The Independent American Magazine for all Mini Owners
Issue link: http://mc2.epubxp.com/i/33536
The MINI GP I By Peter D. DuPre Photos Courtesy BMW/MINI n the realm of auto manufacturing special edition cars are nothing new. Just about every manufacturer produces limited, or special edition models to commemorate automotive milestones and as a way to boost sales on flagging models. Back in the 1970s and ‘80s General Motors produced a number of Pace Car editions honoring the Oldsmobile the famed Indianapolis 500. These some and Chevrolet models that had seen duty at cars were usually nothing more than a stock model that was gussied up with decals, special upholstery, custom wheels and maybe options. By and large, however, they were forgettable models built limited performance to boost sales and they were anything but “limited.” Every once in awhile, however, a manufacturer builds a special model that is truly unique in every way and a real limited edition. The MINI GP, introduced in 2006 to mark the end of the first generation MINI, is one such 30 MC2 Magazine www.mc2magazine.com car. This model wasn’t just a stripes and decal special, it was and is, unique among cars and particularly among MINIs. From the get go, the concept behind the GP was to produce a Grand Prix touring car that offered racecar- like performance with luxury street car comfort and put it in a unique package. To that end, BMW/MINI sent 2,000 “body-in-white” MINI Cooper S JCWs across Europe and to Turin, Italy where the Bertone factory would virtually hand assemble each and every car. The three-and- a-half month long build was the last official job done at the famed Italian coach works and a great note for the company to close on. At the Bertone plant, skilled craftsmen installed the vehicle interiors, taking care to make sure that the hand- stiching was perfect and the leather-faced Recaro seats were blemish free. The 415 GPs destined for US shores got custom leather and cloth MINI seats instead, something that we’ve never quite understood. The F iv e y e a p r sop a t a ful er i t sn r a n dt er so ird a id uc t i ole n , i b t i s s t i l l