month, and this is it. It's the Mini John Cooper Works GP, the ultimate Mini. If you

就是它，Mini John Cooper Works GP，終極的Mini車款。

remember the last one, you probably remember that it was a bit of a gem, easily the best-handling

如果你還記得上一集的節目，你可能會記得那是一台瑰寶，是這一代Mini車款中一台操控性極佳

Mini of that generation.

的車。

This car has quite a lot to live up to, but all the signs are good. Like it did last time

這台車需要悉心照料，但是目前看來狀況都很好。像是上次，

around, it's dropped down the rear seats to save weight. There are strut braces between

為了減輕重量把後座的座位給去掉。在前後避震塔有支撐桿連接以強化

the front and the rear turrets to stiffen up the shell. There's lower, stiffer, fully-adjustable

整個結構。前後輪都配備更低、堅硬、全可條的氣壓避震器和

coilover suspension at the front and back, special sticky Kumho tyres. The performance

抓地力特別強的錦湖輪胎。這台車的性能表現

claims are pretty strong; it has 215 horsepower.

據說非常的棒，它擁有215匹馬力。

They claim it'll do 62 mph in about 6.3 seconds, and that's enough, they say, to make this

宣稱加速到時速一百公里只要約6.3秒的時間，他們說，這就足以稱之為

the fastest Mini they've ever made. I'm not sure it's the fastest Mini that you can buy.

他們有史以來最快的 Mini 車了。

The odds-on contender for that title is a kit car made, in some cases, in the north east

在東北英格蘭有組裝賽車或許能夠在這台GP前奪下最快Mini的頭銜。

of England. It's the ZCars Mini Busa. Although built around the shell of an original Mini,

它是ZCars Mini Busa。儘管它是由原廠Mini改裝來的，

this madcap creation could hardly be more different from Issigonis' design.

它的狂野風格與Issigonis'的設計可說是相去甚遠。

It's got a tubular construction, fibreglass panels, inboard pushrod suspension, and the

這台車內部有許多金屬柱狀強化結構，纖維玻璃儀表板，內嵌式推桿懸吊，和來自

tyres from a Formula Renault single-seater. It weighs just over 500 kilos and it's powered

方程式賽車等級雷諾單人座賽車輪胎。重量僅稍超出500公斤一點，且它的動力來源

by a Suzuki Hayabusa superbike engine, bolted a few inches behind the drivers' head and

是Suzuki Hayabusa superbike 引擎，就固定在駕駛座後方幾英吋的距離，提供

sending 194 horsepower to the rear wheels.

後輪194匹的馬力輸出。

To drive, the Mini Busa is every bit as crazy as all that would imply. It's fast, sure,

駕駛這輛車，Mini Busa從頭到腳的野性奔馳感展露無疑。它速度很快，無可置疑，

but it demands total commitment from its driver zipping through the gears like lightning.

但是需要駕駛如閃電般優異的過彎技巧注入這輛車靈魂。

At the same time, it's luring you in with its high grip levels and big cornering speeds.

同時，它的高速過彎性能以及強有力的抓地性都讓人欲罷不能。

It'll really make you sweat with its unforgiving limit handling. It's a proper little handful,

它的令人難忘的速度表現實在會讓你愛不釋手。它是匹頑皮小野馬，

in other words. Deafeningly noisy, unruly, but massive fun if you're unhinged enough

換句話說，它發出極大的噪音，難以壓抑，但卻能夠提供無比的樂趣，只要你

to really take it on.

夠瘋狂到跳上車狂飆。

We pitted the two fast Minis against the road test timing gear to find out exactly how much

我們進行道路測試，找出了兩台車實際速度差異，

separates them on sheer speed. We measured them on 0-to-100 standing start acceleration

實際的差異。我們測試兩台車0加速到時速100公里的初始加速度值，

and over a flying lap of our dry handling circuit. The results proved that the Mini

以及乾地跑道一圈的圈速。結果證實，

Busa is closer on performance to an Aston Martin V12 Vantage than it is the new Mini

Mini Busa的表性與Aston Martin V12 Vantage 不相上下，而比新的Mini GP優異

GP.

許多。

The kit car's lap time was a full second quicker than the production cars and that was while

組裝賽車的圈速足足快了民間商用車一秒之多，與此同時，這個差距還持續地

the former was still getting quicker. A perfect lap in it might have even been as quick, we

在拉開。最高記錄我們懷疑可以跟目前的

suspect, as that of a current Porsche 911 Carrera or even

保時捷911甚或與蓮花Evora S

a Lotus Evora S.

相媲美。

It's a Mini that's as fast as a supercar and you can buy all the bits you need to build

如果你選擇一台跟超級賽車一樣快的配備，要價大概

it for about £8000. Second hand examples of these come up through ZCars for less than

8000英鎊。二手的ZCars大約

£20,000, and you can have one made to your own specification for less than £40,000,

少於20,000英鎊，你也可以選擇一台量身打造的Mini以大約40,000英鎊入手。

which is obviously a lot more than the £29,000 you'll pay for a new Mini GP. Truth is the

也就是大約比一台全新Mini GP貴29,000英鎊。但事實上，

cars are pulls apart.

這些車都已經完全不同於彼此。

They might share a name, but this is one you can use every day, drive to work if you want

它們可能有共同的名號，但這台GP可以是你每天的代步車、可以天天開車上下班

to. This one is an experience you'll want to savour for special occasions when you're

而當你想要來場熱血冒險時，這台 Busa 是你的

feeling particularly brave. It's in a completely different league on excitement and performance

不二人選。他將帶給你與眾不同的刺激和性能表現

and all of that.

還有很多很多...

At the end of your track day, you'll be very glad indeed that you can wheel that one into

但是在一整天的賽事後，你會暗自慶幸自己能將它託運。

the back of a trailer and drive home in something a little bit more sensible, which is what

然後坐進一台GP，回往回家的路上，這樣會更合理一些。

I'm about to do in this now that I've had my fun in that one.

也就是我現在會開GP回家，至於玩樂的時候開Busa一樣的道理。