I've only found one thread that seems to address this, and I found it extremely uninformative. I've seen the "fact" that the new MINI Cooper and Cooper S do not meet some length requirement set by the FIA to compete in the WRC thrown around a lot on various forums. Reading through the PDF format regulations on the FIA's website, I've been unable to find any reference to this length requirement. So I'm turning to you, my fellow NAM members and asking if anyone here has an intimate knowledge of the FIA regulations, and if so can you point us toward the specific Article or Apendix of these regulations that precludes the MINI?

From what I've read, the MINI in it's current form seems to fit Article 255's specifications for Group A cars, and hence from what I gleened from this document could compete in the Junior World Rally Championship. But I'm still trying to make out heads from tails with this.

 

Wow, so —seriously— no one here has any familiarity with WRC and can comment on this?

Well, as I see it, the only things keeping MINIs from the top rung of WRC are the lack of a 2 liter engine and the lack of all wheel drive. I still have yet to find evidence that it is the vehicle's length precluding it from competition. Maybe the R56 or whatever comes next will evetually bring the the drive wheels, extra displacement, and horsepower to the table that are needed to compete at that level, but it seems there is nothing to keep the current car out of the Junior WRC.

 

i believe the mini would be better suited for the f2 class as these cars are not AWD and are usually hatchback type cars the problem with the mini would be its wheel base which would add to its instability in the air and maybe at top end speeds all cars can be setup to perform its just easier with some but if i had a hold of a salvaged mini F@ would definetly be my goal

 

Wait a Minute, isn't there a class where there's 2WD cars in WRC? I mean come on, FIA needs to lessen their restrictions, or is it that other companies who's been bribing FIA because they KNOW the Mini would beat them All!

Especially with the up and coming Auto-rotor from Webb Motorsports!

 

I am not a 100 % sure but i believe f2 has to be normally aspirated i doubt the s could keep up in the off road events against the full blown WR Cars although in the tarmac i bet they would give any of those guys a run for the money dirt is diffrent i know the wheel base issue first hand it would definetly be intresting to see a mini in F2 especially since puegot is was the dominating car in the class

 

The MINI mk2 is designed to address these issues. It's longer, adaptable to AWD, and is going to be turbocharged I know this doesn't answer the question with what's wrong NOW, but the length issue is a real one that MINI is addressing soon.

 

thats what i forgot to mention the getrag prototype awd car might do some damage

 

That seems to be Junior WRC.

I really hope so. I'd really like to see BMW/MINI make rallying a priority for the next iteration of the Cooper S. But like I said before, I haven't found a valid reason the current car can't compete in the JWRC.

As to F2, I'm not extremely familiar with it, but if natural aspiration is a requirement I think it's non-issue.

 

In the air huh?

 

Well said Avitor!

 

[QUOTE=Avitor]I'd really like to see BMW/MINI make rallying a priority for the next iteration of the Cooper S. QUOTE]

Amen! I think MINI needs to get back to its WRC roots in a way that is somewhat more concrete than issuing the MC40 special edition. Plus, the more diverse the pack is, the better. With so few manufacturers competing, it's not very interesting to watch anymore....

I certainly don't see any reason why MINI couldn't get in there with an MCS. I've read the rules too and concur with the above posters. I'll be pretty upset if the mk2 is spec-wise able to contest the WRC and BMW/MINI decides not to do it.

 

Well, the real problem is money. WRC cars are not the homolagated cars they used to be. They are no closer to a real road car than a Chevy NASCAR. So, if BMW/MINI wanted to be involved all they have to do is spend large trucks of cash. Keep in mind that both of the road going versions of last years pug 205 and this years 306 are front wheel drive cars. The Xzara WRC car is also based on a front wheel drive car. Oh and for good measure the pug 306 road car is available as a ragtop only!

The Subaru Impreza WRC car that Solberg crashed and totaled last year in Germany was stated as a 250k write-off. That there is a car that has a basis as a 4wd road car!
A few years ago Toyota had the Corolla WRC car they raced and when deciding to go to F1 cancelled the WRC program due to the 30 million dollar budget needing to go to the F1 100+ million dollar budget!
I think with BMW already in at the F1 level of dollars and the MINI just recently going into the black (with the initial investment) are the reasons you will not see them anytime soon in the WRC.
The cars physical road going make-up are of no real matter to the full on WRC cars. Most experts agree that a WRC car is MORE technically advanced than a F1 car and likely just as expensive.

fye
Al F1/WRC fan

 

All true and you got me on the wheelbase part it seems to fly straight the only thing left is AWD say getrag did get the car into production then the rest would be cake it is my understanding that the wrc cars are just the bodt work no int. liners arms upper lower steering components and spindels brakes are all aftermarket or custom. Now i had thought of finding a salvaged mini and removing all the weight interior stuff to compete in f2 (front wheel drive production cars normally aspirated) this class is just under the wrc cars... say cost of car 6,000 minor body work 1,000 rollcage 2,500 (chromolly tig welded) getrag out of s 800, now brakes 4,500, reinforcing suspension plus shox 4,000+,misc, 4,200... for a total of 23,000 not bad considering thats the averge price for a non S, now i dont see a factory backed AWD S costing more than 100,000 or 200,000 to go racing for them thats easy pocket change and would definetly tie it back to the original roots of the mini. Let me know were to submit my driving resume jajajaja

 

You are looking at too simply! For what you have described, you have made a nice scca style rally car for the US. And you may be competitive!

The 4wd systems that the facyory teams use in WRC are very techno! Fully active and electronically adjustable front-center and rear diffs all on the fly with telemitry to the team pits. The transmissions are specially built RACING semi auto manual boxes with variable power transfer through hydrolic and or electronic servos.
Remember these are special racing engines and 4wd trannys, custom hand made for 4-8 very special cars!
Then you need team managers, mechanics, support persons, team trucks, test cars, spare parts. (basically everything needed to build a new car twice to take to every event) Then to get 2-3 great drivers aint cheap, heck that could cost 5-10 mil a year right there!
These are not some road going adapted version from gertrag.
To put it in realistic terms it would cost BMW/MINI about 3-4 hundred thou for each car maybe a little more with development costs to go racing in the WRC.
Sure they could adapt a car for the jr WRC or maybe even the British rally championship. But you have to ask WHY?!!
The WRC and F1 are the premire auto racing venues. They have worldwide appeal and exposure. Costs are very high because of this. If you want to be competitive in these two arenas It will cost several hundred million dollars.
Then the bean counters start looking at it and say WHY bother. The heritage is already there and sales are through the roof!
Imagine if at Ford/Jag in F1, MINI entered the WRC and after spending millions did not win a championship! Now the new legacy has started and Paddy is forgotten-MINI is a loser!
Don't get me wrong I as a WRC fan for 20 years would love to see my MINI winning WRC events, but me as a realist sees the costs everyone is concerned with in the sport, keeping them out.
BMW has spent hundreds of millions in F1 in the past 2-3 years and looks to be hinting on getting out if results do not come soon.
That could be a good thing, then they'd have the money for WRC!
Looking at the dollar point of view no manufacturer competes in both the WRC and F1 at this point and is competitive. It's just too costly. Fords WRC team struggled with budget cuts and was set to cancel the WRC team until the Jag F1 team was sold to Red Bull!
I guess that was very long winded but the short of it is to throw out every part that comes on a mini and completely rebuild it with custom 1 off pieces made from the strongest and lightest materials such as carbon fibre and titanuim and then put on a lightweight shell that looks like a mini and when you are done you now have the WRC MINI and hopefully after you've spent 30 mil or so on a season in the WRC you're winning.
but maybe not?
Al