John Cooper Works, the longstanding performance arm for the all mighty Mini is readying to debut the JCW Challenge in all it’s track loving glory @ the Frankfurt Motor Show this year.

Higher speed, more torque, faster acceleration and increased levels of grip on the JCW Challenge will ensure this Mini will reach for the boiling point on the hot hatch temperature gauge.

Internally the JCW Challenge is all business. Designed straight for the track the JCW Challenge’s highlights include the full rollcage, HANS (Head And Neck Support) system, Sparco steering wheel and Recaro bucket seats. Externally a JCW Aerodynamics Kit enhances the ‘Get me on the track NOW’ image with adjustable rear spoiler, rear diffuser and performance front spoiler the highlights.

Most importantly of course, JCW haven’t scrimped on the mechanical upgrades with a long list of overall chassis and driveshaft improvements that ensure it not only handles like a go kart, but also delivers an additional 35 Hp (210 Hp in total) over the standard Cooper S.

Full mechanical details can be found in the press release on the click through. What an amazingly sexy vehicle.

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Nick Hall of WorldCarFans had the recent delight in thumping the new Mini Cooper through many a twist and turn blazing a trail from Barcelona through to Amsterdam all in the name of late night clubbing pursuits.

A quality read, Nick summed up many common thoughts regarding the dish plate sized central speedometer.

“It???s bigger than an elephant???s head and yet still hard to read thanks to its low-slung, central position. It???s overdone, Care Bear cute and after 12 hours at the wheel made me want to smash the car???s cute little face in.”

Kick on through to WorldCarFans for the full article here. There are also plenty of pictures to decorate your new MINI shrine with also.

The fine ladies and gentleman at BMW clearly have all hot hatch fans dreams at heart when they conceived the spotted around town, BMW 135ti.

The BMW 135ti, a 3 door hot hatch to menace all others, has lovingly received the 306bhp 3L Twin Turbo from the 335ti. Send all this raw power to the rears strung over a taut BMW tuned chassis and you have developed a wrecking ball of a car and potentially the hottest little drift machine on the planet.

Sporting 50+ bhp more than the delicious VW R32, the 135ti is going to require a few pennies. Forget all that, it is clearly going to be the new hot hatch rocket for 2007.

Source: [GermanCarScene]

As more families appear to have taken on the ideology that driving something resembling a tractor is the safest way to get from A to B it’s refreshing to see proof that the safety can be found in small packages.

That said, I present the following video of a BMW Mini emphasising small car safety.

As you can see the driver was fine with the mini dishing out nothing more minor injuries (pun intended).