MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50

MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50 is off to the USA

The MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50 – aka MINI JCW WC50 – is heading to the States, with just 50 units crossing the Pond to sell for over $40k.

The MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50 – possibly the longest name yet to adorn a MINI special Edition – was launched last Summer at the height of the celebrations of 50 years of all things MINI (and Mini – BMW owes it all to Audtin, Morris and Alec Issigonis, after all).

The MINI JCW WC50 (even the shortened version’s a mouthful) has had every bit of kit at MINI’s disposal thrown at it, so it gets stuff like keyless start & entry, leather seats, Climate and Harmon Kardon. It gets decked out in retro Connaught Green with a white roof and white stripes up the bonnet.

Sadly, it doesn’t get and mechanical fettling. It’s bog-standard JCW under the skin. It offers huge performance from its 1.6 litre, 208bhp 4-pot lump, which is guaranteed to make those of us old enough to remember the go-kart feel of the original Mini grin from ear to ear.

But the downside of all that power – which is great fun at more modest speeds – is that it all goes Pete Tong when you really press on. The chassis of the JCW really isn’t up to the power the engine can deliver, and there is some severe understeer to deal with if you push hard. Still, that makes it feel ‘traditional’, but with a bit of investment it could be sorted.

And when you’re paying £33,000 for a MINI – yes, you read that right – you can reasonably expect it to be a bit special, rather than just bolt on goodies on a standard car – the MINI JCW – and a hefty £10k extra. Still, 250 were built and 250 were sold.

But never being ones to overlook an opportunity, MINI has decided that it won’t in fact just build 250 for Europe, it will churn out and extra 250 and send 50 of those of to the Land of the Free. At over $40,000. Which is more than the price of a brand new Cadillac CTS.

Still. One per State. Must be do-able.