These are the most powerful Mini versions ever

BY MOST indications the original Mini, upon introduction in 1959, was never meant to go racing; it was intended purely as a simple, affordable small car with a roomy cabin. Then some racecar driver/manufacturer named John Newton Cooper got a hold of the car, and together with its designer, Alec Issigonis, turned it into a race machine. The resulting Mini Cooper S promptly won the legendary Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967. It took the 1966 edition too, if only organizers had not disqualified the winning car — for modified headlamps.

The Cooper S tag was rebooted along with the introduction of the so-called Mini One at the turn of the century. And, true to tradition, the variants with the Cooper name attached to them are the high-performance affairs. Always has, always will be.

The John Cooper Works tag takes things a notch or two up. And this is quite apparent in the new John Cooper Works Clubman and John Cooper Works Countryman. Mini itself proclaims the cars as “by some measure the most powerful models ever approved for public road use in the brand’s 60-year history.”

Both cars are propelled by the brand’s (meaning BMW’s) latest-generation turbocharged four-cylinder engine developed specifically for the John Cooper Works variants. With 301hp and 448Nm on tap, the Mini JCW Clubman sprints from zero to 100kph in 4.9 seconds. The Mini JCW Countryman does the same in 5.1 seconds. Both figures are 1.4 and 1.5 seconds faster than what the cars’ respective previous versions managed. Top speed is electronically capped at a hair under 250kph.

The two cars get as standard a new eight-speed Steptronic sports transmission, a mechanical differential lock on the front axle, Mini’s ALL4 all-wheel drive system, a retuned chassis, larger brakes and additional reinforcements for the body structure, engine connection and chassis fastenings. These changes, Mini said, allow the JCW duo a “completely new dimension of performance.”

Surely, cars’ dynamic stability control and electromechanical steering don’t hurt either, as are the optional adaptive chassis with electronically controlled dampers which can be set to sporty or comfort-oriented driving. This adaptive chassis enables the JCWs to be lowered by 10 millimeters more.

Footwear for both cars are 18-inch John Cooper Works light metal wheels with a Black Grip Spoke design. Other JCW wheels in 18-inch and 19-inch sizes are also available.

Optional too are the contrasting red roof and side-mirror caps, unique side scuttles by the additional indicators, and the John Cooper Works logo in the radiator grille and tailgate. But standard to both JCWs are the central honeycomb air inlet, LED headlamps, keyless ride and the Radio Mini Visual Boost that includes a 6.5-inch touchscreen display.

The new Mini JCW Clubman and JCW Countryman are as posh as they are powerful.

The Mini JCW Clubman is available for order from the Philippine distributor at P4,650,000 for delivery in late 2019.