Team MINI Cooper S - all about

MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works Tuning Kit
Team MINI's JCW-fettled Cooper S race cars are remarkably stock, but to turn the standard MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works Tuning Kit into a street-legal competition car involves plenty of effort.

There are many bolt-on optional parts, plus a few specially made components added on the inside. First is the specially-made chrome-moly roll-cage, made to FIA Group N specification by Bonds in Sydney.

To fit it, the interior of the MINI is stripped -- glass is removed, along with the roof-lining, seats and carpets. Once the cage has been welded into place, the car is repainted and the interior is rebuilt.

The standard MINI internal door trims, glass in the electric windows and mirrors are refitted.

The roll-cages, designed specifically for the three local cars, meet requirements laid down by the governing body of international motorsport, the FIA, and are intended to protect the crew in the event of a collision -- enhancing the legendary designed in safety of the MINI with its immensely rigid body shell.

During the reconstruction process, the rear seat, roof-lining, carpets and sound-deadening material are not replaced, and two special carbon-fibre/Kevlar Cobra seats are bolted solidly to the floor.

The navigator's seat sits as low down as possible and is set further back than the driver's, to provide optimum weight distribution.

The driver gets a false floor, while the navigator gets an adjustable brace-bar.

The standard MINI inertia-reel safety belts make way for FIA-approved six-way SABELT safety-harnesses, using 3" (75mm) wide webbing, for both driver and navigator.

The standard MINI steering wheel is replaced by an Italian Sportsline 330mm item, but the instruments from the original MINI Cooper S are retained -- using the Australian placement of a central rev-counter with the speedometer in front of the driver.

To help the drivers concentrate on the job at hand, A JCW shift light has also been fitted. This features lights that illuminate as the engine revs rise towards redline.

The only additional instruments are a map-reading light and Terratrip 303 trip computer for the navigator.

A Stilo World Rally-specification two-way intercom allows the crew to communicate clearly -- and picks up audio for the in-car camera.

A separate two-way radio allows the MINI crew to stay in contact with their service vehicles.

While the air-conditioners are removed, the heaters are retained -- and in the unlikely event of things going very wrong, there's a 1kg regulation fire-extinguisher under each seat.

Naturally, both driver and navigator are required to wear FIA approved triple-layer flame-resistant overalls and HANS devices.

Under the bonnet, remarkably little has been done to bolster the sparkling performance of the standard MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works Tuning Kit -- the engine remains unmodified.

The mid-section of the road-going exhaust is replaced with a freer-flowing item used on the MINI CHALLENGE racing cars, which is complemented by a tuned muffler. Some -- but not all -- of the MINI engine mountings are replaced with competition-spec items.

The standard MINI Cooper S six-speed manual gearbox and regular clutch are retained, but a competition-specification ABS brake control unit is fitted.

Body modifications are also minor -- the optional adjustable roof-line rear wing as used in the MINI CHALLENGE, underbody protection for the fuel tank, composite air-scoops for the front brake discs, and compulsory front and rear tow-hooks are all that has been done, to the outside of the MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works Tuning Kit.

Even the exterior lights are retained, depending upon the event. An obligatory external electrical kill switch is also added.

The cars are fitted with off-the-shelf optional cross spoke 17 x 7"  MINI road wheels, mounting Dunlop DZ 02G  215/45 -17 tyres.

The front brakes are MINI CHALLENGE 330mm rotors, with four-piston John Cooper Works AP motorsport callipers. The whole set-up (complete with braided brake lines and competition pads) endows the Cooper S with phenomenal stopping power.

In place of the standard suspension, German K & W coil-over units are used. These feature adjustable ride-height, and are adjustable for both compression and rebound damping.

One other alteration is carried out: in the interests of making the work of MINI Cooper S service crew easier, the standard wheel bolts are replaced with wheel studs and nuts.