- Mini teams with one of its dealers to create a new B-Spec racing edition of the Cooper Hardtop.
- The new Mini Cooper B-Spec racer will be available at the start of the 2012 season.
- All four of the major racing sanctioning bodies — SCCA, Grand Am, NASA and World Challenge — will host B-Spec races in 2012.
WOODCLIFF LAKE, New Jersey — Mini USA has teamed with South Carolina-based dealer Mini of Charleston to create a B-Spec racing edition of the Mini Cooper Hardtop for the 2012 race season.
A prototype of the production-based racecar is on display at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Mini of Charleston, a member of the Hendrick Automotive Group, plans to begin building and selling turnkey B-Spec racecars early next year and will also offer conversion kits to owners of older cars.
Mini said all four of the major racing sanctioning bodies — SCCA, Grand Am, NASA and World Challenge — will host B-Spec races in 2012. The automaker will expand its contingency program to include payouts next year to sanctioned B-Spec race teams with podium finishes.
The Mini Cooper B-Spec package is built around the production 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, which makes 121 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque.
The B-Spec race package includes KW V1 coil-over struts and shocks, Vorshlag front camber plates, Carbotech brake pads, Way Motorworks stainless-steel braided hoses, Kosei K1 15-inch alloy wheels, Hoosier SM6 205R50/15 tires, Kirk racing roll cage, Kirkey road racing seat and Schroth Hybrid III harnesses, cage nets and window net.
Inside Line says: The Cooper Hardtop should make a terrific B-Spec racer out of the box.
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duck87 says:
09:09 AM, 11/22/2011
@eldaino2: Do you really want me to get into technical details with camber curves and roll center?
eldaino2 says:
11:45 PM, 11/21/2011
@duck87:lol so all the entrants rocking torsion beams have 'fake' suspensions?
its not the tech, rather how you apply it man. there are plenty of honda fits and mazda 2's that will run all day with minis at b spec races, bumpy track and all. with such a short wheelbase, the mini's 'superior' suspension doesnt really deal with bumps all that much better than a torsion-beamed rear would.
speeddemon086 says:
07:16 PM, 11/21/2011
Ummm......... a mini with stickers and decals????? Suddenly a little puzzled by the look, but hey a mini with amazing prices I am sure its a success for mini.
v8vader says:
02:16 PM, 11/21/2011
+1 duck87
duck87 says:
12:27 PM, 11/21/2011
The MINI is the only one out of the current crop of B-spec entrants that has a real rear suspension. Depending on how weight is equalized between racers, this could be the best car on the twisty bumpy circuits. Pretty excited about this race series (not likely, but it could be a viable alternative to Spec Miata simply because of the variety of race machines). With a salvage-title car you can have an extremely cheap race car!