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2020 MINI JCW Clubman, JCW Countryman To Get BMW X2 M35i xDrive's Engine

When BMW introduced the X2 M35i xDrive, everyone knew there’s no case to be made for the X2 M. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo will be transplanted into the successor of the M140i xDrive, and sooner than never, the JCW high-performance versions of the Countryman crossover and Clubman wagon from MINI.
2020 MINI JCW Clubman 14 photos
Photo: CarPix
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Motoringfile talks about these “major upgrades” and “sources on both side of the Atlantic,” and you know what? As opposed to other rumors, this one has what it takes to come to fruition. When? For the 2020 model year.

On the other hand, jumping from 231 PS (228 horsepower) and 320 Nm (236 pound-feet) to 306 PS (302 horsepower) and 450 Nm (332 pound-feet) seems a bit of a stretch. On the other hand, don’t forget that hot hatchbacks such as the Mercedes-AMG A45 S 4Matic are pushing in the ballpark of 400 horsepower in this day and age.

Codenamed B48A20T1, the engine in the X2 M35i generates peak horsepower from 5,000 to 6,250 rpm while maximum torque is available between 1,750 to 4,500 rpm. In combination with the Aisin-developed automatic transmission with eight forward ratios, the lumbering crossover can shoot to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.

The X3 30i, which uses the current JCW engine with 228 ponies, manages that velocity in 6.2 seconds. Make no mistake, both the Countryman and Clubman are about to get quicker thanks to the B48A20T1 four-cylinder turbo.

On the downside, Motoringfile suggests that the JCW Countryman for the 2020 model year won’t be available with a three-pedal setup. A BMW-developed sports differential with Torsen-like limited slip is also expected, integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission.

The All4 (a.k.a. xDrive) intelligent all-wheel drive will be fine-tuned for this engine and transmission, and given the intricacies of setting up a vehicle, MINI couldn’t make a case for a good ol’ manual. The take-up rate is too low to consider such an option, more so if you remember how few of these vehicles are sold every year.

BMW Group reported MINI sales of 361,531 vehicles in 2018, down 2.8 percent compared to the previous year. “Despite challenging market conditions, MINI is a brand which continues to enthuse and excite its customers,” said board member Peter Schwarzenbauer.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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