MINI to join World Rally Championship.



Okay, it's the bloated, 4 door, Cooper Clubman body shape but it would be interesting. Just nothing at all to do with Paddy Hopkirk, a plucky little car and nil budget, but I guess as good as you can hope for these days.

I think the heading should changed to "BINI"

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

actually it's the Countryman which is even worse...

Sometimes I think they just made bigger 'minis' so they can enter WRC, as the standard mini is too short to meet regulations. Would be better if they fougt to change the regulations to allow them in!

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tim
68 Deluxe 1293, HIF44, megajolt/EDIS4, daihatsu alternator..

'a mini is for life, not just for christmas!'

I'm assuming they would make it AWD like all the other cars entered no real relation or any chance of proving anything for the street legal models (Bini's will never be better than the original mini).

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Respect mine and I'll respect yours.

WRC is like V8 Supercars. The cars look a bit like the road car but underneath are nothing like it.
They have altered the rules so that all cars are created equal and whoever has the biggest budget is the winner.

They seem to recognise this fault and have changed the rules for 2012 (or 2011) so that the cars have to be more true to "on-road technologies" and a reduction in costs of around 20%. It is a step in the right direction.

Yes, it is 4WD and is being run by ProCar, so it could be a contender.

Entering a few select rounds in 2011 and then the full season for 2012. Apparently a deal has been signed with ProCar for "a number of years".

You can even buy one of the cars from ProCar, if you can afford it.



Where did you get that from?
The Cooper S that Hopkirk drove to victory at Monte Carlo in 1964 (won on handicap, by the way, not outright) was a full-house Works car entered by the BMC rally team which at the time was the biggest player in the game, and with what was at the time considered a mega budget.
Still a brilliant win, though.

Countryman is AWD, so it's not that far from reality.

You're right, though.

They're revealed the real thing now..

http://www.trucktrend.com/features/news ... index.html

I think I might have to keep an eye on wrc again

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"see you 2011"

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

must be the first SUV in WRC?

looks like it's going to have a high centre of gravity... wish they'd use the smaller one, if anything.

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tim
68 Deluxe 1293, HIF44, megajolt/EDIS4, daihatsu alternator..

'a mini is for life, not just for christmas!'

No. A Jeep Cherokee won a World Championship event in the early 70s (or very late 60s?). This caused the ban of 4WD that lasted for a quite a few years till Audi convinced (bribed) the FIA into allowing 4WD back in.

Not a WRC event but the SNO DRIFT rally in 1973 which was a part of the SCCA American series (FIA affliated). Manufacturers for the WRC started also in 1973 and for Drivers in 1978.

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Dave K.
1979 Moke Californian + 1981 'Coke' Moke