- From technology to body: an all new X-raid racer
For X-raid, this day represents the beginning of a new chapter in the company’s 14 years of history: after very exciting and successful years with the MINI ALL4 Racing, the Trebur based team now presents the MINI John Cooper Works Rally! Compared to its predecessor, the team’s new challenger has been enhanced in several areas: further developments made for a lowered centre of gravity, improvements of several performance features and improved drivability.
Visible at first sight are the changes on the new MINI John Cooper Works Rally’s exterior that looks clearly more aggressive, now. The all new cross-country racer is a completely new design, based on the MINI Countryman and the experiences gained with the MINI ALL4 Racing. But the new car also features a lot of enhancements under its skin. The tubular steel frame is a new design and allows for stowing a third spare wheel in the lower section of the car. With this move, the designers of the vehicle created the necessary room in the rear for placing the cooling system at a lower point. Both changes resulted in an even lower centre of gravity.
At the same time, the new MINI John Cooper Works Rally also represented a step forward when it came to the aerodynamics. To achieve this goal, the desert racer spent numerous hours in the BMW Group’s wind tunnel. In cooperation with a new engine mapping, the MINI John Cooper Works Rally will be able to push in the Dakar Rally with new performance parameters.
“The new MINI John Cooper Works Rally is just great,” X-raid CEO Quandt said with delight about the latest addition to the family. “It’s a vehicle that also is based on a thorough wind-tunnel design. This made for better aerodynamics and in combination with further new functions we succeeded in clearly increasing the car’s performance. One of the advantages achieved in the wind tunnel is a higher top speed combined with a better acceleration at beyond 140kph – important areas for improvements. The vehicle’s centre of gravity was lowered significantly. We placed some 50kg in the centre of the car about 50 centimetres lower, thus improving the vehicle’s handling and its drivability on any kind of terrain as well as improving its agility on a winding rally track.“
MINI John Cooper Works Rally: technical specifications
• Engine: BMW Group TwinPower Turbo Six-Cylinder Diesel
• Output: 340 bhp / 3250 rpm
• Torque (approx.): 800 Nm / 1850 rpm
• Capacity: 2993 cc
• Air restrictor: 38 mm diameter
• Top speed (approx.): 184 km/h
• Transmission: six-speed sequential gearbox
• Braking: 4 x six-piston calipers – air-cooled front, air / water-cooled rear. Discs: 320 x 32 mm
• Length / width / height: 4350 / 1999 / 2000 mm
• Wheel base: 2900 mm
• Track width: 1736 mm
• Weight: 1952.5 kg
• Fuel tank capacity (approx): 385 litres
• Chassis: tubular steel with composite bodywork
• Tyres: BF Goodrich 245/80R 16
