2019 MINI John Cooper Works GP set to debut in LA

With the Los Angeles Auto Show set to take place in just a few days, MINI has announced that it will reveal the production version of the new John Cooper Works GP at the event. The model was first previewed by a similarly-named concept back in 2017 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

As this is meant to be the fastest road-legal MINI ever, the hot hatch employs a 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with around 300 hp. The mill will be paired with an automatic transmission, although it isn’t known if all-wheel drive or a manual option will be offered.

Earlier this year, the carmaker dropped several photos of the JCW GP as it underwent final development testing, giving us a good look at the car’s styling. While not as flamboyant as the concept that previewed it, the end product isn’t what you would call subtle.

The front end sports a deep front spoiler and large air intakes, while a wider stance comes courtesy of what appears to be aero extensions on the wheel arches. At the rear, you’ll find a sizeable split wing and pair of centrally-mounted exhaust outlets within a matching rear bumper. As this is based on the latest MINI Hatch, Union Jack taillights are on show as well.

Like previous iterations of the JCW GP, the latest one will also be a limited edition model, with just 3,000 units planned for production – each one will be hand-built at MINI’s production facility in Oxford.

GALLERY: 2019 MINI John Cooper Works GP prototype