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Avenue of the Giants Weekend Run - Sat. March 23, 2024

Saturday will be a very full day of cruising from Novato up through the Avenue of the Giants and ending at Eel River Brewing in Fortuna. Sun...

Car and Driver Tests The 2013 MINI JCW GP

Calling it "The Porsche approach to a Mini track toy" Car and Driver writer Eric Tingwall and photographer Michael Simari review the 2013 MINI John Cooper Works GP and conclude:
The Mini John Cooper Works GP generates impressive performance numbers, but it’s tough to justify the car’s $9150 premium when you recognize that the performance gains are largely the product of $1000 worth of track tires. Then again, minimalist performers like the Cayman R and 911 GT3 are some of our favorite Porsches, and the GP represents a similar transformation in a much lower tax bracket. The boisterous John Cooper Works becomes downright rowdy in GP guise, energetic and spry to the extent that it’s sometimes difficult to live with. But if you can tolerate its imperfections, the Mini John Cooper Works GP can hustle like very few front-wheel-drive cars can.