Photo: Automedia
So far, the third iteration of the MINI hardtop model was released in 6 different variations, 3 running on petrol and 3 running on diesel. The range is about to go even bigger with a John Cooper Works model.
No official info about the hardcore JCW model came out from MINI’s Oxford headquarters yet but we have more than an idea about what it will bring and how much power it will have.
Stylistically, don’t expect huge changes. The concept unveiled a couple of months ago told us all about how it’s going to look like and the differences were more subtle than in your face. Most of them will be focused on the front and rear bumpers. That doesn’t really tickle our fancy that much.
The car our spy photographers recently met with in the US seems to be the first prototype of the JCW ever seen on public roads. How can we tell? Well, most of the car looks like any ordinary Cooper S version but the details are what give it away.
First of all, and also quite obvious, the front bumper seems to have a different design. There are two extra air intakes towards the sides, where the fog lights used to be on the ‘normal’ Cooper and Cooper S models. Those could very well be used either for the intercooler or to keep fresh air into the engine.
Second, looking behind the wheels we spotted red brake calipers with the JCW logo imprinted on them, another dead giveaway, alongside the wheels themselves that have had the same design on Works models for the last few years.
As for the technical details, expect the new MINI to use the same B48 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine from the 225i Active Tourer model that’s good for 231 HP and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) of torque, a bit more than the outgoing model that used a 1.6-liter unit developed in collaboration with PSA, making 211 HP.
A new transmission and less weight to carry around could also be expected, turning the JCW into a sub 6-second car. It all sounds really good but the competition is fierce.
From Audi we have the S1 model that has the exact same amount of power going to the wheels through the quattro all-wheel-drive system. That could force MINI to release an ALL4 version of the JCW even though it would make most of the aficionados mutter curses in dealerships.
Prices should also be really close, with the Audi being slightly more expensive. That means that the JCW MINI should cost around €27,000-€28,000 in Europe and a bit less in the US.
Stylistically, don’t expect huge changes. The concept unveiled a couple of months ago told us all about how it’s going to look like and the differences were more subtle than in your face. Most of them will be focused on the front and rear bumpers. That doesn’t really tickle our fancy that much.
The car our spy photographers recently met with in the US seems to be the first prototype of the JCW ever seen on public roads. How can we tell? Well, most of the car looks like any ordinary Cooper S version but the details are what give it away.
First of all, and also quite obvious, the front bumper seems to have a different design. There are two extra air intakes towards the sides, where the fog lights used to be on the ‘normal’ Cooper and Cooper S models. Those could very well be used either for the intercooler or to keep fresh air into the engine.
Second, looking behind the wheels we spotted red brake calipers with the JCW logo imprinted on them, another dead giveaway, alongside the wheels themselves that have had the same design on Works models for the last few years.
As for the technical details, expect the new MINI to use the same B48 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine from the 225i Active Tourer model that’s good for 231 HP and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) of torque, a bit more than the outgoing model that used a 1.6-liter unit developed in collaboration with PSA, making 211 HP.
A new transmission and less weight to carry around could also be expected, turning the JCW into a sub 6-second car. It all sounds really good but the competition is fierce.
From Audi we have the S1 model that has the exact same amount of power going to the wheels through the quattro all-wheel-drive system. That could force MINI to release an ALL4 version of the JCW even though it would make most of the aficionados mutter curses in dealerships.
Prices should also be really close, with the Audi being slightly more expensive. That means that the JCW MINI should cost around €27,000-€28,000 in Europe and a bit less in the US.
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