It's to bad they didn't announce US pricing at the Paris Auto Show. You would think they would considering it was the official unveiling.

 

d999ss - I agree, wonder what the hold up is? They announced prices for the Australian GP and Mini.UK's website has a price for theirs.

 

They unveil these things slowly, to create a "buzz". See, we are talking about it here?

First we get spy pics, then official pics, then specs, then official debut, and finally price. We may even get that before the end of the Paris show.

 

Well, I'm close to giving up my spot in line (and my deposit) for the GP. It looks like finding snow tires for this sized wheel will be a real pain in the *** and finding alternative wheels to use in the winter may well be impossible because of the clearance needed to clear the gigantic calipers on this car. In addition, I've been advised that having that much caliper heating up the rotors as they move through piles of snow will likely result in lots of warped (expensive) rotors. Fun as the car sounds things just keep stacking up for me to consider moving down to a JCW Coupe instead. REALLY hard decision for me though. Having owned a 2004 Cooper S and always wanting more performance out of it, I've been salivating over the prospect of such a high performance MINI from the factory and the exclusivity that comes with it. Now because of the weather where I live, I feel like I may be forced to choose practicality over exclusivity. I'm very bummed about this.

Add to these factors the underwhelming HP figure for the car, just 2HP more than a standard JCW, and the GP is feeling less special and more problematic (at least in this climate) to me.

The fact that I can't get MINI Connected with Navigation or the HK sound system were two other areas that I wanted but was willing to compromise for the performance. However, expensive rotor replacements and tire/wheel headaches are not something I want to deal with. *sigh*

 

They will not be numbered full stop. There is a work around to this and a few Goodwood owners have got the production number off the line for their cars.

My Goodwood is number 108 of 1000.

I have taken this issue of build numbers right up to the global boss of Mini and they will not issue build numbers. That is unless you provide your VIN and ask for your cars sequence off the production line.

 

Not saying that they would but, without numbers, it would be easy for BMW/MINI to make more than they've stated. Reminds me of the U.S. e28 M5. BMW advertised that only 500 would be sold. MSRP price was astronomical and some dealers marked that up as well. Then, BMW decided that they could sell more so they cranked out about 850 more which saturated the market. There were so many, the regional service reps were driving them. Prices plummeted and a class action suit ensued which was settled in favor of the plaintiffs.

 

The numbering thing was already explained at the car's appearance at Pebble Beach Concours in August. MINI rep there said that because so many numbers have significance (both positive and negative) in Asian cultures, it was decided just to show the cars as "1 of 2000" so that is what will appear on the dash. To each their own but kind of an unimportant thing to me.
My TT-RS is allegedly one of "a 1000 or less" that will be imported to the US but not really a limited edition, just limited production. The 2011 BMW 1-M's here were the same but I saw one at the local Cars and Coffee with a homemade "#x" sticker in its window. I guess you can decipher by VIN approximately when your's was made in sequence.

On a totally only semi-related note....The McLaren F1 road car from the 90's was almost a unicorn, only 64 examples made (106 total including prototypes, LM's, and GTR race versions). Being so rare, they are known today by their chassis numbers, but were not actually produced in sequence for various reasons. Your useless factoid of the day.

 

The work around it to just get your cars sequence number of the production line. To me that is what the build number should be anyway. MINI will give you this info if you ask.

 

No official pricing yet, but MINI USA states MSRP will be UNDER $40k

 

"The GP will also start production this November but pricing is not announced yet. It will be more than the 2006 GP, but will not be as much as the 2010 WC50 Edition. We expect it to be under $40,000." - Mini USA

 

The price in Australia is $56k

 

If this comes in under $40k I'm selling my JCW with my kids in it...lol!

Kidding of course

 

My guess is 38k

 

Agree completely, it should be right around 38k.

Nice signature by the way, you are planning ahead

 

I second the signature!! Hopefully we will see a few new GPs there. There will be the Paceman and the GP new this year.

 

Ahhhh, I want one!

 

 

Still my favorite GP2 photo Deb!

 

Thanks...we were able to get some great shots that day

 

A good friend of mine who knows I have a deposit down on a new GP swears he saw one in a parking lot, decals and all. We live in the greater Boston area. Is there any reason why one of the new GPs would be hanging around this area? My dealer hasn't called to say he's ready to write the order up fully yet and I'm certain they haven't gone into production yet.

 

Most likely just the pre-production car. I know it was at Lime Rock two or three weekends ago

 

If it actually was one, it was probably just one of the pre-production cars that has been making the rounds.

GP production is slated for mid-November, with late January being first deliveries

 

I hope it's not late January. I was told December. This is going to be a hellish winter for me then. Either my wife has to drive my M roadster every day it's snowy/icy or I have to drop her off and pick her up.

 

Delivery in the US should be in March...impatiently waiting!!

 

March would be ridiculous. They already showed a near-complete model in Paris. If my dealer tells me it's March, I'm out. I'm not going to endure the entire winter with a rear wheel drive convertible - if it doesn't slide into a snow plow I'll end up having to replace the top because the rear window cracks.

For now, that's not what I'm hearing from my dealer. I already went to them once telling them that someone on the web said March and they said that's not what they were told and I shouldn't worry about it until I hear from them.