A high performance John Cooper Works (JCW) variation of the Mini Countryman is to be revelled at the Geneva motor show next March. The prototype is undergoing its final testing in winter snow in Austria at present prior to the big launch.
The JCW is said to be headed up for a ‘significant power hike’ compared to the Mini Countryman Cooper S which it is based on, but certain speciation details are not yet clear. Its turbocharged engine has been set out to increase from the moderate 177bhp 1.6-litre petrol to 215bhp.
The car’s speed is also on the up, increasing from 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds (Cooper S) to just 7 seconds. The JCW will house the Cooper S sports suspension, insiders of the new model have revealed. Its rear brakes have also taken an upgrade, with 296mm rear disc brakes, an increase in diameter of 16mm compared to the Cooper S.
Some of the car’s specification remains unclear, but changes to the grille, bumper and wheel arches are clear. A new rear bumper and pseudo diffuser make up the final modifications to the prototype.
The World Rally Championships is all too familiar with Mini, but the Countryman JCW will now give it a further platform from which to promote itself.
The original plans for the Countryman JCW were to roll it out to rival the VW Golf GTI, however this is not the car the Countryman now hopes to compete with. The car is hoped to be in UK showrooms by summer 2012.