The Mini John Cooper Works WRC is a World Rally Car

World Rally Car

World Rally Car is a term used to describe racing automobiles built to the specification set by the FIA, the international motorsports governing body, and used to compete in the outright class of the World Rally Championship...

 debuted by the Mini WRC Team during the 2011 World Rally Championship season

2011 World Rally Championship season

The 2011 World Rally Championship season was the 39th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season has 13 rallies, beginning with Rally Sweden on 10 February...

. It is the first rally car designed by Mini for top-level rallying since the 1960s. The car was entered in a limited campaign for 2011, with a view to a complete championship from 2012 and is run by Prodrive

Prodrive

Prodrive is a British motorsport and automotive engineering group based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. It designs, constructs and races cars for companies and teams such as Subaru, Aston Martin and Ford...

, who previously had success with the Subaru Impreza WRC.

The WRC is based on the Mini Countryman

Mini Countryman

The Mini Countryman is a crossover SUV car, and is the first such car to be launched under the Mini marque by BMW. The car was announced in January 2010, and formally launched at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show as the first Mini crossover SUV, and the first 5-door model...

 and features a direct injection 1.6 L turbocharged engine. The WRC's engine was developed by BMW Motorsport

BMW Motorsport

BMW Motorsport is the division of BMW responsible for motorsport-related activities, including works-run competition programmes in touring car racing, sportscar racing and Formula One.-See also:* BMW M* BMW in motorsport* BMW Sauber* Schnitzer Motorsport...

for use in a variety of motorsport series, including the FIA World Touring Car Championship.