MINI John Cooper Works 1.6 (M) Review

The name is imperative to MINI's long, colourful history. John Cooper was the architect of the imaginative Mini Cooper S, which of course, went on to thrash bigger and more powerful things at the Monte Carlo rally, decades ago.

As you know, a stage one John Cooper Works tuning package has been available exclusively from MINI as a S$5,200 option for the Cooper S. That cranked the power up from 175 bhp to 192 bhp.

The upgraded software was fun while it lasted, but it didn't feel very different due to a lack of brake and suspension upgrades, or the sort of scorching hot hatch body kitting to boot.

And now™

The new MINI John Cooper Works represents what can be said to be the best MINI there is under the reign of the Germans. It is what the M division cars are to BMW, what AMG is to Mercedes, and the new vehicle of a teenage boy's wet dreams.

It is the definitive, hard-core tuning package from the JCW stable that MINI claims, guarantees buyers an edgy, frenzied, quick and lissom intimidator.

Engine

The goals were to heighten power delivery and further flatten the torque curve. First and foremost - a larger turbocharger. This one now produces up to 1.3 bar of boost, up from the standard 0.9 bar.

This in turn, lead to a larger, ported and polished intake for a smooth, unrestricted intake passage. While the pressure-cast aluminium crankcase, cast-iron liners and bed-plate remain unmodified, not much was spared from original 1.6-litre block of the Cooper S. The four cylinder heads are made thicker, there're upgraded gaskets, valves, seat rings and even reinforced pistons - all so that the entire structure is able to withstand the higher engine temperatures. This, in effect, has reduced slightly the compression ratio from 10.5:1 down to 10:1.

Going out the back is a proper, full-on sports exhaust that starts from the manifold and ends at exhaust tips. Everything has changed, and there's much more backfiring noise than you might imagine. It's something that went missing since the R53, supercharged Cooper S was replaced.
The end result is nothing less than 211 bhp at 6,000 rpm, but even that isn't as impressive as the 260 Nm it generates anywhere from 1,850-5,600 rpm. And it will do 280 Nm upwards from 1,950 rpm on overboost.

Benefits are two-fold; the obvious first would be eliminating the need to rev the engine hard, breaking away from the typical driving fashion of Civic Type Rs, Renault Cliosports and so on. Driven less enthusiastically on a daily basis, it also means you save fuel and reduce emissions, because you have all the forward thrust you need at lower engine revs. MINI claims it produces 165 g/km of CO2 and 6.9 litres per 100 km on the combined cycle.

No LSD?

The drivetrain starts with a revised and strengthened six-speed manual transmission that rears its head inside the cabin in the form of a carbon fibre shift knob, its top shrouded in JCW livery. Power gets transmitted to the front wheels via an increasingly complex traction control system.

Its first line of defense is the standard-issue Dynamic Traction Control found in a BMW. This is the first time it has been fitted to a MINI, and comes with three modes. The first is the idiot proof, "fully-turned-on" setting. It cuts the power and works the brakes in the event of slippage. "Partially-turned-on" has an increased level of tolerance before the Dynamic Stability Control program intervenes, while the third defeats traction control altogether.

That's where the JCW Electronic Differential Lock Control (EDLC) comes into play. It electronically slows the faster wheel under hard cornering, while transferring more to the outer one, in order to improve traction, and locks both wheels under full acceleration much like a torque-sensing differential would. The big difference is that unlike DSC and DTC, the EDLC doesn't cut engine power, leaving the driver in total control.

So why did MINI choose not to stick with a tried-and-tested mechanical limited-slip differential (LSD)? According to them, the high amount of torque produced by the JCW MINI causes the LSD to engage and lock up a little too quickly. While this results in fast corner exits, it also causes "anti-torque steer".

The term "torque steer" refers to a steering that pulls to one side under hard acceleration. In effect, shunting a mechanical LSD into the JCW was found to have caused the steering to pull strongly towards dead centre, causing it to track straight ahead under hard-throttle applications in corners. And this was deemed to be an undesirable, unsafe effect in many day-to-day driving situations.
So has that worked out?

Well, yes and no. With the traction control turned off, the ELDC didn't work as well as we had hoped. Still, the car torque steered much of its way to 100 km/h from rest in a time of 6.44 seconds, which in the real world, was almost on par with the likes of a Renaultsport Megane R26 and the Volkswagen Golf R32. To give you a rough idea, its snake crawl-like tendencies in a straight line isn't as obvious compared to a standard Cooper S. However, we would still have preferred a touch more of "hard core", considering the JCW's well-informed driver base.

Shod with 17-inch wheels and 205/45 profile Goodyear Eagle RS-A run-flats, there wasn't much "beginner grip" to start with. Harsh and sloppy turn-ins at moderate speeds were punished with understeer, while the rear slid out of line when the brakes were carelessly held into a bend for too long. Fortunately, the new suspension that was adapted from the MINI Challenge racer was very, very forgiving. It made this car's learning curve far more fun and exciting than any other MINI or hot hatch in this segment could muster.

We anticipate many happy customers having their fun hanging the tail out rather than sheer, G-inducing stunts during the initial trial and error phase. When you finally "get it," you'll find this MINI to be extremely grippy, not to mention fast on the straights as much as it is through corners. The front end clings relentlessly to the line and feels frantic like a sexually-charged, hormone-filled teenager.

It begs you to drive on a charge, wanting to change direction every second, darting from point to point in the most entertaining way imaginable. The more corners, the better. The rear end, while equally excitable, remains as obedient as the driver likes it to be, with no bad habits or nasty surprises. On the limit, it obediently warns of impending doom by nudging outwards of its trajectory ever so slightly.

Power delivery was absolutely flawless. Like the figures suggested, we didn't have to rev it hard to harness most of its talents. The sport button located in front of the gear knob noticeably sharpened throttle and steering response.
The brakes are one of the biggest ever fitted to a factory-stock MINI. The four-pot Brembos had a good, progressive feel to them. There was plenty of resistance and none of that twitchy, jerky temperament present in some big brake kits.

While borderlining on firm, the ride is rarely crashy, and only hints towards being uncomfortable on the bumpiest of Malaysian roads.

The one-sixty K-car

$159,800. That's how much you're going to have to fork out for one of these MINIs. It might sound expensive, but there's a lot of equipment and technology inside it. We'll start with the custom-built engine, which is basically overhauled with strengthened components, not to mention robust cooling and a bigger turbocharger.

Then there's the outside. Unlike the JCW kit that was previously available, this car features lots of exterior components like the bespoke, lightweight 17-inch alloys, front and rear bumpers, as well as side skirts that are unique to this MINI. "John Cooper Works" badges are everywhere and to round it off are the two, terrific sounding exhaust pipes.

There are more logos in the cabin, with extremely comfortable body-hugging sports seats, anthracite roof lining, and racy red bits. In addition, there are run-flat tyres, electric windows and mirrors, and a single-slot CD player with MP3-in capabilities. As far as safety is concerned, there's the DTC, DSC, hill hold assist (which works brilliantly) to prevent your car from rolling backwards, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, tyre pressure warning sensors, as well as driver, passenger, front and side curtain airbags as standard. No surprises for its five-star EuroNCAP crash test rating.

Yes, it's definitely a complete package, one that costs a little bit more than a similar, end-result from tuning garages, but gives you greater peace of mind thanks to a two year, unlimited-distance warranty package from the dealership. But most importantly, the MINI John Cooper Works is one of those cars which won't fail to excite you, and put a smile on your face on any given day.