The new Mini GP will cost more than a Civic Type R

The third-gen Mini GP is coming. We’ve all seen the spy shots – of a squat little thing with tacked-on wheel arches and massive spoiler. 3,000 will be built, each with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine giving over 300bhp, automatic gearbox and front-wheel drive. It’s already clocked a sub-eight minute ‘Ring time, too, meaning it ought to be a fairly serious item.

And now Mini has announced the price - £34,995 in the UK (which will get an as-yet unspecified share). That’s more than you’d pay for a Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai i30N, Renault Megane R.S. Trophy (not the insane Trophy R, obviously) or Ford Focus ST. It’s not that much less that something from the c.300bhp all-wheel drive brigade, consisting of the BMW M135i (with which the Mini shares an engine), Mercedes-AMG A35 and so-on.  

Old GPs, which were built in more limited numbers than the new one will be, are still worth good money. A low-miler could set you back over £20,000, but you can pick a decent one up for £15,000 or so.

Click on these words to read everything we know about the new Mini GP so far. It’ll be properly revealed later this month at the Los Angeles Motor Show.