Hewing closely to the JCW concept unveiled at last year’s Detroit show, it will come with a list of performance upgrades as long as its name.
Judging by the images released so far, the production versions look virtually identical. The JCW gets a new front fascia with more holes, more pronounced side skirts, and a large rear spoiler.
The wheels look the same as the ones on the concept as well, and it seems safe to assume the production JCW will also get the concept’s rear diffuser and center-mounted exhaust tips. If you’re thinking of ordering one, it would be a crime to forego the racing stripes.
The interior features a sport steering wheel and seats, as well as the seemingly-obligatory contrast stitching and JCW badging.
Under the hood is a version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine used in the standard MINI Cooper Hardtop, but tuned to produce 228 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. That matches early expectations, and makes the JCW the most powerful production MINI ever.
The engine drives the front wheels through either a six-speed manual transmission, or a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. MINI also equipped the JCW with an electronic locking differential, Brembo brakes, and sport-tuned suspension with adjustable dampers available.
All of that makes for a 0 to 62 mph time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 153 mph, improvements of 0.8 second and 7 mph over the previous model.
The JCW may be the most hardcore MINI model available, but in the past that’s also made it among the most expensive. Expect that to be true of the new model too, although pricing won’t be announced until closer to the car’s launch.
