R56 MINI JCW GP Review: Is It Still the Ultimate MINI?

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Forget the wing, the stripes, and the numbered plaque on the dash. The real magic of the 2013 R56 MINI JCW GP happens the moment you clip the apex of a back-road bend and feel the suspension geometry and brakes at work. You quickly realize why many (including MotoringFile) have called this the greatest GP of all time. But 12 years on, is this still the case? We get behind the wheel to get reacquainted and find out.

When the second-generation JCW GP broke cover in 2012, it was clear MINI had moved the goalposts. Our first blast around the switchbacks of Mallorca revealed a hatch that felt honed rather than merely fettled—alive in your hands and unafraid of serious pace. MINI knew it, too; at the launch we didn’t just explore the limits on mountain roads, they let us loose on a go-kart track packed with tight technical turns, and the GP simply ate it alive.

That poise came from a development programme most hot hatches only dream of. MINI’s engineers spent two full years pounding the Nürburgring, led by the same man who would later sign off the BMW M4 GTS. The result was a bespoke coil-over set-up, six-pot front calipers clamping 330 mm discs, a set of Kumho 17-inch tyres created specifically for the car, and a functioning rear diffuser. To this day, the GP2 remains the only MINI to leave the factory with both coil-over suspension and an aerodynamically active rear diffuser fitted as standard.

Officially the GP delivers 218 hp (211 hp in the US) and 192 lb ft (207 lb ft on over-boost) and dispatches 0–60 mph in 6.1 sec on the way to 150 mph. As with all fast Coopers, it wasn’t quick in a straight line. Even its 8 min 23 sec Nürburgring lap doesn’t seem impressive today (despite it being a full 18 sec quicker than the original R53 GP and holding the record for a front-drive car at the time). 

MINI worked tirelessly on aero resulting in a flat floor, a functioning rear diffuser and a re-profiled rear wing that slashed lift and keeps the chassis settled at Autobahn velocities. On the road that translates into steering you trust implicitly and a chassis that breathes with the surface rather than fighting it. Feedback, the one thing some R56 models lacked compared to its R53 predecessor was back in abundance with the GP.

Driving the R56 MINI JCW GP

Driving it today it feels like a total revelation. While the current Cooper has quicker steering and feels lively, the R56 JCW GP produces textured feedback that feeds your confidence corner after corner.

The interior design feels a bit play school compared to what came after it with the F56 and overly fussy compared to the current minimal F66. But there’s an honesty in the controls and displays. Minimal screens and GP only high contrast dials make this feel more driver focused than most cars today.

The GP2 looks noticeably smaller from the driver’s seat thanks to its short front overhang. On paper its dimensions barely differ from a standard MINI, yet the lack of mass ahead of the front wheels makes the whole car feel more compact than it is.

What lingers longest, though, are the brakes, suspension, and the feedback they deliver. The ride is firm without being punishing, the steering is gloriously direct, and the GP changes direction with an eagerness that borders on addictive. Everyday practicality takes a hit—rear seats, most sound-deadening, and some wet-weather grip are gone—but the sensory reward more than compensates.

Compared with its 2006 predecessor, the R56 GP swaps a touch of rawness for genuine race-car polish. Two years of Nürburgring development produced bespoke brakes, tyres, and suspension that eclipse the first GP for outright capability while preserving the tactile sparkle enthusiasts crave. That over-engineering led us to call it “the ultimate MINI” when it launched, and it is difficult to argue against that verdict today.

Values reflect that reputation. Only 400 examples reached US soil at $39,950 apiece, and while depreciation has taken them into the low to mid-twenties, tidy cars are already showing signs of collectors recognizing their significance with prices near the original MSRP. For less than the price of a new hot hatch you can have a numbered slice of MINI history and a driving experience few modern front-drivers can touch. 

A decade on, the R56 JCW GP remains a touchstone for MINI dynamics: light on its feet, bristling with detail, and unapologetically single-minded. In an era of ever heavier performance cars it stands as a reminder that speed is nothing without feel and interactivity.

The R56 GP, The F56 GP and the original R53 GP

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