Dan Trent: The ultimate 'new' Mini
Dan Trent
Ah, the car we still refer to as the 'new' Mini, even though it's actually been around since the start of the millennium and is now in its third generation. Hated by purists for its BMW parentage and (relatively) supersized dimensions, forever devalued by its estate agent 'chic' and seemingly now as ubiquitous to any British street scene as its predecessor was back in the '60s.
Funny that the first generation R53 Mini now genuinely has a hint of being, well, mini – at least compared with the bloated F56 version now on sale. Inside and out, the new car looks fussier and with an even more tenuous grip on the heritage leanings that made the R53 such a hit.
Inspiration for tyre-kicking Minis stems from a bit of car swapping with a colleague that has ended with me in his 2012 JCW GP2 – the fruitiest version of the second-generation R56. This reprised the car of the same name from the original R53 generation, first launched in 2006. Both cars share a similar spirit, given they offer track focused adjustable suspension, a big wing, grey paint, a 'strut brace' where the rear seats were, the biggest power output of their respective ranges and a limited production run of just 2,000 cars apiece. Both also manage the tricky job of making four-spoke alloy wheels look cool, a feat unmatched by any other car of recent times as far as I can recall.
Anyway, much as I like this GP2, as soon as I got in from driving it I was straight into the classifieds looking for where the original ones are at. Because, to me, these are just so much cooler. The GP2 is a riot. But it totally rips off the original. And, yes, the irony is not lost that 'modern Mini' naysayers would say that about the whole genre.
Being based on the R53 the GP1 has those much simpler lines for starters. It's also got the supercharged 1.6-litre engine, the 218hp an impressive output and not bettered by the second-generation car's similarly sized turbo unit. This later engine might be a little zingier but there's something old-school and raw about the supercharged engine and it sounds cooler too. More importantly, the GP1 has a proper mechanical limited-slip differential for maximum purist appeal, this, the slammed ride height and pared back interior all ticking my boxes.
Of those 2,000 built, it's reckoned nearly a quarter were sold in the UK and prices seem to be holding up well. You'll be looking at the low teens at least, or about four grand less than much newer examples of the GP2. I know new Minis get a mixed rep among enthusiasts but I'd take a punt on the GP1 being a reasonably safe bet in terms of holding its value, given it's the most extreme and rare of all the first generation cars with plenty of geeky appeal in its detailing. All in the classifieds are much of a muchness, with similarly low miles for their age and the simplification that they were all the same colour and had the same spec. So I'll go with this one simply for the fact it's closest to me. If it's even half as fun as the GP2 currently outside my house, it'd be a right hoot AND a safe place to put the money.
Images courtesy of Pistonheads
Dan Trent
Mini
