After too much Internet hype, an exchange of challenge and response videos, and a disappointing course--located next to Road Atlanta's famous road course, but not on it--the MINI Cooper S was demolished by nearly 2 seconds over a roughly 1-minute course by the winning Porsche 911 S.
We knew MINI would have to create a small, tight, and kinked course to even have a chance against the Porsche 911 S. And in the end, it was still beaten by nearly three percent. MINI phrased it as a difference of $38,000 per second, trying to make lemonade out of their result, but a three percent advantage on a course designed to maximize the MINI's advantage means the differential would be even greater in any other scenario. MINI, of course, began the "we're just here for fun" talk, the international language of the loser, before the race even began.
Bottom line: MINI lost badly despite writing the rules around its own car. While we're not surprised--the 911 S is simply a superior car--we are somewhat surprised that MINI didn't do a better job of fixing the outcome. Sure, they got lots of press over the challenge no matter the outcome, but the bulk of the news on the final result is somewhere between negative and very negative. And now MINI just looks kind of silly for having put on the whole deal.
Porsche's refusal to participate officially now looks less like a snobby snubbing and more like the act of a kind older brother refusing to pulverize his wily but delusional kid brother. At least MINI was decent enough to post the results, including the videos below, for the world to see. Watch them, if for no other reason than Joe Rogan is the host.
[MINI via Facebook]
