Mini Countryman JCW sprints in

MINI’S Countryman John Cooper Works performance crossover will sprint into showrooms late next month from $56,900 plus on-road costs, a $10,400 leap over the petrol-powered Countryman S that was launched in March.

The addition of the spicy Countryman brings Mini Australia’s JCW variant count to four, including the three-door Hatch, the Clubman and the Convertible. The 5-door is yet to be offered in JCW guise.

It also becomes the priciest JCW on offer Down Under, coming in at $8800 more than the Hatch, $3000 more than the Clubman and $1200 more expensive than the Convertible.

The Countryman’s nearest rival, the freshly launched Audi Q2, is not offered with a performance variant, but a 140kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged TFSI petrol Quattro version is set to arrive later this year as competitor for the hot Mini.

As reported, the Countryman JCW borrows its powertrain from the Clubman JCW, which is a 2.0-litre ‘TwinPower’ petrol turbocharged engine pumping out 170kW at 5000-6000rpm and 350Nm at 1450-4500rpm.

Like the Clubman JCW and the Countryman SD, it has Mini’s ALL4 all-wheel-drive system and is paired with an eight-speed sports automatic transmission, while a six-speed manual gearbox is a no-cost option.

Fuel consumption is 7.4 litres per 100km on the combined cycle for the automatic (the manual is 7.8L), and CO2 emissions range from 168-179g/km.

The zero to 100km/h sprint is completed in 6.5 seconds before hitting a top speed of 234km/h, and drivers can change up their driving experience by selecting from Normal, Sport or Green modes.

Some of the standard gear in the JCW includes red grille insert surrounds as well as JCW-specific door sills, gear shifter, instrumentation and stainless steel sports pedals.

It also gains ‘Hazy Grey’ interior surfaces, Anthracite roof headliner, rear seat armrests, a 12-speaker Harman/Kardon HiFi system, Mini’s Navigation System Professional, LED headlights, a speed limiter and a head-up display with JCW-specific content such as nav info, driving speed, phone and audio lists, engine revs, gear indicator and shift point.

Standard safety gear includes adaptive cruise control from 0-140km/h with Stop and Go function, Driver Assist package, keyless entry, hands-free tailgate, front and rear parking sensors with automatic parking.

Other flourishes include a dual chrome exhaust, 19-inch JCW wheels, Dinamica/leather upholstery in Carbon Black with red accents, a three-spoke leather JCW multi-function steering wheel and dual-zone climate control air-conditioning.

A trio of options packages – Climate, Convenience and Road Trip – are offered with the JCW.

Mini Australia offers four other variants of Countryman, including the base Cooper from $39,900, the Cooper D diesel, and the sporty Cooper S and Cooper SD (diesel).