Mini Re-Enters Professional Rallying

MUNICH, Germany — Mini, with the assistance of German parent BMW and British motorsports specialist Prodrive, hopes to recapture some of its '60s racing glory, with plans to re-enter international rallying in 2011 with the Mini Countryman WRC.

Based on the production Mini Countryman S, the racing car is being developed by Prodrive to compete in selected rounds of the 2011 World Rally Championship and to contest the entire season in 2012.

Prodrive Chairman David Richards, who won the 1981 World Rally Championship as co-driver to Ari Vatanen, said, "We already have a significant number of confirmed customer orders for the new Mini rally car, with the first deliveries scheduled for the start of the 2011 season."

Prodrive has been working with BMW Motorsports on development of the Mini Countryman WRC since early 2009, with the first test-drive slated for this fall.

The rally car is powered by a new turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine developed by BMW Motorsport to comply with FIA's new Super2000 regulations.

In the mid-'60s, the Mini Cooper won the Monte Carlo Rally three times, with Paddy Hopkirk (1964), Timo Makinen (1965) and Rauno Aaltonen (1967). Aaltonen and Mini also won the European Rally Championship in 1965.

Inside Line says: Who will be the next Aaltonen? — Paul Lienert, Correspondent