Mini, Porsche May Race One Another Soon at Road Atlanta

You could consider this to be a shot out of left field. Mini, provider of the diminutive Cooper, Cooper Clubman, and slightly larger Countryman, has challenged the Porsche 911 Carrera S to a race around the 2.54-mile, 12-turn Road Atlanta road course.

According to a lighthearted Facebook video posted by Mini and featuring Mini North America boss Jim McDowell, the BMW-owned brand believes its Cooper S can best a 911 Carrera S and is putting bragging rights (with accompanying t-shirts) on the line. McDowell, who worked for Porsche from 1985 to 1993, was also the former marketing VP for BMW and Mini and, as such, is no stranger to the world of advertising. Sure to further increase exposure to both marques, the yet-to-be-confirmed race is tentatively scheduled for Monday, June 21.

The main question of this classic David vs. Goliath battle? Aside from who would win, the exact nature of the race wasn’t fully disclosed, so we observers don’t know if this will be a full-contact wheel-to-wheel, fender-to-fender competition or just a couple hot laps set around the track with the best lap time prevailing. Either way, we will have to wait and see if Porsche is willing to put the 911 up to the task.

Vital comparison specifications (according to Mini)

Mini Cooper S
Power — 172 horsepower, 177 pound-feet of torque
Weight — 2679 pounds (standard transmission)
Length — 146.2 inches
Price — $23,000

Porsche 911 Carrera S
Power — 385 horsepower, 310 pound-feet of torque
Weight — 3131 pounds (standard transmission)
Length — 175.6 inches
Price — $89,750

It looks like Porsche just can’t avoid these types of challenges. Two years ago, Porsche and Nissan were embroiled in controversy after Nissan released its GT-R’s Nürburgring time of 7 minutes and 29 seconds, 9 seconds faster than the 911 Turbo’s time of 7 minutes and 38 seconds.

Want to sign the ongoing petition or see McDowell’s video? Visit Mini’s dedicated Facebook page for the details.

Source: Mini (via Facebook)