I got nowhere near the limits of the $46,000 MINI JCW GP — the fastest, most intense MINI ever made

Fuel economy, for a car with this much pep, is sort of stunning: 24 mpg city/30 highway/26 combined.

I've often thought that if I wanted to obtain a perfect weekend track car, the JCW MINI would be just what the doctor ordered. Yes, it's moderately terrifying. But it would be perfect for setting some zippy personal lap times.

The JCW MINI GP is all of that and more, more, more. Beyond more rear wing — the JCW MINI doesn't have one — the GP's engine makes 75 more horsepower, bringing the total oomph above 300 horsepower and combining with a speed-optimized chassis to offer an enviable power-to-weight ratio. I'm inclined to poke fun at that big ole rear wing, which challenges the best that some 1980s Porsche 911s had to offer, not to mention a few Subaru WRX STi's and of course the Honda Civic Type R. But the wing is, well, sort of necessary to keep this fling-able two-door stuck to the asphalt.

Interestingly, for a machine that can blast to 60 mph in about five seconds, the GP feels composed and stable. It doesn't feel like the quickest street-legal car MINI has ever produced.

Still, the word "hardcore" suggested itself to me behind the wheel of the GP. MINI really thought it through. "Model-specific modifications include a reinforced crankshaft with enlarged main bearing diameter, specific pistons, bushless connecting rods, and a new torsional vibration damper with optimized cooling," the brand said when the GP was revealed last year. Added to that is a new turbocharging technology, plus a new air-intake arrangement, all intended to jack up the ponies. It translates into an exhaust note that's downright gnarly.

There wasn't much I could do on civilian-grade roads to test out the GP's mighty, race-ready suspension, but you can certainly feel the firmness in everyday motoring. It's sort of unpleasant at times, but given how this car looks from the outside, you expect it.

Let's just speculate on how the GP would handle a track. The straightaways would be a thrill, as all 301 horsepower gets laid down, the drivetrain counteracts any torque steer, the aero maintains drag-race stability, and the transmission zings through its gears. The front brakes are divine, so a slam-down to take on a corner would be followed by either brisk automatic or quick auto-manual downshift, then an effort of getting back on the throttle, pronto, to re-establish grip up front and power out. The steering is assured, so the entire maneuver could be executed with an attitude of supreme self-confidence.

I had to make do with some windy country roads, a feeble test for a maniac ride like the GP. But I at least caught a glimpse of what this car could do in its natural environment.

That isn't the everyday highways and byways of normal life. But if you reckon you could at some point buy a racing helmet and start thinking about your own hot laps, there are worse ways to spend $47,500. In fact, the MINI JCW GP gives you so much legit performance in one high-strung package you might be foolish to look elsewhere.