So Mini South Africa let us use an R53 equipped with the then bolt-on John Cooper Works performance upgrades for a few days. It was a memorable weekend, as was our time with our own Mini. Now though, the John Cooper Works brand is far more mainstream, with five models within the Mini range being available with its now factory fitted
performance upgrades. Recently, I was invited to the Garden Route region of the Western Cape to sample two of the latest JCW models, the familiar Clubman JCW and the latest Countryman JCW. It was a rather apt event as the Mini brand recently celebrated its 58th birthday.
JCW from the factory
Since Mini started offering the JCW performance models as factory-bought cars in 2008, these models have proven quite popular with some 73 048 JCW-badged cars sold globally, 700 of those being in South Africa.
The Mini brand has always offered something different and more recently, provided consumers with options in terms of customising their vehicles to best express their personalities. On the other hand, the JCW models are for Mini fanatics who want performance mixed with their individuality.
Whether you feel that this is a limiting factor or something that appeals to you, I’m sure everyone agrees that a fast Mini is an inherently cool car.
What is a JCW Mini?
The modern JCW Mini models are, in very basic terms, the flagship Mini models within their respective ranges. All three models available in South Africa are powered by the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine seen in many Cooper S models, albeit with stronger pistons, an improved intercooler and an external radiator for better cooling.
The upgrades translate to 170kW/350Nm which, in the Clubman and Countryman, are transferred to the ground via a front-bias ALL4 all-wheel drive system, mated to either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic gearbox. Both models also benefit from the inclusion of Brembo brakes and a sportier exhaust system.
Visually, the JCW models are available with a rear spoiler, sportier side skirts, 18-or 19-inch alloy wheels, JCW badges inside and out, a honeycomb front grille, JCW sports seats as well as three colours, including my personal favourite, Rebel Green, which is only available on these performance models. Basically, the JCW models are now more distinguishable from the rest of the Mini range in terms of their external and internal appearances.
Driving JCW
At the media event, we had a chance to drive the Clubman and Countryman, however the selected routes differed from model to model. First up forme was the Countryman, which we drove on sometwisty bits, open-road and then up a long stretchof gravel road.The car handled the gravel sections well andalso felt quite substantial on the road.
It’s not mind-bending performance, but for a medium-sized SUV,it performed admirably and certainly makes the right turbo pops and whistles. The Countryman JCW will get you to 100km/h in a claimed 6.5 seconds,and on to a top speed of 234 km/h.Next up was the Clubman, which was a road-only affair.
I have to admit that this new Clubman is a far more appealing car to me than its predecessor;its small wagon-like design makes it more practical than the three-or five-door hatchback models, while providing similar driving characteristics.
The Clubman certainly felt more performance-oriented than the Countryman, with great in-cornerstability, wonderful pops from the exhaust onoverrun, and a general sense that it felt quite abit faster than its sibling, despite being only 0.2 seconds faster to 100km/h on paper with a timeof 6.3 seconds, and having a marginally higher claimed top speed.
Warranty and service
Both the Clubman and Countryman JCW come with a five-year/100 000km maintenance plan as standard.
Pricing
Clubman JCW - R552 000
Clubman JCW AT - R579 500
Countryman JCW - R604 000
Countryman JCW AT- R631 500
