Mini John Cooper Works and Mini Challenge Lite - Comparison Test - Sports Cars

Mini John Cooper Works and Mini Challenge Lite - Comparison Test - Sports Cars

I had the (rare) privilege of driving both there Mini John Cooper Works, The most extreme version of the street Mini is Mini John Cooper Works Lite, a car that will join the PRO cars in the tough MINI Challenge all-in-one championship. I tried both of them on the track, even after a few months; but the memories remain vivid and indelible in my memory, especially because with Lite he had the privilege of racing in Imola.

But let's move on to the two English heroes of our comparison. There Mini John Cooper Works looks aggressive, but always cool and bold: engine 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo with 231 hp and fitted as standard with the i sports suspension 17 inch wheels (we have about 18 inches), a John Cooper Works aerodynamics kit, and an electronic limited slip differential control (EDLC) system. It's a fast car, but not as extreme as it used to be. However, the data suggests one thing 0-100 in 6,3 seconds (which fall to 6,2 with an automatic transmission) e The maximum speed is 243 km / h.

La MINI John Cooper Works Lite Despite being a racing car, it is very close to the road version, at least on paper. It has exactly the same power, the same six-speed manual transmission (with the same clutch) and the same braking system, although it does have racing pads and braided hoses.... The first (visual) difference is the ailerons and extractor aerodynamics that do their dirty work, especially in fast corners. And then there's the racing exhaust that makes every gas pedal feel like a battlefield. But where this really changes is with settopelle: racing arc, racing suspension and 200 kg less (weighs just over 1000 kg) makes it incredibly accurate, durable and responsive. And you can hear while driving ...

BETWEEN SPORTS AND RACES - HALF ...

Let's start with Mini John Cooper Works: many sports compacts that shine on the road are clumsy and rather boring on the track; Mini, on the other hand, surprises, dancing between one curve and the other on tiptoe in wobbly balance; this is also thanks to his own 205mm rubbers, very small for the performance they are capable of. But this is also her beauty. IN The 2.0 engine is very loaded at low revs and is capable of producing a raucous and gloomy soundtrack, but when you pull on the neck, it is a little disappointing, mainly due to shortness of breath after 5.000 laps. It's forgivable considering it's common with turbocharged engines, but perhaps with some precautions, it could be pissed off even more at the top of the tachometer. Same the gearbox is not the most accurate, which is a shame, as the previous Minis boasted a short and dry lever... The command is long enough and the action should be fluid and followed if you don't want the lever to jam.

L'Electronic Differential lock control instead it's a surprise: it doesn't "pull" like a true limited slip differential, but it does its dirty work and eliminates most of the understeer even in lower gears. The pudgy steering wheel makes for really quick, precise steering - if a little pain-relieving - but it's always nice when it takes a few degrees to steer the car into a corner or correct oversteer. Even because the back of the Mini slides when the gas is released. He never does it in an unpredictable and scary way, but he changes just enough. (to then "sit" almost alone) to help you close the trajectory. It's like a JCW “for everyone”, capable of appealing to both track day fanatics and non-belligerent people alike. However, for these people, the racing version is better.

Already for the fact that he mounts smooth tires, MINI John Cooper Works Lite he's from another planet. Racing tires not only need to be warmed up and respected, but they will make you feel the car in a completely different way., and give it characteristics of a different order. If you then add in the fact that it weighs 200 kg less, that it is lower and stands on the ground, and that it brakes (almost) with a vengeance, then perhaps you will understand how effective this Lite is. In a straight line, it doesn't seem much faster: you feel that the car is lighter and moves with less effort, but the engine feed remains almost the same and the feeling of speed “from behind” is not felt. The ocean separating it from the production version can be found at the first corner at the end of the straight line. The way Lite cuts large chunks of speed is impressive: when braking, the rear part wags its tail a little, but is ready to help you get into a turn. You have to be careful with the steering engagement because the rear slicks, when released, do it so quickly that the counter steering may not be enough to fix the problem. When you release the brake, you must already press the accelerator pedal, hesitation is undesirable. If JCW is forgiving and losing traction more and more, the Lite will require some kind of driving.... The good news is that the hot tires are very well balanced and reassuring. The steering tells you what's going on with the front wheels, and the limited-slip differential works great to get you out of corners without skidding.

PTo be a race car, it also rocks enough, that minimum, for you to feel how hard you push it in the middle of a corner. The beauty is that despite its extremely high performance, the racing John Cooper Works retains the soul of the road version.

In short, the John Cooper Works truly excels both on the road and on the track, even if it's a little too polite compared to previous models. But the track, after all, is the realm of racing cars.