Tuesday 18th December 2018

Mini JCW back in production after six months off

231hp hot hatch has been given a WLTP-satisfying filter and shiny new trim

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Unless you've walked into a Mini showroom in the past five months and demanded to spec up a new JCW, you probably wouldn't have realised that the model has been off sale. Production of the 231hp hot hatch halted in July so it could be retested under the more stringent Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), which is here to stay following all of those nasty emissions scandals.

But now, fresh from its retesting on the continent, the Mini JCW is back - only now with more filters! Order books for the new WLTP-friendly JCW are due to reopen on the January 18th and first deliveries are set for March, when - like pretty much every other retested car on sale - these Minis will have a new particulate filter in their exhaust systems.

You might expect such a change to adversely affect the performance of the turbocharged 2.0-litre up front, yet Mini claims there's been no impact in whatsoever. The quickest variant, the JCW hatch, retains its 6.3-second 0-62mph time and is said to be equally as efficient as before the addition of the new clean up hardware. The story's the same with the convertible, which keeps its 6.6-second time.

Thing is, the WLTP test is quite a bit harder than NEDC. So even though Mini claims its hot hatch is no keener to puff out greenhouse gases, the JCW's listed CO2 output has risen from 150g/km to 167g/km, which - unlike that NEDC number - should be a better representative of what can actually be achieved in the real world. Don't fret if you're in the market for a JCW, however, as the increase is too insignificant to push the model into the next tax band.

Not wanting this update to all be about WLTP, Mini's also added some shiny new trim to its hottest model. The JCW gets Piano Black exterior and interior trim, dinamica leather-wrapped sports seats and new 17-inch wheels. This adds to the car's other standard fit features, such as LED lighting, automatic headlights and wipers and, of course, that rorty exhaust note.

[howardhughes]

I have the first gen R53 Works, by far the best variant in the works range.
The only thing I like on the latter is the rear Union Jack lights. Everything else is awful.
They are just too big and bulbous.

[Augustus Windsock]

Mini? HaHa!
Size of a bloody Austin Maxi (for those old enough...) and about as attractive too...

[mylesmcd]

Branding. That is all.

[sidesauce]

mylesmcd said:

Branding. That is all.

No, that's not all actually. It's making money for BMW too, plus contributing toward giving over 4,000 people jobs in Oxford and Swindon.

[Turbobanana]

More vents and scoops than an Audi Sport quattro.

Sadly without any of the appeal.

[Challo]

Augustus Windsock said:

Mini? HaHa!
Size of a bloody Austin Maxi (for those old enough...) and about as attractive too...

First time I have heard that joke.

[wab172uk]

Manufacturers must have lost a fortune with all this WLTP testing. More so Audi, who seam to be in a right pickle over it.

Still, cheat the system, and pay the consequences.

[alexrogers92]

Cue tiresome comments about the size of the car and how 'the original was far better'...

[smithyithy]

alexrogers92 said:

Cue tiresome comments about the size of the car and how 'the original was far better'...

Every time, without fail. People need to get over it. MINI is a brand name, that's it.

And they're bloody good little cars now IMO, I had the Cooper S of this generation for 3 years, absolutely loved it.

[anonymous-user]

smithyithy said:

Every time, without fail. People need to get over it. MINI is a brand name, that's it.

And they're bloody good little cars now IMO, I had the Cooper S of this generation for 3 years, absolutely loved it.

Agreed, Mrs Wingman has a 2014 Cooper S and it's an absolute blast. It's still pretty small and nimble too, feels a lot smaller to my F21 1 Series.

[kurokawa]

smithyithy said:

Every time, without fail. People need to get over it. MINI is a brand name, that's it.

And they're bloody good little cars now IMO, I had the Cooper S of this generation for 3 years, absolutely loved it.

Recently test drive the F57 Cooper S, M240i and ND MX-5, F57 is my favorite
F57 is not as good handling as ND MX-5 but win every other aspect, F57 is not as well insulate as 2 series and not as fast, but it have better driving dynamic, and I still found Mini small when a 2 series supposed to be smallest BMW is as big as a E36 3series

[cerb4.5lee]

wingman0401 said:

smithyithy said:

Every time, without fail. People need to get over it. MINI is a brand name, that's it.

And they're bloody good little cars now IMO, I had the Cooper S of this generation for 3 years, absolutely loved it.

Agreed, Mrs Wingman has a 2014 Cooper S and it's an absolute blast. It's still pretty small and nimble too, feels a lot smaller to my F21 1 Series.

I'm another fan of them, I love mine and I think it is great fun to drive. It puts a smile on my face and I like that from a car. I do think that the F56 isn't very easy on the eyes though, but you don't see the outside when you're sat behind the steering wheel.

[DJT]

230+bhp in a mini and it can't better 6.3s to 62mph. I'd expect better. It must be heavy or geared wrong.

[Turbobanana]

Augustus Windsock said:

Mini? HaHa!
Size of a bloody Austin Maxi (for those old enough...) and about as attractive too...

DJT said:

230+bhp in a mini and it can't better 6.3s to 62mph. I'd expect better. It must be heavy or geared wrong.

We're off to a flying start this morning.

Just awaiting:

- How much!?
- Overhangs
- Something about a remapped 330d

[cerb4.5lee]

DJT said:

230+bhp in a mini and it can't better 6.3s to 62mph. I'd expect better. It must be heavy or geared wrong.

They are pretty heavy for what is a fairly small car, Autocar weighed the 2014 F56 3dr Cooper S at 1265kg(facelift is even heavier). The JCW is even more heavy, the Mini doesn't offer a lot of performance per pound thats for sure(both in terms of weight and money).

I thought my Cooper S was expensive for what it is(£25k with the options) and the JCW will easily tip over £30k. For that money there are quite a few cars to choose from that are much faster. You don't see that many JCW out on the road for that reason I'd imagine.

[rampageturke]

Turbobanana said:

More vents and scoops than an Audi Sport quattro.

Sadly without any of the appeal.

Shall we count?



i count 18 here

actually maybe 16, the one infront of the rear wheel doesnt appear to be one

Edited by rampageturke on Wednesday 19th December 11:05

[kurokawa]

cerb4.5lee said:

They are pretty heavy for what is a fairly small car, Autocar weighed the 2014 F56 3dr Cooper S at 1265kg(facelift is even heavier). The JCW is even more heavy, the Mini doesn't offer a lot of performance per pound thats for sure(both in terms of weight and money).

I thought my Cooper S was expensive for what it is(£25k with the options) and the JCW will easily tip over £30k. For that money there are quite a few cars to choose from that are much faster. You don't see that many JCW out on the road for that reason I'd imagine.

I though the pre LCI JCW start with 23K and 26K for Hatch/Convertible respectively without any option?
Which is about 3-4k over the standard S model
or I guess it will be 26K for LCI JCW hatch and may be 30K for LCI JCW Convertible

I am about to place my order on F57 Cooper S, may be I should hold till they release the JCW price list

[beanoir]

Shame about the tacky rear lights!

[Numeric]

We adored our R56 minis - first a cooper s and then JCW both company hacks. Epic little things that punch a long way above their weight in many ways.

Coming back from Oz I just felt that some of the terrier charm had been lost so we went 1-series, not a great looking car but we were so disappointed with the look of the current Mini that we couldn't seem to get beyond that. It felt I guess a little grown up as well compared with the hooligans, so while the 1 is just as grown up it has over 300ps to make up for it!

Oddly I've just got a mint R59 JCW for a winter car and a bit of a laugh in the summer (don't ask) and although far from perfect it reminds me so much of what a JCW should be - just complete grin inducing idiocy. I adore it.

So I hope the next one will be better looking to my old eyes - and rekindles the hooligan - but I guess the real market is for sensible so while the looks may improve, the craziness is banished for good.

[cerb4.5lee]

kurokawa said:

cerb4.5lee said:

They are pretty heavy for what is a fairly small car, Autocar weighed the 2014 F56 3dr Cooper S at 1265kg(facelift is even heavier). The JCW is even more heavy, the Mini doesn't offer a lot of performance per pound thats for sure(both in terms of weight and money).

I thought my Cooper S was expensive for what it is(£25k with the options) and the JCW will easily tip over £30k. For that money there are quite a few cars to choose from that are much faster. You don't see that many JCW out on the road for that reason I'd imagine.

I though the pre LCI JCW start with 23K and 26K for Hatch/Convertible respectively without any option?
Which is about 3-4k over the standard S model
or I guess it will be 26K for LCI JCW hatch and may be 30K for LCI JCW Convertible

I am about to place my order on F57 Cooper S, may be I should hold till they release the JCW price list

Yes you're right and £30k would be pushing it a bit but still possible I reckon. I do think that they're expensive for a car that is perceived as fairly cheap(as in a shopping car/run around). Don't get me wrong I'm a fan of the JCW, and I still think you can get a Golf Gti for £20k! So that's how out of touch I am with pricing!!