Mini and Mini Clubman John Cooper Works (2008): first official pictures

By Mark Nichol

First Official Pictures

24 February 2008 00:01

Just take it in for a moment. That’s the Mini John Cooper Works you’re staring at, all 208bhp of it. Mini will unveil this steroidal version of the already beefy Cooper S at Geneva 2008 before opening the books in July, so get saving. 

The Mini JCW extracts an extra 33bhp over the standard Cooper S by dumping the regular turbocharger and strapping on a bigger, twin-scroll unit. The air filter and exhaust get a tinkle too – the JCW’s twin central tailpipes have noticeably more girth, which should enhance the soundtrack.

Can do. Using a leaden right foot to coax the overboost function, which briefly summons an extra 14lb ft of torque over the standard 192lb ft, the JCW will sprint to 62mph in 6.5 seconds.

It’ll top out at 148mph, giving Mini the perfect opportunity to squeeze a couple more numbers onto the dinner plate-proportioned central speedo – it now reads 160mph, ten more than lowlier versions. Hmm.

And if it’s a pub stat you’re after, get this: the Mini JCW produces 132bhp per litre from its turbocharged 1.6. That’s a good one to bore Civic Type-R owners with.

And all this while returning over 40mpg, Mini claims, but what are the chances of that?

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By Mark Nichol