The Mini John Cooper Works has been unveiled, following the reveal of the hatch and cabriolet earlier this year. The updated hot hatch remains mechanically unchanged but some revisions have been made to the appearance and the list of standard features.
Where appearances are concerned, the Mini John Cooper Works has been fitted with the brand’s new design language which gives it a more advanced appearance most particularly at the front. The new LED headlamps and the hexagonal radiator grille, which boasts a red crossbar and now extends far downwards, are particularly prominent.
Enlarged cooling air openings allow for improved temperature control of the drive and braking systems for when you’re pushing the JCW to the limits. The model-specific side scuttles on the front side panels and the rear apron have also been redesigned with a distinctive diffuser to optimise airflow in the rear area of the underbody.
The Mini John Cooper Works features a redesigned centre instrument with an 8,8-inch touchscreen display in black as standard within the cockpit. A new operating system with a modern graphic display further uplifts the advanced cabin experience with live widgets, which can be selected by means of a swiping motion on the touch display.
The displays on the centre instrument cluster and on the optionally available multifunctional instrument display mounted to the steering column can be shown in two different colours. In “Lounge” mode, relaxing shades of blue and turquoise are displayed while in “Sport” mode, red and anthracite start to glow. On request, this colour worlds feature for of the displays can be linked to the driving modes which are standard in the Mini John Cooper Works.
As for power, the JCW still uses the twin-scroll turbocharged 2,0-litre four-pot with 170 kW and 320 N.m of torque. For the purists, a six-speed manual gearbox remains standard while the eight-speed torque converter is optional. In manual guise it’ll hit 0-100 km/h in a claimed 6,3 seconds while the self-shifter will do it in 6,1 seconds.
Adding drama to the experience are two 85 mm stainless steel tailpipes that form part of the car’s sports exhaust system. Stopping power is provided by the Brembo brake system with four-piston callipers and ventilated discs. These are housed by 17-inch light alloy wheels as standard but a catalogue of 18-inch options are available, including the Circuit Spoke two-tone design.
For those who want a more conclusive ownership experience, new packages have been added to the configurator. These include steering wheel heating, lane departure warning and the stop and go function for the adaptive cruise control. Park distance control with sensors at the rear of the vehicle is now standard.
Mini South Africa has confirmed that the JCW will be reaching local shores with the rest of the updated range in the second quarter of this year.
