IT’S PROBABLY FAIR TO SAY that the original Mini (the one that really was “mini”) was more go-kart-like than almost any other road car. Now, despite the new Mini (and we still refuse to capitalise it, as BMW insists we should) being considerably larger and heavier than the original, the makers claim the new Mini John Cooper Works Hatch turns every kilometre into a “thrilling go-kart experience”, not only on the racetrack, but also on city streets and mountain passes.
The most exciting small sports car in the premium segment is fresh once again (or should that be “yet again”?) with this latest model update.
John Cooper Works character shines through in this latest model refresh, presented even more authentically through the British brand’s new, particularly clear and purist design language carried across from the Mini 3-Door Hatch and Convertible.
At the front of the vehicle, round LED headlights are divided by a protruding hexagonal grille, now featuring a red bar across to distinguish the John Cooper Works Hatch as the top variant in the range. The outline of the front grille also extends further downwards, making it particularly prominent on the new car’s front fascia.
Enlarged cooling air openings ensure optimum temperature control of the drive and brake systems in extremely sporty driving situations. Model-specific side scuttles on the front side panels are redesigned, and at the back, the redesigned rear apron now features a distinctive diffuser to optimise airflow in the rear area of the underbody.
The expressive appearance of the new Mini John Cooper Works Hatch reflects its impressive temperament. Under the hood, a four-cylinder engine with Mini TwinPower Turbo technology, developed with the racing expertise of John Cooper Works, produces a maximum output of 170kW and a maximum torque of 320Nm from a displacement of 2.0 litres.
From standstill, the 6-speed manual Mini John Cooper Works Hatch takes just 6.3 seconds to accelerate to 100 km/h (which is purely academic, since Australia doesn’t get the manual version). The standard 8-speed automatic transmission brings this figure down to just 6.1 seconds.
To complement the impressive performance of the new Mini John Cooper Works Hatch, a centre-mounted sports exhaust system with two 85mm stainless steel tailpipes comes as standard and provides a powerful soundtrack.
On the handling front, the new Mini John Cooper Works Hatch features a number of bespoke enhancements: a sports brake system developed in cooperation with specialist manufacturer Brembo provides optimum braking performance.
At the front, four-piston fixed caliper brakes with internally ventilated discs on the front wheels are finished in blazing red and embellished with John Cooper Works logos. These fill out the spaces behind lightweight John Cooper Works alloy wheels available in both 17- and 18-inch diameters.
A model-specific sports suspension set-up on the new Mini John Cooper Works Hatch provides maximum go-kart thrills, making every city street or mountain pass an exciting experience.
A new version of Mini’s Adaptive Suspension is also available as an option, with a frequency-selective damper that ensures an optimised balance between sportiness and ride comfort. An additional valve smooths out pressure peaks within the damper when driving over minor bumps, creating a smoother overall driving experience.
Damper adjustments take place within just 50 to 100 milliseconds, maximising contact with the road during sporty driving. Mini’s new Adaptive Suspension also operates with more than ten percent greater damping force than before.
Individual requests in the areas of comfort, connectivity and driver assistance can be fulfilled in a particularly targeted manner with newly compiled equipment packages.
These include new options such as lane departure warning included in the Driving Assistant and the Stop & Go function for Active Cruise Control. Park Distance Control (PDC) with sensors at the rear of the vehicle has been added to the standard equipment of the Mini John Cooper Works.
More information on local product packages will be announced closer to market launch.
The new Mini John Cooper Works Hatch now also features a redesigned centre instrument with an 8.8-inch touch display in black panel design as standard, as well as a new operating system with a modern graphic display that makes the selection and control of vehicle functions, audio interface, navigation, communication and apps even more intuitive.
For the first time, Live Widgets are available for this purpose, which can be selected by means of a swiping motion on the touch display.
The displays on the centre instrument and on the optionally available multifunctional instrument display on the steering column can be also shown in two new different colour worlds.
In “Lounge” mode, the display surfaces appear in relaxing shades of blue and turquoise. Switching to “Sport” mode causes the screen backgrounds to glow in red and anthracite.
On request, the colour worlds of the displays can be linked to the Mini Driving Modes (standard in the Mini John Cooper Works). This means that when the SPORT driving mode is activated, the display colour changes at the same time as the accelerator pedal and steering characteristics and, optionally, the damper and gearshift characteristics.
The new Mini John Cooper Works Hatch will arrive in Australia in Q3 2021. Further information on pricing will be announced closer to local market launch.