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There’s a new Mini John Cooper Works in town and it looks… the same. My brain knows it’s new but my eyes tell me otherwise. And after noticing that this one has the same amount of horsepower as the old car, I had to double check I wasn’t reading the 2024 model’s spec sheet. Thankfully for Mini, the JCW’s bulldog charms haven’t waned and it still seems to be the lovable little pug it’s always been (apologies for mixing my canine metaphors).
Yes, Mini insists the JCW is all new for 2025 despite its familiar looks. That’s most evident inside, where its interior is radically different from its predecessor’s. The speedometer was moved back to the dash-mounted, circular screen, which is now bigger than ever. The small gauge cluster ahead of the steering wheel on previous Minis is gone, as is the flip-up head-up display screen. It has a new dashboard that’s made from fabric and has a fun design, the steering wheel is unique in the BMW Group, and it looks more upscale than the old model.
Power goes to the front wheels thanks to a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, which makes the same 228 horsepower as the last-generation JCW. Thankfully, torque is up, with 280 lb-ft versus the last car’s 235 lb-ft, which helps it hit 60 mph in 5.9 seconds in the two-door hardtop or 6.2 seconds in the convertible. The only transmission option either car gets is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The manual is officially dead. It’s a frustrating omission because it’s not like its 5.9-second zero-to-60 time is a blistering number that justifies only using the quick-shifting dual-clutch. Minis have always been about the experience over the numbers, so to see the JCW ditch the manual feels like a very BMW-like business decision and that’s lame.
Wanna know what it does have, though? A 3D augmented reality navigation display on the central screen because that’s exactly what JCW customers wanted. And because it’s automatic-only, there are a few snazzy self-driving features such as the Driving Assistant Plus that can maintain a distance from the car in front, steer to keep it in the lane, brake, and accelerate to maintain speed. Admittedly, there is a function of the massive central screen called Go-Kart mode that removes unnecessary information and replaces it with performance data, such as power, torque, and g-forces.
The Mini JCW will start at $39,195 when it hits dealer lots in January 2025, which is around $8,000 more than a Volkswagen GTI that comes with two extra doors, more cargo space, and a manual transmission option. If you want the JCW Convertible, it’ll cost you a whopping $44,695. I’ve long been a fan of the Mini brand because it’s one of the few that still has some of its original flavor, but the lack of a manual and the high cost of entry make this new JCW seem like it’s missing the entire point.
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