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2013 Mini John Cooper Works

Location, Location, Location
Back in February, Mini invited me to come try out its brand-new Paceman coupe-crossover-hatchback thing in Puerto Rico, and not long after, I spit out a Quick Spin detailing my impressions of the little-big two-door. But here's what I didn't tell you: Mini also let me loose on those fine, curvaceous, tropical roads in its hottest hatch, the John Cooper Works GP. And while that behind-the-wheel gigglefest would have no doubt made for a story laden with positive notes and warm regards, the truth is, I only drove it for 15 minutes, so I couldn't in good conscience offer much of a story to you. (European Editor Matt Davis also got a short stint behind the wheel of the GP late last year.)
So for the sake of due diligence, I buckled down and spent a full eight days with the JCW GP back home in Detroit, just as springtime was starting to stick here in southeast Michigan. But after my time with the Mini, I was wishing that I could have just been left with my GP memories from Puerto Rico, where I was pushing the little hotbox hard around smooth corners and flexing every one of its muscles to eke out the full JCW GP experience in only a short timeframe.

Next Mini Countryman spotted with swirls

Mini is continuing to update its models onto its latest UKL front-wheel-drive platform that it shares with parent BMW. Here, our spies caught an early glimpse of the next-gen Countryman testing on the new chassis.
Like the rest of the updated Mini lineup, the latest Countryman doesn't exactly show a huge shift in styling from the current version. The front end appears to be slightly more blunt, and the headlights have a redesigned shape. However, behind the A-pillar the differences seem to be pretty subtle. At the rear, the new Countryman also looks to adopt the brand's rounded rectangle taillights protruding into the hatch like on the standard Cooper Hardtop range. While not shown here, our spies claim that Mini is also aiming for a roomier interior for the upcoming crossover so that it can be more competitive in its class.
At least for now, the Countryman is going to be the largest vehicle in the Mini range, according to an earlier statement from chief designer Anders Warming. The CUV is rumored to debut around 2016 with some assembly possibly done at Mini's plant in the Netherlands. Until then, have a look at these spy shots and tell us what you think.

Manuals return to the Mini lineup for 2021

The 2021 Mini Cooper will offer a manual transmission again, after the 2020 model had to go without a stick shift due to problems certifying that powertrain. It had been hoped that the emissions issue would be straightened out in only a few months, but as it turned out, Mini had to go through the entire 2020 model year with its cars offering only two pedals. The 2020 Cooper and Cooper S models got a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, while the John Cooper Works variants and the ALL4 versions of the Clubman and the Countryman got an eight-speed unit. For 2021, the standard Mini Cooper with the 134-hp 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder will offer a six-speed manual in the hardtop, four-door, and convertible body styles. The 2021 Mini Cooper S, with its 189-hp 2.0-liter turbo four, also will come standard with the six-speed stick in hardtop, four-door, and convertible form. The John Cooper Works hardtop, with its 228-hp 2.0L turbo, shares in the manual-transmission goodness, but the JCW convertible remains automatic-only, with the seven-speed DCT. The 2021 301-hp John Cooper Works GP hardtop will be eight-speed automatic only. For the 2021 Clubman and the Countryman, the picture is still murky. It's likely that the JCW Clubman and JCW Countryman, which also get the 301-hp engine, will continue to be offered only with the eight-speed automatic gearbox, although the less-powerful versions could get a stick shift again. Mini says, "Manual transmission offerings will be confirmed once 2021 model year information for these models is released later this spring." Given the persona Mini has cultivated, this brand seems like one that should continue to offer stick shifts for as long as possible. Mini spokesman Andrew Cutler claims that the Mini hardtop generally has had the highest take rate for manuals in the U.S. market, with 45% buyers of the (2019-model) John Cooper Works version opting to row their own gears. Related Video: