Driving the MINI JCW GP for long distances can quickly become exhausting. What’s surprising about that is, for the most part, the GP is actually pretty easy to drive. Sure its suspension is uber-stiff but its automatic gearbox and rock-solid stability make it relatively easy to drive. However, the GP quickly becomes irritating for long journeys due to its booming interior cabin noise.
According to this new article from Car and Driver, the MINI JCW GP actually ranks as one of the very loudest cars on sale, from the inside.
What’s interesting about that is its noise comes from its shouty engine. Despite just having a 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder, the MINI JCW GP makes a ton of noise from its engine and exhaust. In fact, C&D recorded a sports car-like 93 decibel rating from its engine. It’s a bit odd to learn that the GP’s engine is that loud because, from inside the car, it doesn’t sound particularly good. In fact, it’s a bit generic sounding. I just so happens to also be very loud. Which goes to show that volume doesn’t make an engine/exhaust sound good.
In fact, after hearing its noisy turbo four-pot drone on for an hour, you’ll start to actually resent it. Of course, the MINI JCW GP wasn’t designed to be a long-distance cruiser, as it’s more designed for track use, but it is a road car that’s been designed to be capable of being driven daily. Word of the wise, you do not want to drive the JCW GP on a daily basis; it’s far too stiff and, evidently, far too noise for that.
A quality aftermarket exhaust could really go a long way to making the GP sound better and improve the quality of the sound. With an upgraded exhaust it might actually get louder but, because of the better noise, it wouldn’t be as tiring.
[Source: Car and Driver]
