A Mini Cooper S that is even more exciting to drive than ever before.
Well, one needs to have a compelling reason to ignore this midget beast. The Mini Cooper gets some serious bump in performance with the John Cooper Works edition. We drive this car around town and highway to experience what a masterpiece it indeed is. Read further to know more about the Mini Cooper John Cooper Works.
The Mini Cooper S JCW looks identical to the regular Mini Cooper S. The racing stripes on the hood and the black top add some zest along with the amazing Volcanic Orange colour that it comes in. But there is a John Cooper works logo on the boot lid that marks this special edition. The way the Mini Cooper has evolved over the years is indeed fascinating. It keeps on getting better and we like that. The hexagonal grille which is now wider, the oval headlamps that have daytime running LEDs, with the thick chrome ring around it, adds to a lot of flair. The fenders have an S badge in the side indicators.
The rear sees large LED tail lamps which are now signature Mini ones. The ORVMs are the stalk type ones which are black in colour. This hatch features 16-inch black alloy wheels and they make the car look meaner. Rest of the things are identical to the regular Mini Cooper S
The interiors of any Mini is a lively place to be in and so is the JCW edition too. The all-black interiors exude sportiness. The seats are black with fine quality leather and have good bolstering too.
They are very comfortable, however, the seat adjustments are all manual. We expected an electric adjustment, at least at this price point. The signature Mini steering wheel is a joy to hold and has control buttons on it. The car comes with a 8.8-inch touchscreen system and a Harman Kardon audio system, which is excellent. The screen is place in the round centre console. The screen can be toggled with the help of a dial located on the floor console, near the armrest.
There is no reverse camera in this car, however the parking sensors are quite accurate. The rear seats are strictly for children. Adults will find the seating squeezed and also getting into the rear is quite a task. There is dual zone climate control and the start/stop button is a neat flip switch. Other things include a panoramic sunroof, heated seats, rain sensing wipers and auto headlamps as well. Storage space is decent.
This is where the actual difference lies and the JCW edition displays its prowess. This hatchback packs in a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder, twin turbo petrol engine. It churns out 212bhp of power and a tremendous 320Nm of torque. This kind of power figures for a small hatchback sounds mesmerizing even before you have driven it. Start the engine with a flick of the start button and it comes to life with a growl.
The exhaust note speaks for itself about what is present under the hood. The power increase we see here is due to a remapped ECU and also different air filters. The engine comes mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that works flawlessly. The Mini Cooper S JCW catapults from 0-100 in just under 6 seconds and the manner in which it does, puts a grin on the face instantly. It is more than a second faster than the regular version.
There are three driving modes here – Green, Mid and Sport. The Green mode is for relaxed driving and offering the best fuel efficiency. On the other hand, the Sport mode will give you a track feel with maximum performance and a crisper suspension setting.
The Mini Cooper is one the best handling sporty hatchbacks, this fact cannot be denied. The car is a hoot to drive and the JCW edition retains the driving dynamics of the regular Mini Cooper. The steering response is also perfect and the wheel is nice to hold and maneuver. The thrill this car gives is amazing. Even at speeds in excess of 180km/h it is rock steady and confidence inspiring. It has a top speed of 225km/h. The Hankook tyres do a good job in providing the required grip and the braking too is nothing short of brilliant. In terms of safety, it include ABS with EBD, electronic traction control, ESP, and airbags.
The Mini Cooper S is a great car to consider for personal driving. The JCW edition adds to that extra zest that makes it a compelling buy too. Priced at around INR 37 lakhs (on-road), it falls in a category of a few entry-level luxury sedans and is about a couple of lakhs more expensive than the standard version. But if you want a pocket rocket that sets you apart in a crowd, without boasting too much and makes it difficult to wipe off that grin, then the Mini Cooper S JCW should do the trick.