Nürburg-based Bulldog Racing celebrates its N24 success with a unique Mini John Cooper Works
Following its success at the 2023 Nürburgring 24 Hours, private German racing team Bulldog Racing has teamed up with Mini to celebrate its achievements with a special track-focused race. Achieving the best ever 24-hour race result for the Mini brand with a second place finish, the Nürburg-based team applied a variety of track-focused modifications to the latest Mini John Cooper Works to mark this event.
The new model has the same 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the race car, with 228 horsepower and 236 lb-ft to match the regular JCW – mated to a standard 6-speed manual transmission, 0-100 km/h sprint capability is likely on the horizon. at the same time is 6.3 seconds. While the new Remus exhaust system provides a more distinctive sound, the interior changes and chassis tweaks are what really set it apart.
KW’s V3 suspension setup is featured at all four corners, providing increased front-end grip, stability and traction thanks to adjustable compression and rebound damping. Each car equipped with this setup is individually calibrated and aligned by the team’s professional racers on the Nürburgring itself, a final important element that is often overlooked in production performance cars. mass export. To match the upgraded chassis, the Bulldog Racing Edition also comes with new 205-section Pirelli P Zero rubber wrapped around lightweight 17-inch OZ HyperGT wheels, helping to reduce unsprung mass.
Speaking of weight, this model doesn’t have rear seats, swap them for the ‘Stern Performance Parts Clubsport’ package to reduce weight significantly. A new strut is now installed along the rear of the cabin to maintain rigidity, and there’s additional netting to keep luggage in place.
Bulldog Racing CEO Alexander Schabbach said: ‘Finishing second and achieving the first podium for MINI after a grueling 24 hours is a fantastic achievement. The moment we crossed the finish line, the idea of sharing this moment with our fans was born. Our biggest challenge in developing the Bulldog Racing Edition was keeping it as close to our race car as possible while ensuring it remained road legal.’
Both inside and out, this model bears many similarities to the Bulldog Racing brand, most notably the large decal on the hood to match the racer. Inside, there’s also a unique plaque displaying each model’s Nordschleife date, with the team’s logo also appearing on the B-pillar, center lid and steering wheel.
Although this particular example is based on a factory-new car, Bulldog Racing will apply its touch to any current-generation JCW built from 2014 onwards. Customers can specify builds with or without certain components to suit their needs, but regardless of setup, removing the Nordschleife is part of the package.
Prices are specific to each version, but with prices for a standard Mini John Cooper Works starting at £32,755, you’ll be paying around £40,000 with all options ticked.
