JCW treatment for Mini Cabrio

MINI says it has delivered almost 100 examples of the John Cooper Works-fettled three-door hardtop and five-door Clubman so far this year, after their release in Australia in September 2008, with more than 50 per cent of Mini Cooper S models sold in June wearing the JCW badge.

Now the BMW-owned British brand has revealed pricing and specifications of the JCW version of the new Mini Cabrio, ahead of its confirmed release here in September.

Priced from $56,990, the JCW Cabrio sits at the other end of the Mini model spectrum from the minimalist Cooper D turbo-diesel (from $33,750), which was launched in May as Australia’s equal most fuel-efficient new car.

Mini says the JCW Cabrio, which is $8000 pricier than the JCW hardtop and more than $5000 more expensive than the JCW Clubman, is “one of the fastest accelerating open-top vehicles on the road under $100,000”.

Powered by the same engine that’s found in the Mini Challenge racecar, the JCW Cabrio is good for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint in 6.9 seconds – the same time BMW claims for its $64,700 125i Convertible.

The fastest Mini Cabrio to date runs the same engine as the JCW hardtop and Clubman and takes the turbocharged direct-injection 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine found in the Cooper S to new heights.

In the JCW, it is fitted with twin-scroll turbo to produce 155kW between 1850 and 5600rpm, with peak torque of 260Nm increasing to 280Nm in overboost mode. The Cooper S engine offers 128kW and 240Nm.

The JCW Cabrio comes as standard with a six-speed manual transmission and returns official combined-cycle fuel consumption of 7.1 litres per 100km.

It is differentiated from the Mini Cooper S Cabrio via 17- inch ‘Cross Spoke Challenge’ alloy wheels, larger brakes, a bespoke exhaust, JCW badging and a 260km/h speedo,Standard features include cloth/leather-trimmed sports seats, piano black décor trim, tinted windows, bonnet stripes, climate-control, sports suspension, Xenon headlights, a Harmon Kardon HiFi sound system and DSC electronic stability control with integrated Electronic Diff Lock Control.