The MINI John Cooper Works 3dr packs a huge firecracker punch that is just in time for the Lunar New Year
Fast doesn’t necessarily equal fun, a concept that could cause some consternation to the right-foot-happy traffic light racer bois.
After all, if fast is all you’re after, few things can out-accelerate an EV from standstill, so going electric might be a better solution if you’re in search of a quick fix to be 1-1-1 from one traffic light to the next.
Driving enthusiasts tend to have a more discerning palate, because they recognise that outright speed takes a back-seat to a balanced, feelsome chassis with communicative steering, such as the MINI John Cooper Works 3dr offers.
Unfortunately, the glare of social media hype tends to throw a spotlight on click-baity 0-100km/h times, although we should qualify that this panders mostly to casual enthusiasts, and is the least of what driving enthusiasts look for in a fun car.
In this digital age, driving aficionados still enjoy an analogue feel at the helm. In some quarters, chasing the fast-faster-fastest (or new-newer-newest) is regarded as mid, because the real rizz takes the form of a fun and feisty car that is big on the feels.
Tuned for more thrilling performance over the regular Cooper S, the 3dr John Cooper Works (JCW for short) is a real throwback to the motorsports heyday of the Mini brand.
Granted, the memes like to poke fun at its not-so-mini proportions (compared to the original), but it’s all about relative size and fun factor. It is still relatively compact by today’s standards, and more importantly, serves up a salaciously engaging drive that puts many faster cars to shame.
We size-tested the JCW at some older carparks like the ones in the Holland Road Shopping Centre, which features period-correct lots from the early 1970s when it was built. There was enough wriggle-room for both occupants to enter/exit and the 3dr JCW looked positively diminutive in the space alongside today’s behemoths.
Despite its cutesy looks, the 3dr JCW cuts a menacing figure in the test-car’s black-red livery, day-glo headlights and motorsports-oriented aero and cooling elements, especially as it lurks in wait in a corner lot.
The cabin exudes a racy vibe with JCW-specific equipment details in red and black, all built around the marque’s familiar cabin architecture, which is dominated by the characteristic oversized OLED touchscreen in the centre console.
There’s a nice weight to the steering as you ease the JCW onto the road – not too light, not too heavy, but just right. The reactions aren’t overly urgent, more alert and responsive to helm inputs, with a natural, progressive feel to the proceedings that don’t make things sporty but not too darty.
The B48 turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine punches out a rousing 231hp and 380Nm to transform the 3dr MINI into a firecracker on wheels, complete with the snap-crackle-pop that accompanies up- down-shifts of its 7spd dual clutch transmission.
Its fat wedge of torque roils in at 1500rpm and one can surf its wave all the way to the mid-range rev-band, which makes it perfectly punchy for B-road bombing and peak-hour overtaking manoeuvres.
The engine’s performance is just a part of the equation, because when this is combined to the entertaining chassis, one had better be race-prepped for the JCW’s scintillating driving experience. There’s a solid substance to every aspect of the JCW’s go-faster credentials and this spans the tactile feel of its controls all the way to its driving dynamics.
The cheeky cherub blows onto the scene like a welcome breath of fresh air, especially in a market inundated by EVs. There’s a playful agility to the cheery JCW that adds sugar, spice and all things nice to carving up corners.
The unbridled fun served up by the JCW means it will always be the life of any party and it’s hard to think of a better way to usher in the Year of the Horse for die-hard petrolheads.
MINI John Cooper Works 3dr
Engine 1998cc, inline4, turbocharged
Power 231hp at 5000 - 6000rpm
Torque 380Nm at 1500 - 4000rpm
Transmission 7spd dual-clutch auto
0-100km/h 6.1secs
Top Speed 250km/h
