Mini is using the power of the Internet to challenge Porsche to a race, pitting their Mini Cooper S against Porsche's superior 911 Carrera S two weeks from today at Road Atlanta. Surprisingly, Porsche is actually considering it.
Mini's betting on its 172 hp Cooper S to whoop the 385 hp Porsche 911 and are challenging them via a Facebook campaign, a full page ad in the New York Times and the video below. Mini USA President Jim McDowell — formerly of Porsche — wants Porsche USA president Detlev von Platen to meet him at Road Atlanta (convenient to Porsche's Georgia HQ) on June 21st with the drivers of their choice. Should Porsche win, McDowell will sport a shirt saying the Porsche is faster than the Mini. McDowell even throws in a Porsche-gets-bald-guys-laid joke.
Though the Mini likely doesn't have a chance, they've got nothing to lose by having themselves compared to the 911. Automakers often challenge each other to one-on-ones, but their competitors usually refuse either because they know they'll be defeated or they don't like the brand association. So no matter what happens, the company organizing it usually wins.
For their part, Porsche is at least considering taking Mini up on its offer.
"Porsche has the most racing victories of any manufacturer out there — 28,000 and counting — maybe we should go for 28,001," Steve Janisse, Porsche's Media Relations Manager, told Jalopnik. "We just need to see what they're up to."
We encourage Porsche to take up the offer and smoke the crap out of them because, as long as the race isn't through the sewers of Turin or around the world's tiniest autocross, they've got the edge.