The Cooper S JCW Kit Official Information

Sections: Uncategorized Sep 9th, 2004 37 Comments

p>This press release is from MINI UK but it contains a good amount of technical detail that is pertinent to the rest of the world. We should have US specific info soon.

Performance hungry MINI drivers will be delighted to hear that a new John Cooper Works tuning kit for the MINI Cooper S has been developed to produce more power, greater performance and enhanced driving pleasure. The new kit is capable of generating 210 bhp of power (181 ft lbs.), a 0-62 mph of 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 143mph.

The kit will be available worldwide, for both the MINI Cooper S and the MINI Cooper S Convertible, following it's unveiling at the Paris Motor Show on Thursday, 23 September. Despite the increase in power, the price for the new John Cooper Works Kit will remain unchanged for the UK, at £2,999 (inc. VAT) + 10 hours labour fitting time.

mini

The performance upgrade has principally been achieved through changes to the air filter system, allowing greater airflow at high revs (above 4,500rpm) by triggering an extra air intake flap to reduce pressure losses within the intake system. New fuel injectors and engine management calibration are also required to ensure optimum performance and durability under all operating conditions.

The arrival of the new Works Kit was precipitated by the modifications made to the MINI Cooper S earlier this year, including changes to the gear ratios on the six-speed Getrag gearbox. In line with the enhancements experienced on the new Cooper S, the new Works Kit now accelerates from 50-75 mph in just 5.4 seconds as well as it's improved speed off the mark.

Mike Cooper, Managing Director of John Cooper Works commented:

“Whilst it equates to only a small increase on paper, it feels like a considerably bigger hike. With the improved feel, throttle response and sound quality, we're delighted with the results and can't wait to pass the benefits on to our customers.”

Great news for existing Works Kit owners is that they need not buy an entirely new kit to realise the new levels of performance, but can have an upgrade fitted (new air filter intake system, injectors and calibration) at any official MINI dealer, at a cost of just £335 (inc. VAT) + one hour's labour fitting time. Both the new kit and upgrade are fully approved by MINI which means that vehicle warranty and MINI tlc service remain unaffected.

Every component of the John Cooper Works is the result of years of development work and innumerable road tests. The gutsy performance and first-class handling are testament to 150,000 road miles of durability testing and 20,000 miles of high-speed testing undertaken by experienced and exacting engineers. It has been put through it's paces in 35 degree heat and a freezing minus 20 degrees.

Technical Data:

Power: 210bhp (154kW) @ 6950rpm

Max Torque: 245 Nm @ 4500rpm

Top Speed: 143mph (230km/h)

0-62 mph: 6.6 seconds

50-75mph: 5.4 seconds (4th gear)
6.7 seconds (5th Gear)

C02 Emissions: 207g/km

New Accessories

New sports suspension uses specially developed components for outstanding road-holding, including short and stiff coil springs to reduce the car's ground clearance, allowing ever faster cornering, without compromising safety. Prices start at £495 for MINI Cooper S and £615 for MINI Cooper models. Also, a new cross-brace in the engine compartment adds stability by reducing body vibration.

The degree of safety can be further optimised by the first class sports brake system, which combines larger discs and massive brake calipers at the front with special brake pad linings on the rear axle. The braking system is a genuine racing tool – just like the 18″ star-spoke R95 light alloy wheels. All accessories have been developed jointly by Mini Cooper's specialists and MINI engineers.

In order to generate an even sportier appearance, a new carbon fibre rear spoiler, tailgate handle, and exterior wing mirror covers have been added to the list of available exterior accessories. On the inside, for drivers after an authentic racing feel, carbon fibre interior trim can be teamed with John Cooper Works Sports Seats.

All new John Cooper Works accessories are available from the end of September, with the exception of the sports brake system, cross brace and carbon fibre trim which will be offered from early 2005.

Some JCW Stats:

In the 18 months since the kit was introduced, over 6,000 MINI Cooper S drivers have ordered the Works tuning Kit. A breakdown by country follows (of total kits sold):

USA: 36%
UK: 21%

Germany: 9%

Italy: 7%

Japan: 5%

Written By: MF Staff

SrBlanco

Now if only I could get this approved by the finance comittee…
http://www.kimmelshue.com/blog Chris K.

Naught to 60 in only 6.6 seconds? MINI USA claims 6.9 for the MC40 – $5000 for .3 seconds?

Car & Driver needs to get their hands on a JCW equipped MCS – they're not easy on their test cars' clutches. I bet 6.0 even to 60 with a drop clutch start.
Dave& Stacy

We agree. 6.6 sec. seems pretty weak. Unless it was traction limited (which is possible). Last years literature numbers claimed a 0-60 of 6.5 sec. How did it go up 0.1 sec. with better gear ratios and more power. It just doesn't make sense.

Unless…last years numbers were inflated. >:-)

Oh well…still doesn't stop us from purchasing the '05 kit.
michael Boice

I really think that BMW should consider moving the S-Works a little farther away from the standard S; to my way of thinking the S-Works should come with suspension, brake, engine, and, body strengthening upgrades…preferably as a package straight from the factory. I think there is more value in a complete package especially if it is factory installed.
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

The numbers are higher because it's 0-62mph or 0-100kph and not 0-60mph. And also worth mentioning BMW is nortorious for being very conservative with their performance claims. Generally the car mags get better numbers.
andrew

will the airbox be available seperately for those of us who cannot afford a kit?
GSKChicago

Any word on how the JCW holds it value on resale? In other words, if one gets the JCW for their MCS, adding $6k roughly to the cost of the car, will one get the same depreciation rate as that of the car in general, or does the rarity of the JCW on an MCS help the car hold its value and hence become easier to sell?

Not that I am planning on ever getting rid of my car, but being a banker, my head is always looking at the financials involved.

Curious on people's experience(s).

Thanks! :o)

G.
gz

I was ready to order a MCS w/JCW now. However if the brake/suspension/interior upgrades aren't available until early '05 (all of which I want) when should I place my order?
dgszweda

Gabe,

I don't think that BMW is conservative for the Mini. If you can show me one magazine that beat the advertised value of 6.9seconds for 0-60, then I will eat my words,but barely. Because neither Car and Driver, Road and Track or Automobile magazine got that close. The closest I have seen was 7.2seconds, with a lot being in the 7.5seconds to 8.2 seconds.

Also, the advertisement is 210bhp, so we should expect to see anywhere from 205-207hp for the US spec car. I would suspect that the US spec car will show 6.4-6.5seconds for the US numbers. It would be great to see more.
http://www.jwardell.com/mini/ Josh Wardell

Car and driver DID test the JCW and rated it at 6.4 sec 0-60 and a 14.7 1/4 mi.

So hopefully they will get a new one and retest it so we can see improvements, although gearing will play a part of it.
ccm5

Mixed feelings from this JCW owner. Got my '04 in July at full price. Now we're seing dealers mark the “old” kits down by ~ $1000. That $1000 would have made the ” '05 Upgrades” a bit more stomachable for me. I don't think I'll be spending an additional 500 British Pounds (what is that, about $900 US, plus installation?) for the new features, as much as I'd like them. What is the cost for an installed 2005 (full) kit in the US? Is it going to be the same as it was for 2002-2004, or is it going up? I assume it's staying the same, and the dealers are dropping the old kit prices by the $1000 so that they can be purchased (with new features) and installed at approximately the same price. Talk about bad timing!!!
David

Motor Trend magazine has a running tally in each issue on performance specs for every model they have tested. They ran an MCS JCW to 60 in 6.2 seconds. They always post their own performance numbers unloess otherwise noted. I won't be surprised if one of the mags could squeeze in the '05 JCW to just 6 seconds. Especially considering the revised gearing.
http://www.kimmelshue.com/blog Chris Kimmelshue

I'd like to see the difference JCW makes to 100mph. I hear from my JCW equipped friends that the biggest difference with the kit is from 3rd gear onwards.
nemi

Curious. What are the offical (BMW) 0-60 / 0-62 mph for the stock 2005 MCS ? …. as comparing magazine numbers to official is going to result in wild variations.
michael Boice

we should all keep in mind too, that the Mini can be ordered as a fairly bare bones car or with lots of stuff. I've seen a few S's just under 2,700 lbs and a few a pound or two under 3,000lbs. As a percentage of hp and torque, 300lbs is a lot of weight…optimistically worth about a half a second to 60mph.
http://leftthis.com Dillon

…CSKChicago makes a great point. However,judging how BMW M Series hold up higher in price than the exact BMWs without the M Series kits,I'm sure the same will hold true for MCSc JCW cars. However,I'm waiting to Jan.'05 to get everything on my next MINI.
GSKChicago

nemi-

I could swear I read somewhere on the MINI site or some literature somewhere that the '05 MCS is rated at 0-60 in 6.7 or 6.8 seconds.

This is part of my dilemna with the JCW. Is an extra 3 or 4 tenths of a second worth six grand? The extra power in the higher gears would be nice as would the higher top end, but really, where am I going to use this? I both work and live in Chicago, so a good chunk of my driving is puddling around in stop and go traffic.

It would likely irk me to know I spent 6 grand on an engine mod I rarely get to really use. One solace would be a higher residual value on the car as well as the exclusivity of said mod, but like I said, I don't plan to sell this car.

If nothing else, I will keep as a third car (4th car, 5th car… Okay, now my fiance is going to leave me). :o)

G.
GSKChicago

Don't get me wrong. I am not knocking the JCW. I think, like most things, it is ones personal preference. What I won't spend 6 grand on, there are probably 10 people behind me that will. Vice versa as well of course. So not trying to tick off any JCW owners. I'm still intrigued enough that I would love to drive a JCW equipped MCS.
Scott

I remember reading that the 5th-gen Eaton supercharger is now the standard supercharger on the '05 MCS'.

Since that was the supercharger used in the prior JCW kits, is a whole supercharger included in the '05 kits or just a pulley? I can't understand why the whole supercharger would be replaced by one of the same spec.

Any thoughts?
David Bowers

Can you order the JCW accessories without ordering the engine kit? I'd like to get the JCW seats with red leather in my MCSC that I expect to receive next February.
Neil

Will get the new JCW kit fitted next Friday here in the UK.

Have driven the old MCS works and had a Nov02 MCS for 18 months and the new Jul04 facelift one for 3k miles.

Jul04 car is a bare bones car and has no extras apart from Xenons (a bit of weight there, but worth it).

Impressions to follow post fitting based on existing experience.
RB

Hey Neil,

Go talk to Mike Cooper about selling their shift lite kits to us YANKS. They won't listen to me. I'd buy on in a second.

O-60 times here in the states, unless you are at a track, are a joke. Most of us are limited to 25 – 30 mph in town if we are lucky.

…RB
Karl

Does anyone know if the JCW air intake will be sold separately from the whole package?
dgszweda

GSK,

Actually the JCW works great in stop and go traffic. The boost builds up quicker because of the smaller pulley.
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

GSK – read reviews of the JCW (like the one on the right of this page) for info on it's increased drivability. Is it something you need? Well that's personal question.

I live in the city and own a Cooper (bought before the MCS was available). I rarely feel like I need more power since I'm usually doing 0-30 on a daily basis. Does that mean I won't be getting a Cooper S for my next MINI? No. Does that mean I won't entertain thoughts of the JCW? No. Why? You just have to drive one :)
Joey

will the kit be used with the paddle shift/CVT
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

This particular JCW kit is only for the Cooper S… not the Cooper. So no, it's not available for the CVT.
johnD

Does anyone have the answer if JCW will sell individual parts? I already have a lot of parts in my car so getting the Works Kit is unreasonble. I am about to buy a Dinan intake right now, seeing the Works intake and what it has to offer is making me think twice about the Dinan. Thanks!
http://omor.com/mini/ dc

20,000 miles of testing ? Is that enough ?

I'd like to see more proven durability from 130 hp/litre engines.
scooblymonchee

“…can have an upgrade fitted (new air filter intake system, injectors and calibration) at any official MINI dealer, at a cost of just Ã‚Â£335 (inc. VAT) + one hour's labour fitting time.”

That's a fairly pretty reasonable by Mini standards, new intake, fuel injectors and ECU update installed for ~$700. No brainer for this particular '04 JCW thrasher.
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

Q: Can JCW parts be fitted individually.

A: Non performance parts like seats, rear wing, wheels should be available to anyone. Suspension components also should be available to people without the kit. However we have no definitive word on whether or not engine components like the air intake can be.

Expect a JCW catalog later this year in the US and abroad with some clarification on all of this.
Apex

So far, the JCW seats have not been sold in the US. (I believe that they do not have the side airbags in them like the regular and sport seats?) Any word on if they will be availible here?
http://www.teammightyminiz.com iDiaz

Okay, back up. I just got a quote from a MINI dealer on the part number off of JCW's website for the Sport Suspension Kit (MINI P/N: 31300308861). The description says “with stabiliser bars”, but says “Front and rear springs also required”. The quote from Assael MINI was $850. If that price doesn't include JCW springs, what DOES it include?
Hare Krishna

the suspension kit is going to be available in two forms cooper and cooper s (prices for S was right around $850 and cooper $1100), I have driven the new works package and the new suspension recently in minnesota, and was very impressed!…Keep up the good work with the rumor mill!
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

Apex – the last paragraph of this story should help: [LINK]
Speed M POWER

OKay.. I am looking to buy a MINI S — 2004 if I can get a good deal because 05's are out.. so why pay more for the same car when nothing has changed? — MAIN thing.. I want the JCW tuning kit. how much is the kit? if I get a 2004 mini S do I need a 2004 JCW kit or a 2005? I just want to know the REAL prices before I hit up the dealership and have them tell me bogus prices… get back @ me…. ///MPW0ER!
http://www.motoringfile.com/ Gabe

A) it'll be about impossible to find any left over 2004s at this point.

B) There are many changes to the '05 that make them compelling. They are talked about on this site at length… I'd recommend doing a search or checking here.

C) The price of the JCW kit is $4500 as it has always been. Installation is generally 10 hours. So the total cost depends on what your MINI dealer charges for installation. Typically it's between $5500 to $6000.

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