Mini JCW Clubman - Paris 2016

Four-wheel drive, more power, more doors and generally more Mini for Clubman buyers in a hurry

We ran a Mini JCW hatch as a long-termer last year and, it has to be said, from the automatic gearbox to the inert run-flat tyres and their dulling effect on the handling, it wasn't quite the inspirational premium hot hatch we were looking for. That has been addressed to an extent with the JCW Challenge track special we put against the Golf GTI Clubsport S the other day, albeit at a price and some degree of exclusivity. For this new JCW Clubman, making its debut at the Paris show, the character of the standard JCW might actually be a better fit. Indeed, combined with the additional practicality of the Clubman package, four-wheel drive and, arguably, better overall proportions, Mini might actually have something that lives up to its claim of "a unique high-performance option in the C-segment".

Heard the one about the fast, 4WD Mini estate?

Hang on though, C-segment? Doesn't that mean it's up against things like the Golf R estate? The Golf starts at £34,455 against the Mini's £29,345 but that narrows if you go for the £30,945 Steptronic automatic on the JCW, the R coming with DSG as standard. There's also the small matter of the Golf's 300hp and 280lb ft against the Mini's 231hp and 258lb ft, this equating to a 6.3-second 0-62mph time against the R's 5.1. If you're shopping for fast small estates at this money you can't ignore the SEAT Leon ST that so impressed us lately either - OK, it's not four-wheel drive, but 290hp is going to show the Mini a clean set of heels and you have to wonder why its 2.0-litre engine appears so out-gunned against the equivalent motors from VW and SEAT.

Given all that what might tempt you to choose the JCW? Don't expect it to be cheap if you go down this route but specced with that eight-speed Steptronic auto, optional adaptive dampers and suitably bedecked in a few trim upgrades, you could end up with a sophisticated and rather classy small estate car that retains the character and style Mini buyers love so much. That really is something a bit different in this class and if we found some of the styling quirks inside and out rather overwrought there's no denying there's character aplenty. And substance to back it up too, the JCW getting Brembo brake calipers, the three-mode driver settings, ESP/brake controlled simulations of a front limited-slip differential and 'Performance Control' torque vectoring by braking to "assist agile turn-in when taking bends at speed".

Four-wheel drive and six doors too!

Fabric trimmed sports seats are standard, as is a bunch of JCW-branded trim, while Mini expects 80 per cent of buyers to chuck another £2,000 at the bottom line with the Chili pack. This adds the choice of "any upholstery from the range", 19-inch wheels over the standard 18s and - try to maintain your excitement - the "storage compartment pack". From additional features for the standard LED lights to a glass panoramic roof and rear doors that open with a foot waved under the rear bumper there are, inevitably, plenty of ways to add further to the price before you even hit the personalisation options. Still, if nothing else, it will most definitely have the most impressive door count in the segment as standard.

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MIDangerfield

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104 months