Mini is bringing John Cooper Works to India: All you should know

British carmaker Mini recently launched the Cooper JCW in India, which is a performance enhanced version of the standard Cooper. JCW stands for John Cooper Works and has given the car a 2-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine which makes 231PS of maximum power and 319Nm of peak torque. This gives the car a 0-100kmph time of 6.1 seconds, with an ex-showroom price tag of Rs 43.5 lakh (ex-showroom). (Image: Moneycontrol)

British racing expert and car manufacturer Mini is known for making fast, agile yet compact cars, with an almost go-kart like handling. After launching the John Cooper Works (JCW) pro edition in 2017, the company is back in India with another JCW after two years of absence.

John Cooper was a British racing legend who radicalized the international racing scene with the development of his rear-engine chassis. This improved the handling of the vehicles massively, allowing them to remain stable at higher speeds. Adopting his design legacy, Mini has worked on its already impressive Cooper hatchback to bring the Mini John Cooper Works.

Along with a new paint scheme, the 2019 iteration of the Mini JCW gets many mechanical upgrades as well. The company has integrated a particulate filter in the exhaust system for cleaner emissions. It carries forward its traditional 2-liter four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine which makes 234 PS of maximum power and 319 Nm of peak torque. The car is available with an option between a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic gearbox overseas, but it remains to be seen if Mini will launch the manual variant in India.

The changes made by JCW to the hatchback include a revised chassis, sport brake system, and a proper mechanical limited slip differential. It also gets uprated springs, dampers, lighter suspension components, new anti-roll bars, and lightweight bearings, among others. All this translates to extremely refined handling, with the car turning in corners almost like a go-kart.

The design of the hatchback remains mostly unchanged except for a few subtle differences. It gets Union Jack highlights for the tail lamps, along with piano black accents for the interiors. It also gets JCW- specific sport bucket seats.

It is expected that the 2019 Mini John Cooper Works will be priced in a premium range of Rs 45-50 lakhs (ex-showroom). The car is expected to be launched nationwide on May 9 and will be available in limited number.