2008 Mini John Cooper Works

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What is it?
2008 Mini John Cooper Works

What's special about it?
The Mini John Cooper Works is back — and with 218 horsepower it is wilder than ever. Revealed here in the first official photographs prior to its first public outing at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show, the new range-topping Mini has been thoroughly reworked for 2008. It features an upgraded turbocharged 1.6-liter engine, revised chassis tuning, distinctive body kit and plush new interior helping to set it apart from lesser second-generation Mini models.

The new car, which also forms the basis of the latest Mini Challenge racecar, will be sold in both two-door hatchback and three-door Clubman body styles from the outset of North American sales in August — although it is the former that promises to provide the sharper performance and more involving driving experience by way of its compact dimensions and comparatively low weight.

You don't have to be an avid fan of the famed British marque to tell the new car is something special. At the front, there's a deeper front bumper for improved airflow, and standard foglights. Further back, the look differs on each model, with the hatchback receiving chunky sills underneath the doors with air ducts for the rear brakes, while the longer-wheelbase Clubman retains the standard sills. The rear is also distinguished on both models with differing bumper and tailpipe treatments.

Filling out the wheel arches are 17-inch wheels with 205/45 low-profile run-flat tires. They weigh less than 22 pounds each, providing the new Mini range topper with significantly lower unsprung mass than its predecessor, according to BMW. They're modeled on the multispoke wheels used by Mini on its Challenge racecar.

Changes inside also reflect the car's sporty nature, with a new three-spoke steering wheel, revised instrument pack, sport seats and Alcantara head lining.

Developed and produced in partnership with Peugeot, the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder direct-injection power plant in the John Cooper Works packs 8 hp more than its predecessor. It has also gained an additional 11 pound-feet of torque. An overboost function liberates a further 15 lb-ft, taking the peak up to 207 lb-ft.

The new engine carries a number of detailed modifications, including specially ground pistons, a more rigid cylinder head and reworked valve seat rings along with 18.9 pounds of turbocharger boost. Still, there's little doubt that aftermarket tuners will easily be able to liberate a good deal more with even higher boost pressure and a higher-volume intake manifold.

In typical Mini practice, drive is sent to the front wheels via a closely stacked six-speed Getrag manual gearbox and 3.65:1 final-drive ratio. Additionally, the John Cooper Works gets an electronically controlled locking differential function that is engaged via the DSC (dynamic stability control) switch. Mini claims zero to 62 mph in 6.5 seconds for the three-door hatchback, an improvement of just 0.2 second. The larger Clubman requires a slightly longer 6.8 seconds. Top speed in each case is 148 mph — some 8 mph up on the first-generation John Cooper Works. Combined fuel consumption, always a Mini strong point, is put at 34 mpg for the coupe and 33 mpg for the Clubman.

Building on the already highly agile nature of the second-generation Cooper S, its MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension has been heavily retuned, with firmer bushings, springs and dampers, together with more resilient stabilizers and a lower ride height. Along with the standard suspension, Mini is offering two optional packages that are claimed to elevate the new model's dynamic behavior even further. They include a Sports package that adds firmer dampers at each corner as well as beefed-up stabilizer bars front and rear — all aimed at providing greater body control.

Above that is the so-called John Cooper Works package, aimed primarily at customers who intend on heading to the track. It further lowers the ride height and adds even firmer dampers and larger stabilizers. Other changes center around the weighting of the electronically assisted steering system and the mapping of the throttle — both of which can be altered via a Sports switch on the dashboard console. The settings chosen for the John Cooper Works differ from those found on the Cooper S, giving it what Mini describes as "an even more aggressive nature."

The brakes have also grown in size and ability. They now measure 12.3 inches in diameter and are vented up front, with the rear receiving solid 11-inch rotors. The calipers, too, have been upgraded and, as on the first-generation model, are painted red and bear the JCW emblem. There's no shortage of electric driving aids. Standard equipment includes ABS antilock for the brakes, EBD (electronic brakeforce distribution), CBC (cornering brake control) and DSC (Dynamic Stability Control), including hill-start assistance and DTC (Dynamic Traction Control).

Pricing in the U.S. will be $28,550 for the R56 coupe and $30,800 for the R56 Clubman, with sales beginning in August.

What's Edmunds' take?
Mini proves that it hasn't lost its drive for performance; just be prepared to pay for it. — Andreas Stahl, Contributor