2012 Mini Cooper Roadster John Cooper Works on 2040-cars

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2017 Mini John Cooper Works Clubman ALL4 | Pint-size performer with a premium price

Last September, Mini revealed the Clubman John Cooper Works (JCW). It applied the same general JCW formula used on the regular three-doors to the longest Mini by giving it even sportier suspension and the potent 228-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. But from there, Mini gave the Clubman JCW even more torque than other JCW models, and the most of any Mini model, with a total of 258 pound-feet. It also fitted standard all-wheel drive. On paper, it sounds like the ultimate performance Mini, and it doesn't hurt that it's about the most practical model. So how did it hold up in practice? First of all, this Mini has a serious weight problem. You might be tired of alarmist auto journalists whining about the increasing size of vehicles, but it's a major issue with this Mini. It actually weighs more than a V6 Chevrolet Camaro. The Camaro weighs 3,435 pounds, and the Mini weighs 3,450. That's for the manual transmission version, too. Our automatic-equipped test car weighed more than that. As a result, it feels noticeably slower than the competition, despite making 228 horsepower and the aforementioned torque. There's an area in which the Clubman JCW could easily lose some weight, and that's in the all-wheel-drive system. It's a Haldex-style system that only kicks in when the front wheels start to slip, so it's only beneficial for traction in bad weather, not for improving the driving experience by, say, reducing the car's understeer. That's fine for more mainstream Minis, but the JCW line is all about performance and speed, so if the all-wheel-drive system doesn't improve the driving experience, it should simply be dropped to make the car lighter. Despite the Mini's prodigious portliness, there are good points. The engine is very smooth, and power comes on almost instantly. In more aggressive driving modes, the exhaust pops and burbles almost every time you lift off the gas pedal. T he eight-speed automatic paired with this engine was equally up to the task. Shifts were fast and smooth. And it even worked well leaving it in automatic mode. It held gears smartly, and it would downshift while braking to ensure you had the right gear when taking off again. The Clubman JCW also has the brand's trademark corner-carving skills. Body roll is nearly absent in the normal driving mode, and what little was evident is removed when switching to Sport mode. The car responds immediately to each steering input, and it has tenacious grip through corners.

2014 Mini Cooper S

One of the big challenges as an automotive journalist is reviewing cars that you have a personal connection to. I have a strong passion for Minis. My first new car was a 2004 Cooper S, and I still own a 2006 model. It's this affinity that's left me with a general disdain of the 2007 to 2013 model relative to my first-gen.
The last-generation cars, with their turbocharged engines, softer suspensions, duller steering and homelier looks are, in my mind, inferior to their 2002 to 2006 predecessors. As a car reviewer, though, I couldn't in good conscience argue the same point. The R56, as the last-gen cars were known internally and by enthusiasts, was a better-balanced vehicle that retained the lion's share of the abilities and character of the first-generation, R53 Cooper S, but they were better thought out, better designed, more livable, and felt like more complete products.
Before the third-generation of the reborn Mini Cooper S landed in my driveway, I couldn't help but wonder whether the model would continue its slide towards mass appeal, or if it would re-embrace the enthusiast realm with a stronger driver-focused mission. As I found out during my week with the car, it was a bit of both.

Mini prepping new John Cooper Works convertible

Those enamored by a Mini's spritely handling and retro styling but looking for that extra performance edge have had a succession of John Cooper Works models to choose from, straight through to the latest version unveiled this week in Detroit. And now, Mini appears to be preparing a JCW version of the new convertible. Spied undergoing cold-weather testing in Scandinavia, this Mini prototype appears to be wearing the tell-tale signs of a JCW model, combined with the folding fabric roof of the convertible model. Mini has yet to reveal the convertible version of the latest, third-generation Cooper, but while we're expecting it to take a similar approach to the outgoing model – with four seats and a soft top stacking up in the back when open – there's always the chance that, with the demise of the two-seat Roadster model, the roof on the new cabrio will fold more flush with the rear deck. Since this prototype, like the previous one we saw over a year ago on a flat-bed truck, has its roof up, it's impossible to say at this point. What we can see is that this prototype, though decked out in swirly camouflage, is wearing the upgraded body kit of the new JCW hatch, including the flared wheel arches, big air vents and dual central exhaust tips. The wheels, though wearing snow tires appropriate to the climate, fill those flared fenders well, and are in turn packed with what look like pretty big brakes. Expect the 2.0-liter turbo four to pack the same 228 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque as the hardtop version, only with the added thrill of wind in your hair. Of course, if Mini is indeed preparing to launch a JCW version of the new convertible, there's nothing to say it won't do the same with the four-door Hardtop, the upcoming Clubman wagon or any other body-style in the new range. Featured Gallery Mini JCW Convertible: Spy Shots View 9 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos MINI Convertible Performance jcw mini convertible mini cooper convertible