THE NEW MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS COUNTRYMAN HAS 221 KW - AND IT NEEDS IT COZ ITS HUGE!
Kids… once upon a time the MINI used to be spelt Mini, and it had the name because it was a really small car. Origins of the car date back to the late ‘50s and it was produced in some form until 2000. That’s when the modern MINI first raised its head under the BMW brand, and while it was a lot bigger than the original car, it was still a small hatchback. Over the years the car has grown in size, so much so that some models are bigger than most modern hatchbacks now, which makes the name a bit of a joke. Be that as it may, the modern incarnation has still amassed a global following of fans, and this is also reflected in the sales. Oddly, you can still buy a MINI that’s a similar size to the first modern ones, they really do have a strange lineup. One of the popular models is the Countryman, a longer and bigger model that can accommodate more people and luggage while at the same time still offering up the same great handling and fun the brand is known for. This is one of those, except the car can now be had in John Cooper Works spec. “The MINI John Cooper Works Countryman embodies a unique combination of style, power and a sense of adventure. With its powerful 300 hp engine and sporty design, it is the perfect companion for anyone looking for something special”, says Stefanie Wurst, head of the MINI brand. This is also the first new model that bears the brand new John Cooper Works logo.
There are pages and pages of tech specs and electronic systems to explain what’s been wrapped up in this admittedly good-looking package, but because it has that JCW badge, we’ll focus on performance. The new MINI Countryman John Cooper Works is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine that’s rated to produce a pretty decent 221 kW with 400 Nm of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via the brand’s ALL4 all-wheel-drive system and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Even though this is one of the biggest MINIs around, it’s still pretty quick. It can hot 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds and has a top speed limited to 250 km/h. The Countryman JCW has a high-performance braking system with brake calipers in Chili Red colour, and to help make the handling better, the tyre diameter was increased by 30 mm, now 710 mm and the increased tyre width of 245 mm means the MINI keeps it’s well-known go-kart feeling. The minimalist interior features racing DNA with a red and black colour scheme at the dashboard, along the door panels and on the high-grade JCW sports seats, a nod to MINI's racing heritage. The characteristic sound of the exhaust flap system also makes the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman instantly recognisable as a performance model, while inside, the engine sound generated in real-time receives an exclusive JCW sound extension that boosts the sound of the engine start and intensifies the drive with racing-inspired engine sounds.
Take a look at the YouTube video from the crew at MINI that shows off the kind of lifestyle a new MINI JCW Countryman is aimed at. While it's a cool-looking thing that's jam-packed with all the latest and greatest tech with a decent turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-pot, someone really needs to petition for the MINI part of the name to be removed because this monster of a thing ain't mini in any way: The new MINI John Cooper Works Countryman | MINI
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