Mini Is “Working On” A New JCW GP, But Production Is Unconfirmed

Although the new, all-electric Mini Cooper has only just been revealed, we’re already fairly sure about how the rest of the hatch range will play out. A petrol-powered Cooper S is inbound (but on a different platform), and an all-electric John Cooper Works has been spotted undergoing testing. So how about a new Mini John Cooper Works GP? It could well happen. 

When asked about a new GP at a roundtable interview with media at the reveal of the new Mini, Dr. Stefan Floeck, Mini’s head of product line said "I'm working on the GP, trust me," before a PR representative interjected with “please do not take this as a confirmation,” as it’s still “too early”.

"No confirmation,” Dr. Floeck continued, “But for me, it's very important that with turning Mini from combustion to electric, John Cooper Works doesn't die; it's the opposite - it will grow”.

At this stage, Dr. Floeck wouldn’t confirm if a potential Mini JCP ‘GP4’ would be petrol or electric, but if the standard JCW is to be the latter, it would make sense for its big bro to be propelled in the same manner. This might well involve an all-wheel drive dual-motor setup, potentially for both the JCW and the GP, but when asked about any future twin-motor Minis, Dr. Floeck wouldn’t give any indication.

The new platform is definitely capable of taking two motors, though. Mini opted to install the Cooper’s single electric motor at the front rather than the rear for packaging reasons, an arrangement which also preserves the front-wheel drive layout the Mini has used going all the way back to the original, pre-BMW model.

An all-wheel drive, all-electric GP would be a radical departure, but having found the JCW GP3 a little disappointing when we drove it a few years ago, we certainly have an open mind.