Just two months ago, we brought you the first spy photos of the MINI John Cooper Works Coupe GP in all its compact, be-helmeted, sporty glory. Now it may be canceled.

Why would MINI put the 215-ish-horsepower hotted up, trackday-ready Coupe GP on ice? That's not clear, aside from possible fears of stepping on the toes of the non-coupe JCW GP version of the car, according to MotoringFile.

In addition to more power, the GP versions of MINI's John Cooper Works range offer upgraded suspension components, aerodynamic improvements, a lightweight carbon fiber roof, and a host of race-inspired visuals.

The loss of the Coupe GP, should it prove true, is no major one--only a few hundred would have been sold in the U.S.--but it's one felt dearly by fans of the brand, and of high-performance versions of fun, compact, efficient cars in general.