ON THE ROAD- IAN LYNAS PREVIEWS THE NEW MINI JCW COUNTRYMAN

Down the years, generations of drivers have owned various Minis, many of which have had performance as their priority and today the performance side of the modern Mini rests firmly with the John Cooper Works models famed for their exhilarating performance and equipped with a two litre four-cylinder engine, the new Mini John Cooper Works Countryman delivers quite a driving experience.

The new model has grown noticeably and offers even more space, comfort and safety and with its ALL4 all-wheel drive system, it is also very capable off road. The JCW logo has been redesigned with a modern, clear cut look and for the first time, the logo is being used on the new model in the classic black, red, and white colour scheme. With a sleek design, drag coefficient is just 0.26, making it one of the most aerodynamic cars in its class. A factor which helps the engine generate 221 kW/300bhp, the result from rest to 100 km/h (62mph) in just 5.4 seconds and the 400 Nm of torque adds up to a top speed of 250 km/h (155mph).

Bold and sporty looks reflects its performance and versatility and the exterior features a number of model-specific details that enhance its overall appearance; such as the aerodynamic elements with vertical reflectors on the front of the car emphasise its wide stance, while the new LED headlights with horizontal bars in JCW Signature mode give this crossover a more expressive look. The front end is also characterised by the newly designed octagonal grille in high-gloss black and the high-contrast exterior design, combined with the Legend Grey body colour, emphasises the sporty look of the model. At the rear, the upright JCW Signature Mode tail lights frame the upright vehicle body and underline the increased width. The interior has a reduced design, the cockpit is divided into an upper and lower section, with vertical door handles and air vents in the upper area. The red and black colour scheme at the dashboard, along the door panels and on the high-grade JCW sports seats, is a reminder to Mini’s racing heritage. Ease of use, you can use the toggle switches on the toggle bar to control all driving functions and the central, high-resolution OLED display is home to all the other functions; you can also select the new Mini Experience Modes and set up your preferred driving ambience using specially designed backgrounds and sounds. Feel a touch racy, then the go-kart mode provides a particularly sporty driving experience, and you can hear the engine sound with impressive intensity in the cabin. The Mini projector on the back of the OLED display can be used to bathe the dashboard in atmospheric colour schemes and patterns that correspond to the selected Experience Mode. You can use the voice assistant to operate numerous functions, such as navigation, telephone, and entertainment. Voice-controlled interaction takes place on the circular OLED display in the form of an animation of graphic elements, typography, and an avatar.

Performance is certainly a key factor for those who opt to buy this vehicle; however there is the practical side and the rear is highly versatile and spacious. The rear row of seats can be adjusted in length by up to 13 centimetres; with the rear seat folded down, even bulky items can be easily transported in the 460 – 1,450 litre luggage compartment.

The Mini JCW Countryman first appeared in public in 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show, going on sale in the autumn of the same year with the first generation model having a power output of 228bhp.

Ian Lyna