2017 Mini Clubman John Cooper Works
- Matthew Griffiths
- Oct 25, 2016
- 2 min read
Most potent Clubman ever gets 228bhp, all-wheel drive and will be priced from £29,345 when it arrives in December
It’s the latest Mini to get the full-fat John Cooper Works (JCW) treatment and the Clubman JCW was unveiled in all its glory at the 2016 Paris Motor Show.
The five-seat six-doored (with split tailgate) Clubman is now into its second-generation after BMW’s reincarnation of the model in 2007, and in JCW guise becomes the most powerful to date.
It gets ALL4 all-wheel drive as standard and a twin-turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine that produces 228bhp between 5000-6000rpm and 258lb ft of torque delivered between 1450-4800rpm. It’ll get from standstill to 62mph in 6.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 148mph.
Power is sent through either a standard six-speed automatic gearbox or optional eight-speed sports Steptronic automatic gearbox, which gets steering wheel-mounted paddles. In conjunction with the option navigation XL system, the auto ‘box prepares for upcoming junctions or corners to avoid unnecessary gear changes, improving fuel efficiency.
The auto box provides better economy than the manual, returning 41.5mpg on a combined cycle and emitting 154g/km of CO2, with the manual managing 38.2mpg and 168g/km of CO2, respectively.
In normal driving conditions, the Clubman is predominantly powered through its front wheels, with torque being sent to the rear-axle in a fraction of a second should the onboard computers detect the need when conditions become slippery or during more exuberant driving.
A front differential in combination with dynamic stability control and dynamic traction control work to keep the Clubman JCW facing the way you want, and with the sports suspension, improves handling. An electromechanical power steering system is speed sensitive to provide precision when pushing on and ease of use when manoeuvring at lower speeds.
The Mini gets an adaptable driving mode function which is controlled by a rotary dial by the gear lever and includes Green, Mid and Sport settings. Variable damper control is available as an optional extra.
To bring all this excitement to a stop are uprated four-piston calliper Brembo brakes, painted red with a John Cooper Works logo for added pizzazz.
Inside, John Cooper Works gets special black sports seats in Dinamica/fabric trim as standard, as well as a leather steering wheel, embossed door sills, stainless steel pedals and anthracite roof liner.
Standard equipment includes 18in alloy wheels, LED headlights, air-conditioning, sat-nav, a 6.5in colour infotainment screen, Bluetooth, rear parking sensors and a hands-free opening tailgate.
From the options list, the seats can be upgraded to leather, there’s a Harman Kardon sound system, Navigation XL which gets an 8.8-inch, 19in alloy wheels, heated seats and a heated windscreen.
The Clubman John Cooper Works is now available to order with the first customer deliveries expected in December 2016. Prices start at £29,345 for the manual, raising to £30,945 for the automatic.
