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Mini John Cooper Works Rally features BMW straight-six

The Mini John Cooper Works Rally race car was unveiled overnight, and will make its competitive debut at the 2017 Dakar Rally.


Built in conjunction with X-raid, the JCW Rally's body is designed to look like the just unveiled second-generation Countryman SUV, although the panels and underlying structure are made from carbon-fibre and Kevlar.

Measuring 4350mm long, 1999mm wide, 2000mm tall, and riding on a 2900mm wheelbase, the new JCW Rally retains the same dimensions as the car it replaces.

Mini says that the car has a chassis frame made from aerospace-grade tubular steel, and that the front subframe has been designed in such a way that the task of completely removing the engine can be in around an hour.

There's also an underfloor section that can house three spare tyres and wheels, as well as a two hydraulic jacks that can be operated from inside the cabin.

The John Cooper Works Rally rides on fully adjustable suspension with up to 250mm of wheel travel. Six-piston callipers allied to 320mm vented steel discs are fitted to each wheel, and the rear brake callipers are air- and water-cooled.

Motivation comes from BMW's 3.0-litre straight-six turbo-diesel engine. Reworked for endurance racing, the engine features a dry sump, and makes 254kW of power at 3250rpm, and around 800Nm of torque at 1850rpm.

Drive is sent to all four wheels via an AP Racing clutch, a six-speed sequential transmission, and lockable oil-cooled front and rear differentials.

The cabin is stripped back to the essentials, and features a carbon-fibre dashboard. The dash is divided into three sections, with the portion in front of the driver showing gear selection and engine revs, while the navigation equipment is located in the area in front of the co-driver.

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