Mini has just announced a new limited edition of the John Cooper Works, inspired by the latest Challenge racing car for even bigger thrills.

The new Mini JCW Challenge shares the 228hp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine with the normal JCW but comes with significant upgrades in the areas of chassis, tires and braking for better performance on the road and the track.

The differences on the visual department include enlarged air intakes at the front for increased cooling, unique wheel arch extensions and a rear spoiler. The lightweight Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 wheels still measure 17 inches in diameter but now they are half-an-inch wider than before and save 1.5kg of unsprung weight per corner. Tires are the sticky 215/45 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s.

Total weight of the car is set at 1215kg or 15kg heavier than the standard model with Mini saying that performance figures remain unchanged, thanks to the added traction coming from tires and the LSD. 0-62mph (0-100km/h) comes in 6.3 seconds while top speed is rated at 153mph (246km/h).

There is also a range of accessories straight from the options catalog, including the JCW Pro Aerokit which offers lower front splitters, rear spoiler add-ons, a rear diffuser, rear splitters and a carbon air intake. The JCW Pro exhaust comes with carbon tailpipes and can be controlled via Bluetooth for switching between Sport and Track modes while braking is provided by a set of grooved brake discs with unique-to-the-model Mintex pads fitted.

Mini worked with the same suppliers involved with the race car and that translates into Nitron providing a NTR R1 coilover suspension which is adjustable for bump, rebound and overall ride height. The suspension was developed directly from the racing items used in the one-make series, and apart from being hand built features many titanium and hard-anodised parts.

The Challenge offers significantly different suspension geometry to that of the regular JCW thanks to the camber and castor being adjustable now. The front axle now features a set of camber adjustment plates at the front, allowing for an increase in negative camber, with the new Challenge having two degrees of negative camber on both front and rear. The company will supply customers with their recommended settings for road and track use.

The front axle also features a Quaife ATB limited slip differential instead of the standard open diff, with helical gears instead of a plate-type LSD, which works in combination with all the onboard electronic systems like DSC and Performance Control.

Mini will build 100 copies of the JCW Challenge solely for the UK market. The six-speed manual gearbox is the only option for the hottest current-gen Mini, with the price set at £32,000).

The new hot hatch will be unveiled to the public for the first time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

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