MINI John Cooper Works Clubman arrives
The MINI John Cooper Works Clubman – a go-faster MINI Estate – arrives ahead of a Paris Motor Show. Already on sale at MINI’s UK dealers.
MINI may be reducing their range of offerings by disposing of rather unfortunate iterations like the Paceman, but here’s a new MINI with a demographic which must be very small – the MINI John Cooper Works Clubman.
Revealed ahead of a public debut at the Paris Motor Show later this month, the MINI JCW Clubman could, we suppose, be viewed a bit like an AMG or M Estate, just on a smaller scale. It just somehow doesn’t feel like a car you’d want.
The MINi Clubman’s a decent and appealing family car, and does a good job of mopping up MINI lovers with a family who just can’t face the oversized Countryman (wait until they see the new Countryman).
Its ability to take endless baby stuff in the boot – and swallow shopping – makes it a sensible semi-premium buy, but how much of that demographic will want to spend £30k to go a bit faster and look, well, a bit of a prat?
Under the skin, power is much as you get in the JCW Hatch, although you get more torque at 258lb/ft, which means a 2.0 litre turbo petrol with 228bhp, and there’s four-wheel drive for a 0-62mph of 6.3 seconds whether you have the manual or optional eight-speed auto.
Bigger Brembos haul the rather heavy JCW Clubman (extra body and 4WD adds weight) and there’s a stiffer suspension setup too, as well as MINI’s Drive Selector to tweak responses. Adaptive dampers are a (probably sensible) option.
Cosmetically, you’ll get stuff like contrast roof, stripes and red bits to mark the JCW out from a mere Cooper S (although you can delete option the stripes) and a JCW body kit, with the interior getting sports seats, stainless steel pedals, red bits and JCW sill plates.
Standard kit includes stuff like LED lights and parking sensors, and the ubiquitous Chilli pack option you really need to add is an extra £2k.
That will make a MINi JCW Clubman with auto ‘box and Chilli Pack £32,945. Which is just £1500 less than the entry-level VW Golf R Estate.
Just saying.
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