GPMINI.net

Two years ago … Coast to Coast in a GP

GPMINI — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:28:38 +0000

The original and best (!) MINI Takes The States 2006 was in mid-flow two years ago … this weekend I worked through the many more than 2,200 photos I’d taken, and put together an Animoto video/slideshow - a wonderful reminder of a wonderful event, beginning with GP delivery at Monterey and working city-by-city and state-by-state during a two week, 4,500+ mile drive across the USA:

Here is the video, nearly 300 pictures and over 8 minutes of entertainment - and at the beginning, a few never-before-shots of the first GP I ever saw (which MINI USA asked me not to post online back in August 2006!):

If you prefer, click here to download a high resolution version (80MB, MP4 format)

GP launch video

GPMINI — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:13:16 +0000

Many thanks to MikeyTheMINI of NewMINIstuff, who posted this video of the first ever GP unveiling during MINI United 2005:

Two years ago … Monterey delivery

GPMINI — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:38:56 +0000

(link to original post)

And the question is … how many of those original 32 USA GP buyers still have their GP (and visit this site, I guess!) … shout out in the comments, please

Two years ago … First GP delivered

GPMINI — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:34:27 +0000

(link to original post)

Back then Mr Baker said “I’ll be keeping this car a long time” but it was spotted for sale within three months!

What makes a GP?

GPMINI — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:05:54 +0000

A question popped in to my head when adding Don from Austria, with GP1463, to the owners list … when is a GP no longer a GP?

Don writes “I own GP 1463, it’s black with green stripes and mirrors now” … So Don’s GP is no longer Thunder Blue - but apart from that, it’s still a GP, with the unique wheels, aero kit and rear wing. And it surely still has the “1463 of 2000″ decal on the dash.

I’ve seen other GPs with different wheels - I’ve even seen one with rear seats installed! And of course many GPs have had engine, suspension, stereo or similar modifications. But then, there’s the sad story of GP0448 - salvage titled and apparently no longer with original GP engine (or at least intercooler), with “mimic” GP wheels, and a worrying history. Is that car still a GP?

Adding a trailer hitch

GPMINI — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:34:22 +0000

(of course, this MINI Do More modification could be done to any GP, but since Matt added it to GP1543 and took pics, they are here!)

Matt began by removing the rear bumper cover, and taking some close-up pics of the rear crash structure - behind it is a black mounting piece and some rubber padding (both these parts get removed/replaced by the trailer hitch):

Next, the crash structure is removed - in the close-up you can see the black mounting piece and the foam piece:

The black piece and foam are removed and the new MINI Do More black piece with trailer hitch is installed in place, behind the crash structure:

When the rear bumper cover is re-attached, the trailer hitch is aligned to be accessible through the rear fog light position - and the blanking plate can be re-installed to hide the hitch when not in use!

Finally of course, the trailer hitch can be used - Matt shows it here with a bike rack:

Some more pictures in the Gallery … Thanks Matt!

You can find more details of the trailer hitch at MINI Do More, and see this picture taken during MINIsOnTop 2008, showing Brent (from MINI Do More) towing a trailer with his GP!

Google searches for the GP

GPMINI — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:21:53 +0000

Reading about Google Trends today, I wondered what I’d see about searches for our favourite MINI Cooper S with JCW GP kit - which I shortened to “MINI Cooper GP”; the results are interesting:

Good data - the spike in late 2005 coincides with the pre-launch at MINI United 2005, then obviously during 2006 excitement builds, until GP deliveries begin in mid 2006 in Europe and then the fabulous Monterey deivery event; since then interest is gently tailing off - except for us owners

Torque and Horsepower curves

GPMINI — Sat, 31 May 2008 00:53:36 +0000

If you missed this thread on NorthAmericanMotoring by Mach V Dan, it’s worth reading through - almost a year ago, Dan of Mach V Motorsports used their Dyno to do a same-day same-conditions comparison of an R50 Cooper, R53 Cooper S, R53 with JCW, and a GP … the results are as expected but it’s nice to see them “in print”!

Dan was also able to compare the GP with a stock R56 with interesting results - it’s clear that the R56 torque is higher, while the GP offers a much smoother torque curve and the much-publicized-by-MINI highest stock MINI horsepower … of course the question is, which would you prefer to drive?

Ber sure to click either link and head over to NorthAmericanMotoring to read the full write-up and comments.

Rusted Spoiler Screws

GPMINI — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:45:34 +0000

Having been alerted to the problem by Chris, another GP owner, I find that like his GP, my cars rear spoiler fixing screws are rusting and looking rather ugly!

This issue is not happening for all owners - I suspect it’s related to weather conditions and perhaps whether or not the car is garaged (GP0203 is not) … I’ll be chatting to my dealership to see what they think about it …

New York Times: MINIs instant collectible

GPMINI — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:52:32 +0000

(from New York Times):
… Everything is limited edition these days, including the Uniqlo T-shirt I wore the other day. When carmakers label something as limited edition, it typically means they’ve added leather and slapped on some chrome badging to spark sales in the middle of a model cycle … Could the Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit (its official name) be different? It was a purpose-built racer that came with a better suspension and brakes. Engine modifications bumped power to 218 horsepower. There were no rear seats (for weight reduction). Production was limited to 2,000, and 415 were allotted to the United States.
In two years, the GP Kit, according to my friend, had become a collector’s item. “People bought them and stored them in their garage,” …

UPDATE: See comments on the MotoringFile post for this same story