The Mini JCW Conor Twomeytested at Donnington was a seriously fast machine with a seriously heavy price to boot.
WHEN I GOT the call a few weeks ago inviting me to the Mini John Cooper Works launch in Donnington Park I have to confess I was a bit perplexed. Only a month or so previously I had been driving a Mini Cooper S John Cooper Works (it was festooned in badges so I'm sure of it) around the Dublin mountains.
So I didn't understand what Mini was launching exactly. However, as it seemed to offer the chance to thrash Minis around the future Formula One circuit I kept my thoughts to myself and signed up for what promised to be a fun day. Upon arriving in Donnington, however, two things became apparent.
Firstly, the Mini we were summoned to drive wasn't accessorised with a heap of bolt-on John Cooper Works bits, as my previous test car was, but a whole new model that comes out of the factory as you see in the pictures.
The John Cooper Works accessories are still offered for lesser Minis, of course, but by ordering a Mini John Cooper Works it costs a lot less than buying a Mini and fitting all the parts afterwards, while also offering some unique enhancements and more power than the aftermarket JCW kit.
The second thing that became apparent was that we weren't going to be driving them on the full Formula One circuit after all. Instead, they set up a "Mini Donnington" which was basically a white outline of the track painted on to the car park. And despite having eight miles of tarmac in all directions, stability control and traction control had to stay on at all times.
No Mini adventures here, then. Thankfully, the challenging road route just about made up for the Donnington disappointment (I mean, who goes to Donnington to drive around the car park?). I also have to grudgingly concede it's also a more realistic test of how the Mini JCW drives, than haring around the track ever would be, allowing the hottest ever production Mini to really show its stuff. Thanks to a reinforced cylinder head, intake valves and pistons, not to mention its larger turbo-charger, special exhaust and strengthened gearbox, the 1.6-litre JCW engine produces 211hp and 280Nm or torque (on overboost) making the 1,160kg Mini JCW hatch truly eye-wideningly quick.
From standstill, 100km/h arrives in a staggering 6.5 seconds and its top speed is a rapid 240km/h. At low speeds you need to have both hands on the steering wheel as the torque steer is pretty serious, but once rolling it's devastatingly fast. Because there's a whole avalanche of torque available from just below 2,000rpm, you can overtaking in almost any gear, but if you work the slick six-speed gearbox hard it will have cars like the Golf GTi and Focus ST searching for answers.
And it is no less impressive in the corners with its sport suspension, larger Brembo brakes, standard ESC and an Electronic Differential Lock Control, which is a slightly misleading term used to describe a traction-control system.
The people at Mini make the usual claims about cars fitted with such devices being faster around the track (we'll have to take their word for it) versus those with mechanical locking differentials, but out on "Mini Donnington" it was a poor substitute for a proper differential. It's very effective in the way it uses the ABS to brake the spinning wheel, but it's not nearly as involving as finding your own traction. On the open road, though, the Mini JCW really comes alive - it's darty, agile, communicative, fast and great fun, as you'd expect the fastest Mini to be.
However, the downside is a fairly stiff ride and, at €39,495, it's not exactly good value either.
A special bodykit, air conditioning, 17-inch alloy wheels and a host of other features are standard, though, while its impressive fuel economy figure of 6.9L/100km and CO2 output of 165g/km means Band D running costs, which is some consolation. Just be sure to take one for a proper test drive before you buy. It's really not much fun around the car park, trust me.
Factfile: Mini John Cooper Works
Engine:1598cc inline, four-cylinder turbo; 211hp and 280Nm (1,850-5,600rpm)
Acceleration:0-100km/h 6.5 seconds (6.8s Clubman)
Top speed:240km/h (240km/h Clubman)
Weight:1,160kg
CO2 emissions:165g/km (hatch and Clubman)
Tax:band D - 24 per cent
VRT:€430 annual road tax
Specification:ESC with "Dynamic" traction control and EDLC; ABS; up-rated Brembo brakes; front, side and curtain airbags; tyre pressure monitors; sports seats; leather steering wheel; manual air conditioning; front fog lights; USB MP3-player connector; 17" alloy wheels; runflat tyres; trip computer; stop/start button
L/100km:6.9 (hatch and Clubman)
Price:Hatch - €39,495; Clubman - TBA (arrives early 2009)