2019 MINI Cooper JCW Review
Car Tested: 2019 MINI Cooper JCW; Road Test No. 1098; Test Location: Madras Motor Race Track
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 54,85,309/-
With iconic looks & phenomenal handling, the MINI JCW is a street legal go-kart
MINI is one of the most recognisable names in the auto industry most famous for its attractive looks, agile handling, powerful engine and a hefty price tag. The Cooper 3-door hatch has proved itself to be the most ideal MINI of them all with its 3-door silhouette and all the aforementioned characteristics so typical of MINIs. It’s a drivers car, particularly in the Cooper S variant. But MINI believes that there is always some room for improvement and they have launched the John Cooper Works variant of its Cooper hatch. It is the most potent version of the Cooper with a whopping 231 BHP on tap. But can that extra power and that extra price make this the version to buy?
Motor Quest: MINI was founded in 1959 as a means of affordable motoring in Britain. It quickly gained popularity for its small size and relatively small price tag. Over the years, MINI became more than just a car – a part of the British identity. In 2000, the brand was bought by BMW and since then, under the German expertise, MINI has grown into a fashion icon. Around the same time, BMW acquired MINI, Michael Cooper, son of John Cooper, the man responsible for the original MINI Cooper, introduced ‘John Cooper Works’ or JCW. JCW has been responsible for making tuning parts and accessories for BMW-owned MINI.
The centre mounted exhaust and the special spoiler look very mean
Exteriors – The king of retro designs, the MINI Cooper JCW is strikingly attractive and packs a lot of attitude despite the relatively small footprint. MINIs have become bigger in recent years but have not lost much of their character in the process. The Cooper JCW has that unmistakably MINI silhouette with three doors, large rear glass, squarish A and C pillars and round headlights. The JCW gets an aggressive front bumper with many air dams along with the usual gaping chrome surround grille and an air scoop on the bonnet. Look closely and you’ll also notice the newly designed MINI logos that are now painted. Speaking of logos, there’s a large John Cooper Works badge on the grille.
The black wheels with red brake callipers add to the oomph
The iconic MINI gets the JCW treatment to make it look more sporty and snazzy
The side profile carries the boxy yet athletic profile with the stand out elements being the round wing mirrors with a contrasting paint and accentuated wheel arches on the extreme ends of the car. There is the JCW badge on the front fender. The all-black wheels look ace and go well with the green colour we had on our car. The nifty exposed silver finished fuel-cap looks cool too! The rear profile looks a bit stubby but there is no dearth of interesting elements. For instance, we absolutely loved the JCW-specific spoiler on the hatch. The rear bumper, like the front one, is busy looking and adorns two nifty exhaust pipes in between. The incredible detailing in the form of Union Jack pattern on the tail light cluster means you cannot doubt the car’s British origins. Overall, MINI has done a fabulous job of subtly but effectively sprucing up the styling of the JCW variant and looks as tempting as any MINI Cooper ought to.
The retro design also makes it way inside the cabin
Interiors – Step inside and before anything else, you notice just how well finished the cabin is. The interiors of the Cooper JCW look polished and are of high quality, totally fitting to a car of this price. The attention to detail is simply amazing and that is another takeaway of this being a British motor. It is a retro design and succeeds in reminding you of the original MINI. The round infotainment screen and other round elements like the speedometer, the door handles and the climate control switches add a lot of funky touches to the cabin. The toggle switches are well integrated and they do their bit to heighten the style quotient.
The interior is highly customisable and the quality of materials used is outstanding
The equipment list is long and you get more standard equipment in the JCW than you do in the Cooper S. Things like the premium Harman Kardon sound system, rear view camera, auto wipers, sports gearbox, seats & steering, automatic climate control are the part of the standard kit. The interior is highly-customisable. You can choose between a variety of colours for the leather, trim options, more union jacks and even have your name written on the dashboard. All this comes at a very hefty price tag but, with MINI, that is only to be expected.
Seats are not the best in the business. The Cooper JCW comes with sports seats and they are a tad firmer than standard seats. Also, there is electric adjust so you have to manually fiddle to get into an ideal driving position. Not that it is a task but we’d preferred buttons instead of levers doing the job. The backseats are okay for adults on short journeys but remain best suited for kids. the space in the front is massive and you can really stretch out with the tallest drivers finding adequate room. The cabin also feels wide and there is more headroom than the car’s size would suggest.
While the front seats are spacious and hug you, the rear seats are best suited for kids
As mentioned before, quality is all but faultless. Couple that with the design flair, the cabin of the Cooper JCW comes across as one of the best in the price bracket. We also loved the BMW sourced infotainment screen which has cool graphics and great usability. The instrument cluster is easy to read and we are thankful that it has remained analog.
While the exhaust is a true firecracker, the engine has great punch
Performance – Our car had ‘MINI Thrills Maximised’ on the doors. The only way to test that claim was to put the car through its paces. The MINI John Cooper Works hatch is powered by the same 2.0-litre, twin-scroll turbocharged petrol engine which now belts out an impressive 231 HP (the Cooper S outputs 189 HP) and 320 Nm, resulting in a 0-100 km/hr time of 6.1 seconds (more than half a second quicker). The engine feels always ready for action as there is a good spread of power throughout the rev range, with the redline coming in at 6500 RPM. The motor is paired to an 8-speed gearbox which is smooth with shifts but somehow I found myself using the paddles most of the times through the tight corners at the Madras Motorsports Race Track. The engine does sound great and also braaps on upshift, emitting some pops and crackles on lifting off the throttle. The mid-range feels the most exciting and before you know it, the JCW hatch would reach 160 km/hr on the longest straight of this tight race track.
The JCW handles like a go-kart with no body roll
Driving Dynamics – MINIs are known for their go-kart feel and the JCW hatch offers every bit of it. While LSD has been ditched in favour of torque vectoring, the car still manages to offer great handling balance with no roll at all, it’s just pinpoint accurate with a feel-some steering, loads of grip and plenty of understeer on aggressive turn-ins, followed by a wiggle of the tail caused by lift-off oversteer, such drama. The front tyres were screeching all throughout when I was turning and the stability control kept blinking in the cluster, not as intrusive as I expected but ensuring everything remains in control. The brakes are bigger here, so big now that they just manage to fit in, one reason why the brakes felt super strong and almost fade free on the track.
This MINI is loaded with safety equipment
Safety – The Cooper JCW comes with 6-airbags, ABS, ESP and Traction Control. It has the usual kit and given the robust build quality, the Cooper JCW won’t be exactly unsafe in the event of an accident. The Cooper hatch also gets a commendable but not class leading 4 out of 5 stars at Euro NCAP.
The JCW is the ultimate MINI
Verdict – Our car had ‘MINI Thrills Maximised’ written on the doors and after a hard drive on the racetrack, we can definitely say that the JCW version offers more thrills than the regular Cooper S. It has brilliant performance, engaging dynamics and tonnes of character. At Rs. 43.50 lakhs, the Cooper JCW is about Rs. 9.3 lakhs more than the regular Cooper S. Yes, that is a lot of money but if you are willing to pay the extra and want the ultimate MINI experience, the JCW variant makes a lot of sense.
The JCW uses the same engine as the one found on the Cooper S
What’s Cool
* Iconic and eye-catching looks
* Well built and luxurious interiors
* Insane driving feel with sensational performance
What’s Not So Cool
* Rear seats are only meant for kids
* Infotainment system feels small
* Optional extras are expensive
Alternatives: – BMW 330i
Driving a MINI JCW on a racetrack was really fun
2019 MINI Cooper JCW Specifications
* Engine: 1998cc, 4-Cyl, Petrol
* Power: 231 HP @ 4700-6000 RPM
* Torque: 320 Nm @ 1250 RPM
* 0-100 km/hr: 6.1 seconds
* Top Speed: 250 km/hr
* Transmission: 8-Speed AT
* Fuel Consumption: 6-10 km/l
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Tyre Size: 225/45/17 (Front & Rear)
* Suspension: Single Joint Spring-Strut (Front), Multiple Control-Arm (Rear)
* Brakes: Disc (Front & Rear)
* Safety: 6 Airbags, ABS with EBD, Traction Control, ESP
2019 MINI Cooper JCW Dimensions
* Overall length x width x height: 3850 mm X 1727 mm X 1414 mm
* Wheelbase: 2467 mm
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 44-litres
* Kerb Weight: 1250 kgs
Due to its funky styling & loud exhaust, the JCW is an attention magnet
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