MINI JCW Rally '17

[Miao]

The Mini John Cooper Works Rally racer has been revealed; the brand’s latest 340bhp, 590lb ft Dakar rally challenger, developed in collaboration with motorsport specialist and Mini motorsport partner, X-raid.

The Countryman-based Mini JCW Rally is powered by BMW’s turbocharged six-cylinder diesel engine, and has a top speed of 114mph. It’ll rarely touch this, though, given the intensity of its intended terrains.

Underneath, the new Countryman’s styling has been placed on top of a specially-made FIA-approved tubular steel frame chassis, which has been specifically developed for competitive driving over tough terrains.

The Countryman body has been profoundly altered though; the bonnet was made lower for better visibility from the cabin, while the body has been widened, and a vent added on each side in front of the doors. The body is made of Kevlar and carbonfibre.

Mini claims that improvements have been made in several key areas, particularly in moving the car’s centre of gravity lower by moving the third spare wheel from inside the boot to underneath the car. The top speed and aerodynamics have also been improved, and the car has been rigorously tested in an air tunnel. Unsurprisingly, the fuel economy of the car has improved due to the reduced drag.

Off-road prowess is ensured with 250mm of wheel travel and greatly increased ground clearance; 320mm steel disc brakes – with air and water-cooled rear callipers - increase stopping power over the road car, too.

The JCW Rally will make its competitive debut at the Dakar Rally next year, and is currently going through final testing procedures ahead of that. Mini says that technical feedback from the programme could be implemented on road cars, but don’t expect a special-edition rugged countryman inspired by the JCW Rally in your local dealership any time soon.

[Miao]

Mini shed light to its new long-distance cross-country rally car ahead of the 2017 Dakar Rally which is set to start on January 2.

Based on the all-new Countryman, the new John Cooper Works Rally car aims to continue the successful career of its predecessor, the Mini ALL4 Racing.

Developed in conjunction with Mini’s motorsport partner X-raid, the new 2017 JCW Rally had some areas totally reworked, compared to the previous race car, including the aerodynamics, the thermal management, the weight distribution, a lowered centre of gravity and new engine mapping among others.

Mini claims that their new Dakar contender delivers better performance with lower fuel consumption thanks to their revisions. The engine is a BMW-sourced, dry sump 3.0-litre straight-six turbodiesel unit with 340hp and 800Nm of peak torque at 1,850rpm with the mandatory 38mm air restrictor in place. The whole engine sits in a removable subframe which enables engine removal in just over one hour.

A six-speed SADEV sequential gearbox sends the power to all four wheels, with the driveline featuring lockable, oil-cooled Xtrac front and rear diffs and the central one coming from SADEV as well. The exhaust comes from Akrapovic. Mini says that their new 1,952kg Dakar warrior is able to reach a 184km/h top speed.

The suspension was built by specialists Reiger Racing, with each wheel riding on four fully adjustable shock absorbers and springs, providing a 250mm wheel travel. Six-piston calipers all-around and 320mm steel vented discs provide the necessary braking, with the rear calipers being air- and water-cooled.

The outer shell is made out of carbon fiber and Kevlar, while a honeycomb mix of the same materials is being used for the underside of the main body. The front hood was lowered for better visibility, with the overall design to come from the new Countryman.

The 2017 Dakar Rally will take place in three countries -Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina-, covering a distance of around 9,000km. Mini will enter seven cars in total with selected international crews, including ex-WRC driver Mikko Hirvonen, Michel Périn and Yazeed Al-Rajhi.