The Hot Mini JCW Is Back, And It's Greener Than Before
While the world’s motoring press has been collectively fawning over the Ford Fiesta ST (yep, we’re very much guilty too), the car has been missing a posher, pricier rival: the Mini John Cooper Works.
It’s one of the many WLTP casualties of 2018, taken off sale as it needs work before being put through the more stringent, more realistic emissions cycle. But in 2019, it’s coming back.
From March, the JCW will be back on the scene with a snazzy new petrol particulate filter. It won’t have lost any go as a result: the 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbocharged inline-four will still produce 231bhp, making 0-62mph possible in 6.3 seconds. Or 6.6sec, if you’d rather have the convertible.
Despite the exhaust system now having the filter integrated within it, Mini is still promising that the revised pipework “generates a distinctively sporty sound while ensuring exemplary exhaust emissions behaviour”.
The exterior is broadly the same, and yes, that means it still has those love-them-or-hate-them Union Jack rear light clusters. God Save the Queen, etc.
On the inside, you’ll find more new stuff, including piano black trim and some fresh leather bucket seats. You can spec those at no cost, along with some new 17-inch alloy wheels.
Improvements to the standard spec now mean you also get sport suspension, beefier brakes and the JCW aero kit without having to tick any pricey option boxes.
Want one? It’ll be £24,480 for the hatch and £28,140 for the convertible, plus on-the-road costs.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Always bewildered by the excellent resale value the older examples can fetch on the second hand market here (U.S)
Also hopefully they made it fairly easy to get rid of that particulate filter. It’s a 2.0L not a Duramax lol I’m sure it’s very clean as is
The reason why modern engines are so clean is because the particle filters are so good. Removing it won’t make any difference performance-wise but will dramatically increase the emissions even on petrol engine cars, especially those with turbo engines.
Whats the point of removing it if you paid for it anyways? Performance and sound gains are gonna be negligible and saving a bit of weight on a hatchback is not worth the effort
JCW has a tendency to keep its value, all the way back to the 1st Gen R53 MINI.
For me they have lost a bit of their charm, it is more refined of course, and far exceeds the 1st gen in almost every way - But it feels like they have a little less “soul” than the previous models.. It seems to be a recurring theme with these cars.
wow nice photography, thanks for sharing!!!