How about the exhibition class at the $20xx challenge? Or the ultimate track car challenge. Sounds like the marketing team at GRM need to get involved. 
offering an impartial competition venue.
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June 14, 2010 8:39 a.m. sachilles HalfDork
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June 14, 2010 2:30 p.m. Grtechguy SuperDork
Mini has another response posted on Autoblog
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June 14, 2010 2:51 p.m. Keith SuperDork
"Dear Mini - how did you do at Le Mans this year?
- Porsche"To me, MINI is being a big of a shiny happy person with this whole thing. They can't lose no matter what, and you just know that since they're deciding the competition, it'll be skewed big time.
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June 14, 2010 3:17 p.m. volker
Porsche ought to take them up on it. All in good fun and could be a win-win for everyone PR wise. Right? Mini having a ball with it, flying the banner over Porsche hq, even made up some cool toy cars in a nice box. Can see them on mini's facebook page. Seems to be to be good fun for everyone especially those of us not interested in the world cup. Lets race!
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June 14, 2010 3:23 p.m. ReverendDexter Dork
Yeah, this is just automotive little man syndrome.
Mini wins, and they kicked the crap out of Porsche.
Mini looses, and well, of course, they did, it's a FWD econobox vs a sports car... but look how little the difference was!
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June 14, 2010 3:26 p.m. SilverFleet Reader
sachilles wrote:
How about the exhibition class at the $20xx challenge? Or the ultimate track car challenge. Sounds like the marketing team at GRM need to get involved.
offering an impartial competition venue.
This. I want to see this in person!
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June 14, 2010 4:51 p.m. Otto_Maddox Reader
Seems kind of stupid to me. I am sure you can compare track times of MINIs and Porsches at tracks across the world if you really want to see which one is faster. If MINI had said "any time, any place" it would be one thing, but in a highly controlled environment of their choice the "challenge" loses all meaning. Why would Porsche bother? If the big guy beats up the little guy, nobody is surprised and the crowd admires the little guy for trying. Now if the little guy gets in a punch or more, he makes the big guy look like an idiot. Sounds like a total waste of time for Porsche. Maybe MINI should start by challenging a Miata and work up from there.
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June 14, 2010 5:31 p.m. RedS13Coupe Reader
volker wrote: All in good fun and could be a win-win for everyone PR wise. Right?
Not even close. If Mini manages to set up the venue for a win, how would that ever be a PR boost for Porsche?Mini challenges Porsche, they are too scared to do it... Finally they give in and get creamed by a much cheaper econo box.
Not really the picture Porsche is going for is it?
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June 15, 2010 11:44 a.m. kpm New Reader
Don't they race each other in the Continental Tire series ?
http://www.grand-am.com/schedule/results.cfm?series=k&eid=1506
Top ST Porsche was a Boxster in 25th, top MINI in ST was 55th.
I'd say the race has been run.
p.s. The top finisher in ST was a Honda Civic Si.
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June 15, 2010 11:54 a.m. 3Door4G Reader
Porsche's response should be:
"Dear Mini.
Compete and match our lap times in any of the events we both compete in. Then and only then will we go head to head with you on the same track.
If you want to challenge a champion, you have to prove you're worthy.
Sincerely,
A Champion"
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June 15, 2010 12:22 p.m. rebelgtp Dork
Yeah I'm sorry but the Mini guy is just being a shiny happy person. He KNOWS that Porsche will never accept the challenge on such a fixed race. I agree with others if MINI really wants to take on Porsche they should do it any time anywhere. If they are so determined to race Porsche why don't they just start entering races where Porsche is entered?
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June 15, 2010 12:33 p.m. FlightService New Reader
I remember seeing an in car video of a Mini running right up on a Porsche 911 in a very tight section (single car width of road) of the Targa Newfoundland.
Cool to see the Mini right on the bumper of the 911. Then about 30 seconds later there was a straight with the normal 2 lanes and the Porsche did it's impersonation of David Copperfield.
Poof! Gone. Didn't even take 60 seconds.
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June 23, 2010 8:00 a.m. octavious New Reader
I found this on another board. From watching the interview I don't think the 997 driver was there from Porsche, I think he more or less volunteered. I haven't seen any repsonse from Mini or Porsche on the race results. Here's the link to the race:
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/21/shocker-porsche-911-beats-mini-cooper-in-race-a...
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June 23, 2010 10:10 a.m. Keith SuperDork
MINI has released videos, they've certainly responded. And MINI provided the 911, not Porsche. They ran on a specially designed autocross track that looked like a 2D Hot Wheels course - and the Porsche won.
Now people are asking why MINI doesn't want to run against Hyundai. Whoops, from being the spunky new guy kicking sand at the captain of the football team, now they're scared of the little Korean kid with the weird glasses.
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June 23, 2010 10:25 a.m. GI_Drewsifer Reader
I have to agree with everyone who said this was a no win for Porsche. No matter the outcome, MINI wins. Porsche doesn't get anything out of the race. Yeah it would be fun to watch, but it doesn't increase the Porsche brand name.
@Keith, I was reading about that too. I think MINI doesn't want to race Hyundai because it was never about racing. It was about challenging a giant for PR. But Hyundai has put MINI on the other side of the card. Now MINI has nothing to gain and lots to lose by racing.
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June 23, 2010 10:30 a.m. skruffy SuperDork
Talk about a layout that'll be brutal on right side tires lolz.
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June 23, 2010 11:44 a.m. nickel_dime Dork
As a MINI owner I too think it was lame.
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June 23, 2010 12:18 p.m. mndsm HalfDork
Heh, and here I was thinking about issuing a challenge to MINI myself vs. my ms3.
