up.

We are all know if you don’t look back after parking your car, you brought the wrong car

Bringing the F56 around for a cool down lap I learned that the F56 is more capable car than R56 by significant difference in levels of chassis, refinement and usability but some of the magic has been lost in that transition. New comers to the MINI world will love it as little querkiness and loveable MINI looks are still there but die-hard fans will miss the 1st gen & 2nd over top cabin, noises and engines which made a big part of the MINI charm. A lot of people forget that having something that is imperfect is better than having something that is perfect.

Let me explain in car terms, do you remember you first car? It wasn’t the fastest, coolest or pulling magnet you hoped it be but you still think back and smile & laugh that’s what the 1st  & 2nd Gens will always be. Yes you have upgraded to bigger and faster cars with nav, heated seats etc but that first car, love or whatever it might be will always have a place in your heart. The all new F56 MINI has addressed every conceivable issue with the R56 and improved on the formula but in order to bring the R56 charm it seems you have to spec wisely for the additional JCW goodies to bring back the old school fun.

Review Score: 4/5

The all new MINI Cooper S is better than it’s predecessor in both refinement usability, ride, interior and build quality. This new generation of MINIs addresses the mass market issues of the MINI such as interior space and is the best car MINI has ever made but at the cost of MINIs quirkiness as some of the ‘MINI Magic’ has been lost in transit.

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The MINI community is a like second family to me bringing me together with the greatest and NOT NORMAL individuals far and wide together.

Its been 3 years of MINI Madness with my JCW and nearly 2 years since I started my blog.

I brought my JCW unwittingly knowing I would travel across the UK & International to meet with fellow MINIacs.

It was a life changing event when I did MINI UNITED 2012, which gave birth to my blog and created my passion for all things MINI.

Along the way I have gained new friends and followers alike who cant wait to meet me, read or see what I have been up to.

It is the passion of the MINI community which has kept me going through the happy times and the sad ones.

I am truly grateful to call you my friends as all of you are like family to me as your comments and message have always put a smile on my face.

Late 2013 I came across this LITTLE but LARGER than life MINIac called LilCoopr on Instragram.

I have always thought I was the only MINIac writing about his adventures but little did I know this Canadian candy has been at since 2005 ps I do like a bit of competition – www.lilcoopr.com

I began speaking to Christina and it was apparent the MINI Passion ran deep as swapped stories on how it all began and our current MINIs. As we Skyped away and sent each other dumb witty messages on every social media platform possible, it was strange to feel such as a connection with someone I had never meant before. Every time we talk its like an occasion some what reminiscent of when you catch up with an old friend but any communication begins that ‘HEY Ali!’ which always puts a smile on my face : D

Sometimes I would look down to see how long we had been talking to find we spoke for 4 hours or my phone battery is literally dying with 4% battery life left.

I wish I could record half of the conversations we have as hilarity ensues every time we talk.

I wasn’t happy about MINI UNITED not happening in 2014 which I can forgive given the release of the F56. This lead on to the discussions of when would be the next one? Psssst MINI make sure its in Germany as I want to go around the Nurburgring and hit the autobahns

To my amazement Christina has been to virtually all of them expect one!!! She missed out on 2005 in Misano, Italy because of university exams. This means I have physically walked past her a few times without knowing back in 2009 and 2012!!! Its truly is a MINI World.

Here is what makes it even more mind-boggling, she stood a meer few feet away from while Paddy Hopkirk spoke about his Monte Carlo win.  She has actually interviewed GP Garry (one of the members of the fast five) at MINI UNITED 2012 about his infamous speeding ticket in Monaco.  I must have been off somewhere else but I did see someone in quite distinctive pink clothing hmmm

Personally I only work in black. And sometimes very very dark grey

This lead to the discussion of me having the urge to go on a MINI Adventure and wanting to go to the US given 50% of my followers are from the US. I thought there would be no other better way to meet them than on a road trip in a MINI.

Christina told me all about MINI TAKES THE STATES from the destinations and MINI Mates she has made along the way. I was SOLD and the planning began for the trip in 2014 with registration, flights, hotels etc.

This is gonna be another trip of a lifetime being surround by MINIs & MINIacs!!! In all honesty who wants to sit on the beach, relax and get a tan. Right?

Can this top MINI UNITED 2012???  I drove on the greatest roads within Europe with arguable the greatest MINIacs ever??

But don’t worry I wont be alone as Christine and Phil of the Fast Five will be joining me to fly the flag for the UK on this trip

We will be more like the 3 amigos this time as only 3 of the fast five will be in attendance

I have partnered with White roof radio to do MTTS 2014,  I will be riding shotgun in a selection of MINIs throughout the road trip.

What is White roof radio???

The World Famous White Roof Radio is Don Burnside, Todd Pearson, Gabe Bridger, Nathaniel Salzman and Chad Miller. Every week they get together and talk about MINI Cooper news and information like they like to do.

Basically its a Podcast about all things MINI which goes live every week with the latest and greatest MINI news. There always seems to something GP related or the topic steers towards that…

The podcast was started by Don Burnside because he wanted to contribute something to the MINI community above and beyond his personal motoring blog and being more curious than the average bear, Don Burnside (db) decided to jump on the podcasting bandwagon.

He started with an awful tour of his site, followed by a not-quite-as-bad review of online music services. But something was missing.

Enter Todd Pearson. He had the same idea about doing a podcast. He actually heard db’s first 2 and had done 1 on his own. He emailed and asked if db would be interested in joining forces. Of course he did! But he was right in the middle of figuring out how to do the intro for #2. So, he ignored him.

Got #3 all finished up with quite a few positive comments. Then db went ahead and contacted Todd about doing that joint podcast he mentioned.

They did #4, which caught the attention of ace MINI news guy Gabe Bridger who kindly posted a link to their first joint effort and shortly thereafter was the first guest of the podcast.

The rest, as they say, is history.

I have spoken to Don over the last few years so its gonna be weird finally meeting after talking to him by email and online

But fear not you will be able to spot me from a MILE away with my infamous black hat and my dashing good looks accompanied by my apparent sexy English accent

Don’t shy away from saying Hi to me as I will be more than happy to talk and see your MINI too

My first question will be ‘Manual or Auto?’ so be ready to answer correctly with Manual ; )

I will be bringing some custom MINI Swag with me so keep an eye out for some random freebies

Sadly my love of my life aka The Misses aka The Dark Knight aka my JCW wont be joining on the MINI BIG Adventure due to the cost of £3,000 to ship her over

Make sure you are subscribed to my Facebook, Instagram and Youtube channel as we will be vlogging, post images and videos of my trip from start to finish.

Our Facebook & Instagram account will be regularly updated with images and info of what I am doing

All that is left now is for me to touch down in San Francisco to go all the way!!!

10,000 plus miles, 18 states, 15 cities, 2 infamous MINIacs, 1 MINI and 1 epic road trip

MTTS Coverage

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The post The BIG MINI Adventure: MINI TAKES THE STATES 2014 appeared first on JCW Adventures.

Like the last generation the MINI GP marked the ultimate iteration of what a MINI could be with an track focused model with exclusive run of 2,000 examples. Following that tradition MINI officially unveiled the MINI GP2 at MINI UNITED 2012 in France so I got to see it first hand on the day the covers came off.

If I am truly honest I wasn’t impressed by the GP2 as it just looked my JCW and with a few extra pieces stuck on yet it lapped the nurburgring at 8 minutes 23 seconds which is a blistering time for front wheel drive car.

The more I learned about the GP2 the more and more sense it made as MINI had been honing it for two years before signing it off for production.

Yes the R53 MINI GP was more of bespoke model with it being hand finished by Bertone in Italy which justifiable makes it more of a limited edition model wordy of the GP moniker but the GP2 is no half baked limited either.

While the original GP was a looker and stripped whining remote-controlled car while on the other hand the GP2 is the fully fledged go-kart waiting to tear up the track.

As I read through the brochure I learned what was different from a normal JCW with entailed an aluminium cylinder block and bearing mounts, reinforced pistons, sturdier cylinder head, low-weight crankshafts and sodium-filled exhaust valves, Bilstein coilovers, semi slick kumho tyres, six pot brembos, stripped out interior, revised electronic driving and traction systems. All these little changes and tweaks add up to something special…

This review was meant be a track battle and owners review with yours truly and GP Garry. Me & Garry were going to square off on the Goodwood Circuit with Go Pros attached as we would take battle one another in touge style race. A touge race is where you have to keep up the car in front and the winner would be one who set the fastest lap and biggest gap. Once this was dispatched with we would swap cars and drive one another’s to give a better perspective on the JCW and GP on track and road basis however forces above and beyond our control we couldn’t meet on the track for the surrey new mini Goodwood track day.

Do not worry this battle will still take place at some point plus I will have some cheeky mods on my JCW by then ; )

This left a huge plot hole in my review! Who would entrust me with GP2 for a few days???

A quick call to MINI Shrewsbury I was offered GP2 for a review with the whole JCW fleet awaiting my arrival which included the Dealer Principles our JCW Paceman all for review.

Having been a passenger in MINI GP2 on track I had been itching to drive one since MINI UK invited me to track event called MINI to the Max where we were given hot laps rides in the GP2 ahead of its release.

I arrived with a huge grin as all the JCW model range was lined up for my driving pleasure : D

I was welcomed into the dealership an signed away all the boring paper work in a flash

I was then handed the keys to MINI GP2 awaiting at the start line just outside the dealership doors

It was a moment of silence marked with a smerk as walked around the exterior looking at finer details and appreciation as not many people will own or drive this car in their life.

I unlocked the door and tucked into the GP Recaros seats with sexy red seatbelts and gripped the thicker leather bonded steering wheel which is instantly better to the touch. I basked in the moment as I touched the leather dash and looked around cabin and saw rear seat delete with the red strut brace in the rear view.

Now that we had been acquitted and fired her up and dropped the windows to hear the exhaust burble on start up and waited a few seconds before slotting into first to roll out of the forecourt. Strangely the clutch felt lighter than JCW which was a little puzzling as from what I read the clutch hadnt been changed from the JCW/Cooper S fitment.

I braked at the give way marker on the main road just before peeling out of the dealership only to find out that me and windscreen would be having our first kiss as lurged forward under the six pot calipers stopping me more than I thought they would.

After I recomposed myself with my dignity intact I peeled to find out that the GP2 was like a normal JCW hmmmm

With the directions stuck in my head for the test route and map in passenger seat just incase I got lost. I felt straight away the Bilstein coilovers working their magic by the smoothing out all the imperfections on the road as I quickly dispatched two roundabouts before heading on to dual carriageways for some fun. One thing that I noticed was the slight increase in road noise because rear delete but it’s nothing unliveable or off-putting about it as you can hear more exhaust noise.

As I cruised along in the GP2 a part of me was hoping it was more special inside with some carbon fibre goodness here and there. For the love of god why didn’t they get rid of the standard gearknob instead of making it red but in defence the leather dash is a thing of beauty to the eye and touch. The biggest thing you notice is not the car itself but the looks you get when you drive it as normal people looking at it thinking – what MINI is this? U can see it on their face! It’s priceless while car people are either stopped in their tracks as you zoom past or drive by with their jaw to the fall as they drive off the road into a hedge which nearly happened to a guy in his MG ZF.

I stopped at lights on the ring road to what felt like a million people staring at me as I waited for the lights to go green. In the corner of my eye I saw some rep in Audi eyeing up the GP2 wheels and brakes while a kid in the back of Honda CRV was looking at the carbon fibre rear wing and decals. The Lights turned green and roared off the line leaving everyone at the lights still pondering on what on earth was that MINI?

As I cruised on the dual carriage way the grip levels were great even though the GP2 wheel were wrapped in the Kumhos tyres but Bridgestone Potenzas because of the winter temps. Yet chamber and damping of the coilovers was on point as overtaking slow-moving traffic was a doodle on the dual carriage while roundabouts were a whole lot of fun because of the laughable entry speeds which you could carry. Braking performance was mind-blowing from 60 mph to any number with minimal braking whilst be reassuring if you over cooked it the six pots were on hand to save your ass.

I arrived at the test route and double clutching down to 2nd as soon as I saw the national speed limit sign, the GP2 roared ahead and clampered down under hard acceleration as I quick shifted into 3rd for before the long corner which I misjudged as I applied the brakes when I shouldn’t have. The GP squatted down and I lost too much speed as I turned in and got back on the throttle as I was left feeling a track instructor in my head saying Why did you slow down? You should have eyed the corner far ahead and carried more speed.

I saw the 2 year development cycle in a fraction of a seconds which was a rushing blow to me as I am limiting factor in making the GP perform. There is no body roll instead its just raw grip which I can only describe as the feeling I had in the MINI challenge race car.

I pushed hard on into the next corner determined to keep my foot down as I turned in sharply to a blind corner and the GP just gripped as I glance down at the speed and thought if I was in my JCW I would have braked here, waited to apply throttle when the corner straightened out. The GP is easily taking corners 10 to 15mph quicker than a standard JCW, what is even worse is lack of a need to brake as front end just grips thanks to the dialed in negative front chamber.

I was beginning to try my luck with the GP as I began playing chicken with the road and speed limit on the corners seeing if could take the next corner quicker without braking which was testing my driver skill and how big I wanted the repair bill to be if I decided to go offroad.

It was still me backing off in amazement in the level of grip on damp B roads in cold British winter with a cloud of doubt in my mind! Am I am good driver? I think I need to more track time? I should take a advance driving course? It was me for once!! I am being out gunned by the MINI which was nowhere near its limit where I was doubting my limits.

It’s just that good at the corners!!! I finally realised what the stance nation and wheel gap haters I have said to me – Coilovers make everything better from driving and looks point of view.

Over the course of the drive I developed a technique of brake dabbing before corners as the GP is like a frantic wasp with high G directional changes all done in quick flick of the wheel. The directional changes it makes are fantastic for high-speed manoeuvres or nipping moves around town so its still got that MINI feeling whatever speed your doing. While the internal upgrades and removal of the noise maker on the N14 engine have allowed the GP2 to boost and rev smoother slight lower down in the rev range which is ever so slightly noticeable but not by much.

Sadly I cant tell if it really makes any more down force but all that aero tweaks do work as I have fitted the GP front and rear under trays on my JCW and I can happily confirm it does make a difference at high speeds whilst reducing temperatures.

A minor grip as I drove in the GP2 were the seats as the side bolstering is not as good as I would have envisioned compared to the JCW bucket Recaros which hold you firmly in place but you can’t really complain as the seats come as standard with alcantara and leather.

I could easily see myself using the GP2 as a daily driver as everything is still practical but the standard stereo system would drive me mad due to the lack of volume and bass. Another thing that puzzles me is why didn’t the GP2 come with the DRLs are standard instead of a retrofit, surely as a halo model for the brand it should have come with them out of the box.

From the beginning of the review I knew I shouldn’t have sat in this car as the modding bug would return after I promised myself I wouldn’t go down this route plus my bank balance wouldn’t kindly agree to another car sitting on my driveway. I left wanting one and even contemplated trading in the JCW for it but decided against it because I made a huge personal mistake by selling my first car and MINI.

But its not all sad news as I have ordered the GP2 suspension…

Honestly you shouldn’t be reading this review as I am little late to the game of reviewing it, so if you are debating buying a used model or just want a track toy there is no better play to start a MINI adventure. The MINI GP2 is everything it sent out to be and set in stone for years to come as a classic giant slaying hot hatch.

Review score:  5/5

The pinnacle of handling and fun by MINI, this limited edition MINI is truly a MINI Challenge race car with number plates. You have always been told never to meet your heroes as they will only disappoint, however the MINI GP2 is one hero you want to meet and own

Huge Thank You to MINI Shrewsbury for their support and allowing me to review the MINI GP2 

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MINI and Porsche are two brands close to my heart because of their heritage in motor sport and their engineers relentless pursuit for driver focused vehicles.

Yet both the MINI and 911 became icons to many people for various reasons and instantly recognise worldwide to the mass market. But dig deeper into both manufacturers history there is a lot more than meets the round headlights…

The 911 and MINI were ahead of their time from an engineering and design stand point.

The MINI was designed to fit a specific criteria: small dimensions, large interior space, utilise existing parts and cheap to manufacture. The engineering team cleverly engineered the front wheel drive layout to utilise the same oil sump for the gearbox and transmission thus giving a compact design. The radiator was mounted at the left side of the car so that the engine-mounted fan could be retained, but with reversed pitch so that it blew air into the natural low pressure area under the front wing.

The suspension system designed by Dr. Alex Moulton used compact rubber cones instead of conventional springs. This space-saving design also featured rising progressive gave a rate springing of the cones and provided some natural damping in addition to the normal dampers. Built into the subframes, the rubber cone system gave a raw and bumpy ride accentuated by the woven-webbing seats. The rigidity of the rubber cones together with the wheels positioning at the corners of the car gave the Mini go kart-like handling.

Little did British Motor Corporation (BMC) know they would create an icon and a runaway success when all they wanted to do is make an affordable car for the masses during the fuel crisis of 1956.

The Porsche 911 was destined to be a replacement model for the Porsche’s first car the 356. The 911 aim was to be a much more powerful, larger and more comfortable car. Strangely the name would have never came about if it wasn’t for the Peugeot’s trademark as Porsche wanted to call the 911 the 901. Peugeot protested on the grounds that in France it had exclusive rights to car names formed by three numbers with a zero in the middle.

Porsche were seen to be quite mad at the time to have the engine at the back which still doesn’t make sense to this day given the weight out the back. Yet despite this strange layout the Porsche arguable build the worlds best handling cars.

Yes old 911s will kill if you’re not fully focused or back off mid corner hence ‘The Widow Maker’ moniker but the modern 911 is a driver friendly car that will not try to kill you every 5 minutes like Cato from Pink Panther. But the boxer engine was fine engine choice as they offer a low centre of gravity and reduce body roll given the compact and even motion of the engine.

I did say MINI is the new Porsche and meant it as both brands have moved forward through their generations, so has the demands of their owners and customer markets often against their purists wishes…

Both brands have entered the SUV/Offroader market to keep them afloat. This opened the door to the  mass market to increase sales number and profits in the forever diversifying world of 4 door coupe, luxury offroaders, compact SUVs, etc. I personally have no problem with both brands making 4×4 as it just means for money for R&D and performance variant models like the JCW, GP, GT3 RS, 918 Spyper and so on.

2002 saw the introduction of the Porsche Cayenne to cries of Porsche pursuits every saying the SUV would ruin the brand. Yet the model has been a runaway success and the 2nd generation arrived in 2010 with even better credentials. Autocar pegged a 911 against the Cayenne around a track and the difference was shocking given there was only a few seconds between them. Yes an £82,000 Cayenne Turbo was used against a 911 Carrera 4s yet the fatty Cayenne was 1.2 seconds behind it on a handle course.

2010 ironically saw the official unveiling of the Countryman to outrage of MINI fans worldwide but again the model has been success! In 2013 saw the 250,000 Countryman being sold and shipped across the world. A lot of people have said MINI has gone way from what the brand means literally given its name. Yes I didn’t like when I first saw it but I loved the look of its two door brother. The Paceman has that BMW X6 sloping roof line and better looking rear end.

The Countryman has brought the masses and yummy mummies to the brand, however recently I have seen Countryman been taken up by MINIacs who been modding them like crazy. It seems the north hemisphere of the world is where all the Countryman’s live with the US seeing the most tuned ones and finest examples. Another interesting thing was MINI’s own four-wheel drive system called the ALL4 which was another worrying moment for me.  I booked out a JCW Paceman ALL4 for a test drive/review and the drive ability was improved by an early entry full throttle and improved power delivery to the road. There seemed to be no downside to the ALL4 system just the fact this JCW Paceman was £30,000 plus!

Moving on to sport SUV or sport compacts SUV or whatever you want to call them both brands have released their own models. MINI ALL4 drifted in with the Paceman and Porsche gave the world the Macan. However the Paceman hasn’t been popular amongst buyers yet the Macan officially sold out its first year allocation of 50,000 vehicles which gave it a waiting list when it wasn’t even on sale yet!!!

In order to make a more practically or a five door version of their models MINI will introduce the F56 5 door MINI and Porshce gave the world the Panamera.

Another sore subject was the engine changes which were met with pitch forks after the change from supercharged to turbocharged and air-cooled to water-cooled. This change was met with resistance but after the cars were driven by owners and newcomers all worries disappeared on the performance and drive ability side. Yet some will miss theatrics of the engine & exhaust noise and whining of the supercharger.

Another famous heated outrage in both brands was the switch over to electric steering from hydraulic systems where many die-hard owners have said the steering and road feel has been corrupted. The move has been said by both manufactures to be an emissions one as the engine power is being diverted to hydraulic pump for the steering.

Hmmm But what they wont say is the electric ones are cheaper, more reliable and lighter??

However there a lot of other benefits of the electric such as you don’t need Chuck Norris’s arms to turn the wheel and all the electric systems can work in harmony for drive ability with parking being much easier.

I am sure at some point the feel of the hydraulic system will come to the electric system just like how traction control didn’t allow any slip and constantly cut power but now there are adjustable stages of TC.

I have driven the new 911 and compared to the hydraulic steering in the 997 and you will hard pressed to know the difference besides the ease of the turning the wheel. However it is a different ball game with the R50 & R56 where the difference is glaringly obvious to anyone. The gearbox and steering is a workout in the R50 MINI in comparison with the R56 where you change gear and steer with one finger. A worthy upgrade on the R56 would be to upgrade to powerflex bushes installed as the OEM rubber ones are prone to wear if you enjoy the twisties as they give a better steering feel.

Another try by MINI was to introduce the Coupe and Roadster another move Porsche did 1996 which was the Boxster. This move by Porsche saved the company as it allowed new customers to come into the brand via this entry-level model. The Boxster introduced a new way of production efficiency as the car was manufactured using pre-assembled modules including the front and rear suspensions, which were the same components front and rear thus reducing tooling and production costs.

The MINI Coupe & Roadster were both designed on a computer to save time and money in both production and development costs. This method has been key in reducing any delays in production as the coupe and roadster as share the same production line as the hatch. Any change in time of any new MINI leaving the line at every 68 seconds would ruin the just in time production methods and increase production costs significantly.

Like I said at the begin, all these mass market orientated vehicles have allowed both companies to develop and sell limited edition or track focused models for your inner Hoonigan to come out to play. The MINI GP & Porsche 911 GT3 RS are the pinnacle of driver focused vehicles for each brand which both ask for at least 25% percent premium over the normal models. These Halo models have been very effective for the brands to cater to the DRIVERS market whilst bringing people into brand again who can’t afford the upper models. This target group but want a slice of the action so buyers in the lower end models will often opt to buy performance options or accessories.

All the money made from normal variants allows more money for r&d and engineers to be let loose on what they actually secretly want to create as they are not limited by noise levels, fuel efficiency, ride comfort or Miss Evans who cant park so we need it needs a auto park system. You might be wondering why should I pay for the lucky 2,000 to have the ULTIMATE MINI or the Porsche RS models? Because this pursuit of speed is good as this creates a basis of development on the next generation model or facelift models. Motorsport is the proving ground for new technology and the pinnacle of tickle down technology to everyday road cars.

The undertray and aero on your MINIs and Porsches are there because of the motor sport to reduce lift and increase stability at speed. Traction control, Stability control, ABS are all developments from racing to keep the car on road whilst they are fully adjustable on race cars we are all not racing drivers as much as we would love to think. The Top Gear star in a reasonable priced car highlights how much a driver can make a difference in lap time around the same track in the same car.

If you look at the F56 Cooper S spoiler is reminiscent of the GP2 spoiler with the wings sides for aero another lesson learnt from developing the GP2. Also looking at the forthcoming F56 JCW alot of the performance tweaks are again from the GP2 with the diffuser, wider tyres, bigger brakes, aero tweaks on the spoiler and arches.

Both manufacturers are loved the world over which is key to their success in any segment of their respected markets. Alongside this love for the brands is the customisation options translating into tailored cars which bring greater profit margins. Here is a fun fact – Porsche is the most profitable car manufacturer in the world given the options available and level of customisation owners request or spec. Looking at each brands options list which runs into many categories and sub categories ranging from aesthetics to performance options is a modding bible in itself as you are only limited by your bank balance.

The customisation virtually limitless on the Porsche and MINI with the billions of combinations ranging from paint, wheels, interior trim to creature comforts. I spec’d up at 911 Carrera S with a base price of £76,376 to £106,860 that £30,000 worth of options which roughly the price of the GP2 new in the UK.

Yes I went for the optional two grand paint, sport performance pack another 2k, some nice wheels, bucket seats, some carbon trim bits and some other bits but I skipped the PDK which is actually saved me £2,500. You can clearly see how Porsche’s are hugely profitable given the amount of money you can spend on options.

Would Sir like the Porsche logo on your head rest on your seat? £400 please.

MINI has been top trumped on this part given their aren’t any real performance packages for say unless you get the JCW tuning kit but that’s it! However on cool factor and little trim pieces MINI are up there. There are trims options on inside and out with them being easily interchangeable pieces. From what I have seen from the F56 brochure and marketing material the customisation is going to another level on the F56 with the key fob, mats, roof, side vents etc being available to customise to various tastes.

The Recaros and JCW Tuning kit top are the level of expensive options to spec on a MINI compared to carbon ceramic brakes on a Porsche. The MINI brand has many more small items which can be changed unlike the Porsche where you have sell your misses or kidneys to buy but then have to kill someone to get it fitted to keep the Porsche warranty intact.

If the factory doesn’t supply the parts you want then the aftermarket has always been ready to supply and meet our demands. Anything from rims to subtle upgrades are readily available to enhance the noise or performance of your motor.

If you utter the words Singer, RS, GP or John Cooper Works this induces a smirk or a knowing nod from another owner or enthusiast. They know these iterations are pinnacle of what model is and can be. Owning any of these said models opens doors to world of eliteness amongst other owners where we are kings of the hill and admired for it. Yet we wont look down on other owners as our passenger seats are always open for you join in the fun…

Being an owner of either brand we like to talk about them.

When I mean talk I mean we try to steer the conversation towards our car or event we went on the weekend.

Our owners club are the biggest in the world spanning across continents, all boundaries of life, colour or wealth. Our love for our cars has connected us with most unlikely people together. This love and passion will always continue on as it is passed on to the next generation to pick up the torch to carry. They are unwittingly apart of the family from the moment they are born.

As you can see the two brands are very similar in their ethos as both have roots route back to famous race wins.

Racing is in our blood.

MINI has been a giant slayer by winning in British touring racing and the infamous Monte Carlo Rally whilst in the present day it has won the Dakar Rally with all 3 podium spots on consecutive years.

Porsche has virtually one at least one time in every championship it has enter from 24 hours of Le Mans to Dakar Rally.

Porsche did have some success in the rallying with privateers and factory teams with the most famous rallying wins being in 1968 to 1970 where Porsche won the Monte Carlo 3 years in a row with 1 & 2 positions (don’t worry Mini came 3rd in 1968 behind the 911s). The most strange and wonderful 959 supercar won the Paris Dakar rally in 1984 and 1986.

Both brands love to drive their cars and get them DIRTY!!!!

On a marketing stand point of view both brands don’t really tend to flex their muscle with outright BHP figures but instead to focus on the driving pleasure and everyday usability. Our rivals often laugh at our lack of power but they can’t get away from us on the bends to due lack balance and power transfer to the road.

Lets not forget we have a sense of humour when we advertise.

Then were was the infamous battle between the two brands when MINI USA threw down the gauntlet for a race. MINI lost but not by much. I was disappointed to hear they used a Cooper S when they should have gone for the full fat JCW for the WIN!

Continuing the image theme, when was the last time you got cut up by a MINI or Porsche? Never?

No one will ever say anything bad about you if you own either but you will get more respect if you own a classic…

Next Blog Post: Behind the Lens – Modern MINI Magazine Photoshoot

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The post Is MINI the new Porsche? appeared first on JCW Adventures.

Two months later she was born to take me on my MINI adventures far and wide. It has been over 2 years on I still love her like the day I first picked up her. 2013 was year for celebration for MINI & Plant Oxford as it marked 100 years of car making at plant Oxford and the MINI brand celebrating 50 years of the Cooper S and 250,000 Countryman left the factory.

The MINI brands has taken leaps and bounds since his it rebirth in 2001 when BMW release the R50 to the world. That famous badge and brand power drew in old and new consumers to the brand for nostalgia and the infamous go karting handling. Now in 2013 the brand has expanded with the hatchback not being the only variant with the Clubman, Clubvan, Convertible, Coupe, Roadster, Countryman and Paceman.

There is a lot more choice when you buy your MINI with over a million combinations of parts and accessories no real MINI is truly alike which is big difference from 1959 when only 3 colours were only available Clipper Blue, Cherry Red and Old English White for the first 3 years of production.

Lets bring the lime night back on to me I am always been firm believer that you should always give back to the world. I have saying ‘The way you treat people is the way you feel inside’ and I have searched long and hard to find a charity to work to make a real difference to people’s lives.

I came across the Action for children charity as I was applying for graduate roles. I put my name forward to volunteer for an event called Byte Night which is a sponsored sleep out to raise money and to remind yourselves what millions of homeless people feel every night. The big IT companies employees and high-ranking board member were there for the sleep in with over £1 million being raised that day with events across the UK. After learning more about the Action for children from Kim I will be organising a MINI event in Birmingham which will be my own take on the London job which will happen in April.

Details will follow soon…

Modding bug isn’t too far away too far away from me and I finally picked up the carbon fibre boot handle for my JCW to finish the carbon touches to the outside of my JCW. Installation took 5 minutes as it was just a few torx screws. Too match my shiney new carbon fibre goodies I clayed and waxed the JCW ahead its homecoming to the Factory. Time to bring out the SNOWFOAMMMMM It being ENGLAND it rained on the day : / But on the journey there I spotted a camouflaged Land Rover. He tried to get away from me taking piccies but I was having now of that!! POOOOOWWWWAAAAAAAA!!!!! The closer I got to Oxford the more MINIs I began to see on the motorway and normal roads. As soon as I went to turn right into the plant I spotted the Surrey New MINI (SNM) convoy at the lights and so I slowed down for all of us to roll in together

: D

There was an addition to the SNM family as Vickie had trade in her JCW Clubman for another new JCW Clubman to her spec NOM NOM

She went for the Reef Blue paint previously a exclusive paint to the Hampton edition and then specd the Harmon Kardon system, Chilli and Media pack with championship leather with red door and dash trims.

It is a REAL STUNNER with the colour coded arches in the Reef Blue paint and its been given awesome name of ‘Squidward’

I was filled with excitement as it has been a long time coming for me to do the factory tour as I had watched the National Geographic channel Mega factories documentary on the production of the MINI Coupe & Roadster.

I wanted to see in person how machines and people put all the millions of parts and billions combinations of options together day in day out. It was made clear from the outset that MINI was proud of the factory that plant Oxford had been producing cars for 100 years given the number of banners and logo plastered everywhere. I gave my autograph at the desk to sign in and grabbed the MINI black overalls for the factory tour and placed all my belongs into a locker, as no cameras or phones would be allowed into the factory. Do not worry! Where I was allowed to take photos I did. First up was the MINI museum which housed all the R56 onwards concepts and other models produced at the Plant Oxford. It was the breath of models and manufactures that stunned me and how tastes, culture and customer demands have shaped the automotive industry over the years. It funny how what once was an option extra is now standard in alot of cars. This hall of fame of how the MINI brand has evolved over the years is amazing from the marketing, advertising, production and worldwide success has brought millions of consumers in to buy that infamous badge. The factory hasn’t just produced car as during the world war parts for machinery and even planes were made. Me being me I decided to take on the robot for a dance off to see who could the best robot dance moves. Sadly robo arm is retired, Pssshhh Excuses. The SNM crew were all called up and bundled into a van to which would take us into the MINI factory to see how this four-wheel pocket rocket was made.

We were honoured to have Ian Cummings as our factory tour guide for the day. You may not know who is he but he has worked at the plant for sometime so he has seen different cars and models begin and leave the plant under his leadership.

The factory is separated into 3 sections:

Body in white – This is where the panels and exterior shape is formed

Paint – This where every individual car receives it colour

Assembly – This is the final stage where all the components come together

A MINI rolls off the production line every 68 seconds Every MINI life starts out in the body of white where robots apply 4,000 points weld to each body shell including adding the roof.

Once the welds are complete a random check is done by a specialist auditor to ensure the body weld are correct.

If are doesn’t meet this checks it scrapped and recycled to begin the process again but a lucky few are given a chance again as they are turned into track cars for the MINI Challenge series.

The body shell continues it life in the body of white assembly line where the bonnet, boot and doors are added.

Each are car is inspected by human using their hands to find any blemishes and to address them if need be. If each major faults are found this information is relayed back to see what caused it and to stop it from occurring again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1vWr2ufSbo

After passing inspection the body is continued on a conveyor belt to the paint section. The MINI body which has a chemical bath and a rinse shower to ensure each MINI is dirt free of anything especially including oil and dust before it receives it colour.

An Human inspection is done again to see if they are as clean as possible before the coat dip (primer). Next up is the sealing process where every hole and joint is made water tight by hand (Fun Fact – Every week 4 tonnes of sealant is used).

The sealing continues with the undercarriage is seal with a plastic coating to protect the body of stone, road grime and salt.

The body is then cooled for one hour then dusted by ostrich feather which is strangely still the best way to attract dirt, dust and oil. Now the paint can be applied which is done by both human and robots to ensure every corner of body shell/panels gets painted.

A final clear coat is applied to protect the paint and to give that gloss finish.

Off to the oven the for the MINI to make sure the paint is dried then inspection begins to find any imperfections. If any problems are found they buffered out and once there aren’t any a final buff and wax is done.

Now beings the final production stage at the assembly plant which has 5 major stations with a workforce which is spilt into 2 crews which fix on around 2,000 parts to each MINI.

Each worker has a specific role to complete in a 68 second deadline and 850 individual MINIs leave the factory every day!

Once the MINI hits the production line its given its VIN number and the doors are removed to allow easy access to the inside of the car.

Now the wiring harness of car is fitted which is 1 and half km long and runs from the boot to the engine bay.

Once the wiring has been fitted the dash-board and interior panels are installed, elsewhere whilst this is going the engine is simultaneously being built every minute. Once the engine is complete the engine is loaded on to pre assembled front suspension frame.

The marriage of the body and engine can now begin where robots and human install the engine together. Now all the other major components such as the seats, rear suspension, exhaust and wheels are added on.

The doors come back to the car to be reinstalled and last few touches are now the final touches and badges are applied give the MINI is identity.

All the fluids are added to drive the newly born MINI off the line to be tested to find any squeak or rattles before its put on to trailer to sent to the customer.

Now that I have gone through the process of how your MINI was made its time to let you guys and girls know how it felt to be there and extra surprise for me to see the F56 in production in both 3 door and 5 door variant.

It was a shock to see them there and were told not to look?? So I leaned against the guard rail to see the interior, the finish and to see what options were fitted on to the models.

They were a few Coopers and Cooper S in that Volcanic Orange and Deep Blue which were probably be press and demonstrator cars leave the factory to go around the globe. I am still not sold on those rear lights and lower bumper intakes on the S as they bigger than my head & ego combined. However everything else is on point with increased plushness in the cabin, more toys and options to be had.

Will I buy a F56? Yes but It’s another few years before I take the plunge again on purchasing another JCW as this powerhouse is coming in 2015 and it will be at least 2017 before I put my hard-earned cash down again for one. I will be requesting a custom paint for mine…

Some might moan about the increased sizes but I welcome the longer wheelbase as that extra few inches in the Clubman makes the car handle better on handling and ride comfort front. I fell in love with the Clubman when I had a fully loaded JCW Clubman from MINI UK when I was having a nightmare with mine.

Anyway back to the factory floor, tucked away in the corner were a few camouflaged MINIs which were the 5 door variant Hatch and what is the forthcoming Clubman. Another thing that caught my eye was the lack of the JCW models being made on the production line as I only saw 2 JCW being made which both were going abroad given the different front plate mount.

The tour was finished by Ian Cummings leading us back into the Van to head back to the Museum to gather our belongs. After this we lined up all our MINIs across the 100 years anniversary banner outside the Museum for piccies : D

But where ever I go the press isn’t far behind with their cameras and tape recorders…

But seriously the local paper had come down to take photos of the SNM clubs but sadly the finish article was the total opposite to what we expect.

But sad news was later heard as the R56 Hatch had officially stopped production marking an end of era and but the beginning of another…

After leaving the factory behind I had this sense of pride that manufacturing still occurs in the UK and MINI brand is very much still deep rooted in every generation in the UK. Its one of the reasons why the Fast Five had British flags attached to their aerials with pride at MINI UNITED. No matter where we have gone the red, white and blue flag is our home and those famous 3 colours were donned on the Minis in the Italian Job, which arguable the greatest car film ever!

The R56 will always be the greatest car ever to me given the personal and emotional connection I have my MINI as its more than a piece of metal but an extra of my personality.It has taken me on a journey of a life of lifetime and introduced me to people who I would have never met whilst put a smile on my face.

Thank you R56

Next Blog Post: Is MINI the new Porsche??

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The post MINI Factory Tour: The Last R56 appeared first on JCW Adventures.