SkillanNaylor Car Company are pleased to offer this 2017 MINI John Cooper Works Challenge 2.0 3Dr seen in White Silver Metallic with Anthracite/Red Cloth/Alcantara upholstery.
Back in 2017 MINI UK contacted EVO Magazine and asked if they would be interested in collaborating on the development of a more track focused version of their MINI John Cooper Works 3Dr hatch back.
The MINI John Cooper Works (JCW) 3Dr hatch is a fast, hot hatch road car that could be taken on track days. MINI wanted EVO to help them develop a car that would sit above the JCW model. This new model was also designed to promote the MINI challenge race series hence the EVO developed car would be called the MINI John Cooper Works Challenge.
In 2017 I worked for Buchanan MINI who were the Isle of Man franchise holder for MINI. I was very fortunate to go on various launch events for lots of different new MINIs and got to talk to the team behind the development of the MINI JCW Challenge.
The JCW Challenge was what you would refer to as a ‘Skunk Works’ project. It happened mostly behind closed doors and without much input from MINIs big brother BMW. The lead of the Challenge project was a very nice chap called Nichols. I chatted to him at an event about the Challenge and he told me that it got very close to being cancelled by BMW. This was du to the fact that the car used many non manufacture supplied parts i.e. Team Dynamics Wheels, Nitron Suspension, Mintex Brakes etc.
The non manufacture parts were chosen for this project because they were seen as the best parts for the job to turn an occasional track day car in to a track monster that could keep up and carve past many more exotic and expensive cars.
EVO magazines input came from the dynamic set-up for the car. They featured the development of the car in a few issues of the magazine and covered what suspension set-up they suggested for both road & track use.
The engine in the JCW Challenge was the same as fitted to other JCW models an is 2.0L 4-Cylinder Turbo Petrol engine developing 228 BHP.
Unlike most other MINI models the JCW Challenge was a very limited run project. All of the cars were built to the same specification and in the same colour combination. No additional factory options were offered. They were built at MINI’s main production plant in Oxford. The standard JCW’s were taken off the production line and then created in to Challenge models. When initially announced MINI said they would build 100 JCW Challenges whoever only 53 were ever produced making the Challenge one of the rarest BMW group products ever built. This particular car is build number 12. It wears its model number on the dash board and front wings.
As mentioned the Challenge is designed for track use however this does not mean it forgoes practicality as a result. The Challenge is offered with 4 seats unlike the other focused MINI models called the GP which only come with 2. You still get things like air-con, Bluetooth phone prep and rear parking sensors. It doesn’t come with things like Sat-Nav or a Sunroof and in the quest for weight saving it also does without any internal sound proofing.
Due to their desirability and the fact they are very rare MINI JCW Challenge models don’t come up for sale very often. As mentioned they are designed to be driven however some have now gone in to private car collections. This would suggest that the MINI JCW Challenge could be seen an investment.
The MINI JCW Challenge has no real rivals as most car manufactures use more obvious cars to base the track toys on. The MINI JCW Challenge is an uncompromising car that has one goal. That is to embarrass much bigger, more expensive & more exotic cars on any race track.
This car is presented in immaculate condition and with just 20,634 miles. This low mileage is backed up by an extensive service history.
The factory specification of this car includes: Xenon Headlights JCW Sports Front Seats Auto Lights & Wipers Cruise Control Bluetooth Phone & Music prep Rear Parking Sensors Air-Con USB Audio Interface ISOFIX Child Seat prep Selectable Driving Modes
MINI JCW Challenge modifications Light weight Team Dynamics 17″ Alloy Wheels Carbon Door Mirror Covers JCW Switchable Sports Exhaust with ‘Track’ mode Nitron Adjustable Suspension Dampers Increased Negative Camber Mintex Brake Pads & Crossed Drilled Brake Discs Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Tyres – As per the Porsche 911 GT3 RS JCW Pro Body-kit Quaife LSD
Customer modifications JCW Floor Mats Additional trim to the dashboard Surry Tuning stage 1 engine remap
To arrange a test drive in this car please contact SkillanNaylor Car Company.
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