Photo: MINI / edited
Quite a few years ago, Ferrari discontinued manual cars in favor of DCTs for better 0-to-60 and lap times. Lamborghini followed suit, and this worrying trend has also penetrated volume-oriented automakers. Merc is dropping manuals globally, with said process to be finished by the end of 2023. The BMW-owned MINI brand appears to be following suit, albeit there's no written confirmation just yet.
The speculation kicked off with the reveal of the JCW 1to6 special edition for the 2024 model year, which celebrates the manual transmission. Hearsay suggests that MINI chose this name and theme specifically to mark the switch to a two-pedal setup, and – by 2030 – to an electric-only range.
The press release for the JCW 1to6 doesn't offer any clue in regard to the impending retirement of the good ol' manual, but said hearsay does hold water. MINI teased the next-generation Cooper and Countryman with an emphasis on their all-electric versions. The Aceman, which indirectly replaces the Clubman with a crossover rather than a wagon aesthetic yet slots between the Cooper and Countryman, is only electric.
Not even one press release for the next-generation Cooper and Countryman features the word manual, not even once. The bad news doesn’t end here, though. Both the hatchback and crossover are switching to the UKL-derived FAAR platform. Its latest recipient is the X1, and guess what? Be it the 1.5- or 2.0-liter turbo, BMW doesn't offer a manual transmission.
Coincidence? Maybe, or maybe not. The only gearbox available for the U11 is the Getrag 7DCT300. Alas, we're not keeping our fingers crossed for a manual-equipped MINI from 2024 onward. Both the Cooper – previously known as the Hatch – and Countryman are getting redesigned from the ground up for the 2025 model year. The Clubman will be retired in 2024, thus making room for the 2025 Aceman.
That being said, what else is there to talk about the JCW 1to6 special edition? Quite a lot, actually. For starters, only 999 units will be produced. The United Kingdom is getting 150 at £39,600 apiece, which is huge money for a three-door hatch. At current exchange rates, that sum converts to $49,435.
Quite possibly the last manual-equipped JCW, the 1to6 will make its public debut on May 20 at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring. Equipped with all the bells and whistles, the 1to6 also impresses with its quirky details.
A collector's item with a specification that cannot be changed, the special edition immediately grabs one attention with the hood stripe. The 1to6 logo in red, silver, and white also stands out, as do the Circuit Spoke wheels and Jet Black paint.
The liftgate's lower left side is adorned with a graphic depicting the shift pattern of a six-speed manual transmission, with reverse gear to the upper left and sixth to the lower right. Not exactly a coincidence, that's how future owners of the 1to6 will engage reverse and sixth. The left side of the dashboard panel, right next to the digital instrument cluster, brings the point home by reading "One of 999."
The press release for the JCW 1to6 doesn't offer any clue in regard to the impending retirement of the good ol' manual, but said hearsay does hold water. MINI teased the next-generation Cooper and Countryman with an emphasis on their all-electric versions. The Aceman, which indirectly replaces the Clubman with a crossover rather than a wagon aesthetic yet slots between the Cooper and Countryman, is only electric.
Not even one press release for the next-generation Cooper and Countryman features the word manual, not even once. The bad news doesn’t end here, though. Both the hatchback and crossover are switching to the UKL-derived FAAR platform. Its latest recipient is the X1, and guess what? Be it the 1.5- or 2.0-liter turbo, BMW doesn't offer a manual transmission.
Coincidence? Maybe, or maybe not. The only gearbox available for the U11 is the Getrag 7DCT300. Alas, we're not keeping our fingers crossed for a manual-equipped MINI from 2024 onward. Both the Cooper – previously known as the Hatch – and Countryman are getting redesigned from the ground up for the 2025 model year. The Clubman will be retired in 2024, thus making room for the 2025 Aceman.
That being said, what else is there to talk about the JCW 1to6 special edition? Quite a lot, actually. For starters, only 999 units will be produced. The United Kingdom is getting 150 at £39,600 apiece, which is huge money for a three-door hatch. At current exchange rates, that sum converts to $49,435.
Quite possibly the last manual-equipped JCW, the 1to6 will make its public debut on May 20 at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring. Equipped with all the bells and whistles, the 1to6 also impresses with its quirky details.
A collector's item with a specification that cannot be changed, the special edition immediately grabs one attention with the hood stripe. The 1to6 logo in red, silver, and white also stands out, as do the Circuit Spoke wheels and Jet Black paint.
The liftgate's lower left side is adorned with a graphic depicting the shift pattern of a six-speed manual transmission, with reverse gear to the upper left and sixth to the lower right. Not exactly a coincidence, that's how future owners of the 1to6 will engage reverse and sixth. The left side of the dashboard panel, right next to the digital instrument cluster, brings the point home by reading "One of 999."
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