Mini John Cooper Works Buggy
Off-road buggy that won the 2020 and 2021 Dakar Rallies.
The Mini John Cooper Works Buggy is an off-road competition vehicle built by the German racing team X-raid under the Mini brand. It has been in use by the team since 2018. The car secured the 2019 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies and won the Dakar Rally in both 2020 and 2021.
X-raid first entered the car in the 2018 Dakar Rally with two drivers: Mikko Hirvonen finished 19th, while Bryce Menzies, a Dakar newcomer, did not complete the race. For the 2019 Dakar, Stéphane Peterhansel, Carlos Sainz, and Cyril Despres—who had previously driven for Peugeot in 2018—switched to the X-raid Mini. Despres was the best of the three, finishing fifth. Sainz placed 13th with one stage win, and Peterhansel withdrew after winning two special stages. Later that year, Peterhansel went on to win the 2019 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies.
The 2020 Dakar Rally was the first held in Saudi Arabia, with only Sainz and Peterhansel continuing as drivers. Sainz claimed the car’s first Dakar victory, winning four stages along the way. Peterhansel finished third, also taking four stage wins.
Quick Facts
- Manufacturer
- BMW
- Production
- 2017–2022
- Predecessor
- Mini John Cooper Works Rally
- Class
- Rally raid
- Layout
- rear wheel drive
- Engine
- 3.0 L B57 I6 turbo (diesel)
- Length
- 4332 mm
- Height
- 1935 mm
- Weight
- 1675 kg
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
X-raid began using the Mini John Cooper Works Buggy in 2018, entering two drivers in that year's Dakar Rally: Mikko Hirvonen and Dakar Rally newcomer Bryce Menzies. Hirvonen finished 19th, while Menzies interrupted. For the 2019 Dakar Rally, Stéphane Peterhansel, Carlos Sainz and Cyril Despres moved from Peugeot to the X-raid Mini. Despres finished best of the trio in fifth, Sainz finished 13th with one stage win, and Peterhansel interrupted after winning two special stages. Following the rally, Peterhansel won the 2019 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies season. The 2020 Dakar Rally, held for the first time in Saudi Arabia, saw only Sainz and Peterhansel continue as drivers. Sainz took the car's first Dakar Rally victory with four stage wins, while Peterhansel finished third with four special stage victories.
Reader's Guide
The Mini John Cooper Works Buggy established itself as a dominant force in cross-country rallying shortly after its introduction. Its victory in the 2019 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, driven by Stéphane Peterhansel, demonstrated the car's competitiveness on the world stage. The car's most significant achievements came at the Dakar Rally, where it secured back-to-back overall victories in 2020 and 2021. The 2020 win, achieved by Carlos Sainz in the first Dakar held in Saudi Arabia, marked the car's first Dakar triumph. The car's success attracted top drivers from rival teams, including Peterhansel, Sainz and Cyril Despres, who all moved from Peugeot to X-raid for the 2019 season. The car's legacy is tied to X-raid's continued development and its ability to win both the World Cup and the world's most demanding off-road rally.
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