This is the MINI clubman which means its a touch larger than the standard cooper 4 door but leaner than the SUVish Countryman we just drove…but more thn that this is the habanero infused John Cooper Works model so let’s see what that means
Driving Impressions
Right from the jump i can sum it up for you in a single word
This thing is a menace and it’s all about personality and fun
Under the hood thumps a turbocharged 2 liter 4 cylinder that’s dialed up to 301 hp and 331 lbft. All that power gets to all 4 (get it) wheels through a snappy 8 speed transmission.
And like we said in the Countryman JCW, oh 300 hp doesn’t sound like a lot
BUT this is small
It’s light
It’s chuckable
It’s just about 3600 lbs and it likes to boogie
And yanno what you need to boogie? Music. Which is exactly what comes out the back end of this car
The exhaust is so raucous – i love it
The transmission adds drama to gripping the paddles and makes it worth it to shift yourself
You’ve got sport suspension keeping the chassis flat
And the steering is nice and hefty
I mean it’s just FUN everywhere
The whole personality of the car is about not taking itself too seriously and while you might be fooled by the serious and somber blacked out look, just take a peek aat the big red brakes and the blue mutlitone roof….oh yeah it’s a MINI
I dont think MINIs ever really gret brought up when hot hatches are talked about..
BUT THEY SHOULD BE
I’ve had more fun here than in a GTI
It’s got power on par with Civic Type Rs and Corolla GRs
and with markups on those you’re not even paying that much more
And you get a BMW interior, not a Toyotas
Which seems like a good time to step outside and discuss finer details
Exterior Design
But the fun of the MINI doesn’t stop when you turn the car off and while this is probably one of the more serious specs, there’s still a little personality hidden here
The spec here is Black on black on black
In MINI terms it’s Midnight black 2 paint..not 1 but 2 to be specific
There’s a Red bar across the grille which is very GTI but thats an insult to this JCW
Of course JCW logo in grille
Blacked out mini badge on the hood along with a bulgy hood
And the grille itself i aggressive and so is the lower fascia
Around the side you have JCW “grip spoke” 18 in. black wheels
You have a jcw badge on the front quarter panel
And then you have the coolest roof ever
Blue multitone roof is so cool it makes me wish it didnt have a pano roof
Around back you have the union jack icon taillights
Classic, love it
Another jcw badge on the back
And then the same doors for your trunk that i have on my fridge
Idk why but i love that!
And then at the bottom you’ve got a more aggressive diffuser and chrome tips
I still can’t get over the gradient paint roof. I’ve never seen that before and I shouldn’t be this excited about it but i am – it’s just cool
Interior & Features
Now in terms of the cabin design it’s similar to the exterior. More serious in terms of color, but you can’t spec the funky MINI DNA out of the cabin
You’ve got Cross punch stitched black leather seats
The seats are heated and rimmed in alcantara
You get a Heated JCW sport steering wheel
Behind that you’ve got a Digital cluster moves with the steering wheel – funky
Above that is your HUD – tab of plastic
And then your tech stuff includes a 9 inch infotainment screen
ACP, no AA
It’s got all the toggles and circular ambient light animations from the countryman we drove
Proximity sensors
Fan speed
Volume
It’s just kinda fun
And you’ve got Adaptive cruise
And a wireless charger
You have specced here the split Pano roof
Which is nice and brings in more light to the otherwise black cabin
Rear seats are ok, but not a great place for 6 footers
But you do get nice leather and a quilted thigh support
And you get climate vents and dual USB-C
And then there’s the trunk which opens just like my fridge doors
Idk why but i like that a lot
You just never see it anywhere else
And the trunk itself is a great size for this class
So the cabin here brings a lot of functionality and usability to make a strong case for this zippy little MINI..lets get into the final thoughts
Conclusion
So, the MINI Clubman JCW. We live in a world today where people are paying 50k and over for Civic Type Rs and GR Corollas and they won’t get them for months, if not closer to a year. And then on the other side of the coin your GLA45 AMGs are 5 figures more than this. This MINI Clubman JCW is under 50 grand…only just. But it brings 300 hp and 330 lbft and a luxury interior with a sense of humor so to me it’s a great balance – so thanks to International MINI for letting me have a go