MINI John Cooper Works Quick Test

The original Austin Mini was a product of the British Motor Corporation and the engineering genius of Sir Alec Issigonis. Its performance image, however, is owed to race car constructor John Cooper and the Monte Carlo Rally-dominating Minis that bore his name.

Fast forward 40 years and we have a BMW-owned MINI brand cleverly drawing on the 1960s mystique by applying the name "John Cooper Works" to the most exciting product in its lineup. The baddest MINI of all also borrows something else the original had in spades: charisma.

With an original 1962 Austin Mini on hand as a gauge of sorts, the strengths of the most charismatic current MINI - the John Cooper Works model - jump out at you right away. Charming from every angle, both the Austin and our new second-generation MINI JCW drew smiles and thumbs-up nearly everywhere they went.

The new one, a BMW Group product but with much of the engineering work done in England, has a real premium feel, especially inside where its playful, quirky interior design is a real grabber.

From its Big Ben-sized central speedometer to its array of toggle switches, it's all in character—eccentric and charming. Even starting the car is unusual.

Once it's motoring, the little MINI surprises with its composure and pace. The ride is well controlled and completely acceptable given the JCW's mission as MINI's top-performing model. You hear thumps rather than feel them as you would (perhaps not surprisingly) in a BMW 3-series.

While the original Mini earned its street-cred through its racing successes, the new MINI JCW relies on performance-enhancing upgrades transforming it from a fun, sporty car into a performance hooligan.

The JCW's 1.6-liter, direct-injected turbocharged four, pulled from the Cooper S model has been thoroughly revised, now delivering 208 hp and - on an overboost function - 207 lb-ft of torque. Weighing in at just 2600 lbs, this is one bad MINI.

"Electronic Differential Lock Control" - basically an electronic limited-slip diff - is standard equipment, but to access its full abilities, you need to deactivate the stability control system... which means turning off your safety net.

Add in a playful rear axle, and you have one of the most fun front-wheel-drivers imaginable, the electronic differential working overtime as you drift out of corners aggressively, while the front brakes struggle with the 208 hp trying to vaporize the front tires.

At $30 grand, the MINI JCW's price tag is perhaps the single bad piece of news. ("They want how much for a car this small?!!?") Incredibly enough however, you'll think it's worth it after you've lived with it even for a short while.

Alluring in inverse proportion to its size, the 2009 MINI John Cooper Works captures the presence and charisma of the Issigonis-designed original and packages it in a modern, compact and premium box. It's one very compelling little car.

Watch the video
Read Part 1: Design
Read Part 2: Interior & User Experience
Read Part 3: Performance

MINI John Cooper Works

Performance
- Acceleration: Hang on to the wheel and prepare for torque steer! - goes impressively quickly, though, feeling faster than it is
- Handling: Playful rear axle makes this one of the most fun front-wheel-drive cars available... once you turn off the stability control system
- Braking: Brembos don't have to struggle when they're charged with slowing just over 2600 lbs of car

Design
- Exterior: Conservative redesign of the first BMW MINI, but still quite nice - smile inducing and fun to look at
- Interior: An ergonomics nightmare that grows on you with familiarity - quirky design great to look at as well

Utility
- Comfort: Up front, no sweat, in back, less so - back seat ingress/egress not for the inflexible... don't throw out that hip!
- Space: It is called a mini after all - not truly a four-seater if you've also got to put things in it, but again, it's a MINI

Safety
- Dynamics: Eager to shake its butt when you're playing around, but stability control keeps it in check during normal driving - super easy to maneuver around obstacles
- Technology: Airbags galore, stability control, traction control, electronic brake force distribution, yadda, yadda... you can't beat physics though, so don't crash

Value
- Price: The single bad piece of news... "They want how much for a car this small?!!?" Incredibly, though, you'll think it's worth it after you live with it
- Mileage: As usual with turbocharged cars (especially light-weight cars), stay out of the boost and reap the rewards

Emotional Appeal
- Heart thumpin' factor: Premium feel, spunky character and cheeky design will have you treating it like a pet and loving every bit of it
- Fun to spank: Once you send the stability and traction control systems on a break, fun, fun, fun to be had... for a front-wheel driver anyway

SPECIFICATIONS

Layout: Front engine / Front-wheel drive
Engine: 1.6 liter, turbocharged inline-4
Power (SAE): 208 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 207 lb-ft @ 2000-5300 rpm *on overboost*
Gearbox: 6-speed manual
Curb Weight: 2655 lbs.
0-60 mph: 6.0 sec.
1/4 mile: 14.4 @ 99 mph
Top Speed: 147 mph
Mileage: 26 city / 34 highway
Base Price: $29,200
Competitors: Mazdaspeed3, Volkswagen GTI, Honda Civic Si