How long has it been since MINI->ke57 first unveiled the John Cooper Works Coupe? Yeah, it was only a few days ago, but that hasn't stopped the German automaker from making a race-spec version of their latest pride and joy to compete at the "SP 3T" class of the 2011 24 Hours of Nurburgring.

So, ladies and gentlemen, we're presenting the MINI John Cooper Works Coupe Endurance Racer. Take a good look at it in all its shiny and sparkling glory because there's a good chance that it's going to be a little worse for wear after it attempts to run for 24 hours straight together with some of the fastest racers on the planet.

Apparently, MINI has taken itself to task in entering the 24-Hour race at Nurburgring in an attempt to take the next step in auto racing after years of plying its craft in the MINI Challenge sprint race. You might also recall that MINI is also entering the World Rally Championship this year with their sand and dust challenger, the Countryman WRC.

Something tells us that this won't be the last time we'll see MINI enter a completely new racing event that's different from what they're used to, but that's getting ahead of ourselves. For now, we're here to talk about their Nurburgring steed, the JCW Coupe Endurance.

More details on the MINI John Cooper Works Coupe Endurance after the jump.

2011 MINI John Cooper Works Coupe Endurance

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2011 MINI John Cooper Works Coupe Endurance
  • Segment: Array
  • Engine/Motor: 1.6-liter four-cylinder twin-scroll turbo N14 engine
  • Horsepower: 247 horsepower
  • Torque: 243 lb/ft of torque
Pros
Cons

Exterior and Interior

To get it prepped for Green Hell, MINI made some pretty significant changes to the JCW Coupe Endurance from its standard production variant. For one, all the four seats in the car were taken out and replaced by one single Recaro competition seat. All other amenities that aren't needed for the competition were also left out, shaving off more than 500 lbs in the process - from the standard 2,735 lbs to a lighter and fiercer 2,200 lbs. In addition, engineers over at MINI Motorsport also changed the car's windshield angle, lowering it by about 13 degrees. There's also a new adjustable rear wing that will definitely aid in providing much-needed downforce, as well as an adjustable race suspension that was also used in the MINI Challenge racer. Other race-spec updates for the JCW Coupe Endurance include a race-tuned map for the Dynamic Stability Control program and a four-point integrated pneumatic jack just under the chassis.

It's probably safe to say that this newly-launched JCW Coupe Endurance Racer is ready for its turn in the spotlight this weekend at Nurburgring.

Performance

The JCW Coupe Endurance was given a power boost by MINI to make it more competitive in the "SP 3T" class of the 24 Hours of Nurburgring. The car's 1.6-liter four-cylinder twin-scroll turbo N14 engine comes with a palatable output of 247 horsepower and 243 lb/ft of torque with the top speed now rated at 150 mph.

Pricing

The car was created to compete at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, and is not expected to be sold at your local MINI dealerships. Stranger things have happened, but we're pretty sure that there's no way customers like us can get a piece of this car, unless we watch it compete in the race.

Competition

The MINI JCW Coupe Endurance will be competing in the SP3T Class of the endurance race - cars eligible for this class need to have a turbocharged engine with displacement ranging from 1,750 cc to 2,000 cc - and thus will battle against notable rivals that include the race-spec versions of the Audi TT->ke1081, Subaru Impreza WRX, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, and the Peugeot RCZ 24H. Over the past few years, German automaker Audi has been the class of the competition, but expect a slew of contenders, including the JCW Coupe Endurance, to give those Audis a serious run for their money this year.