Mini debuted its wild John Cooper Works GP concept at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, and in late 2018, it said the car would enter production in 2020. Now, we have an idea of what to expect, and it's a lot.
Mini has once again confirmed that the John Cooper Works GP is slated to reach its lucky buyers in 2020. We don't know how much it costs just yet, but Mini did say that the GP will be limited to just 3,000 units worldwide.
The automaker also announced that the GP will be the fastest and most powerful Mini ever built for the road, spitting out more than 300 horsepower from its four-cylinder engine. That would put it up with the Civic Type R as one of the most powerful front-wheel-drive production vehicles ever. That's some good company, and it should rightfully be Mini's benchmark as the automaker continues to tweak the car as it nears production.
The concept that debuted in Frankfurt will probably be toned down while it works its way through preproduction adjustments. The ridiculously aggressive fenders will probably be slimmed down to prevent costs from spiraling out of control, and it's unlikely that the production version will pack the concept's roll cage and five-point harnesses. That said, expect something just a bit sportier than your average Mini Hardtop.
While the John Cooper Works GP is limited to just 3,000 units worldwide, that's more than the market received in its previous iterations. Both the 2006 John Cooper Works GP Kit and the 2012 John Cooper Works GP were limited to just 2,000 units each, and neither had 300-plus horsepower. 2020 is going to rock.