MINI Malaysia is celebrating the brand’s storied motorsport heritage by launching two exclusive models, the MINI 1965 Victory Edition and MINI John Cooper Works GP Inspired Edition.
Both these limited-run models are each based on both the fully electric and pure combustion versions of the MINI John Cooper Works (JCW) hot hatch, with prices starting from RM230,888 for the all-electric MINI 1965 Victory Edition and RM333,888 for the MINI JCW GP Inspired Edition.
Said prices are inclusive of a standard 2-year vehicle warranty, but buyers can opt for the MINI Service & Repair Inclusive (MSRI) programme that features a 4-year unlimited mileage vehicle warranty along with 4 years / 60,000 km of service coverage. For the 1965 Victory Edition EV, its battery pack comes with a separate 8-year or 160,000 km warranty.
MINI 1965 Victory Edition – All-Electric, Rally-Inspired Homage
Starting with the less mouthful of the two, the new MINI 1965 Victory Edition is paying respect to the legendary MINI Cooper S that defied the odds to win the Monte Carlo Rally back in 1965, piloted by Timo Mäkinen with Paul Easter as co-driver.
As a result, the 1965 Victory Edition boasts several commemorative design bits, with the most prominent being the striking Chili Red colourway that is paired with several white-hued decals, such as the racing stripe on the bonnet, the whole roof part, and the number ‘52’ on the sides of the car.
Other design bits include the discreet ‘1965’ stickers on each C-pillar and black-hued 18-inch JCW Mastery Spoke wheels with decorative valve knobs, to name a few.
The rally homage continues inside the 1965 Victory Edition, with the first thing greeting the driver being the commemorative plaque and door sills, special JCW anthracite and red upholstery, ‘1965’ lettering on both the steering wheel and central console storage box, a unique key fob with the racing number #52, and many more.
Power is still drawn from the same single FWD electric motor delivering 258 PS and 350 Nm to enable a quick century sprint time of 5.9 seconds and a V-max of 200 km/h for this rally-inspired EV hatch. This is then paired to a 49.2 kWh battery pack that is good for up to 371 km of WLTP, while accepting both AC 11 kW and DC 95 kW charging methods.
MINI JCW GP Inspired Edition – Track-Ready Look for Less
Next is the MINI JCW GP Inspired Edition, and as its name suggests, this limited-edition model is the closest (and most affordable) thing we can get to a full-fledged, track-ready MINI JCW GP—at least aesthetically.
That is because this Inspired Edition comes with a complete JCW Aero Kit with a sporty tailgate spoiler plus front and rear winglets, as well as the Racing Grey colourway made famous by the original JCW GP.
There are also the special diagrams of various famous circuits on the C-pillars, several grey and red stripes around the body, plus the big “GP Inspired” decals along the sides. Other standard bits derived from the regular JCW hatch are also available here, including the 18-inch JCW Lap Spoke wheels, the centre-mounted exhaust pipe, and many more.
Inside, the GP Inspired treatment looks less dramatic compared to the 1965 Victor Edition, with the only notable addition being the GP Inspired branding on the floor mats, skid plates, and the key cap. The whole cabin is still upholstered in the same Vecsin faux leather and knitted fabric as the regular JCW, plus red accents and a chequered flag graphic on the dashboard.
Hiding beneath its decal-clad bonnet is a familiar 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbocharged B48 petrol engine rated at 231 PS and 380 Nm, with said power being sent to the front wheels (FWD) via a 7-speed DCT gearbox. While its power output is pale in comparison to the real JCW GP, those numbers are still good enough to propel the three-door hot hatch from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds.
