R56 JCW Accessories Coming Next Spring

Sections: JCW | R56 (Hatch) Sep 1st, 2006 61 Comments

MINI is planning on launching the first R56 JCW products for Spring of 2007. While MINI and JCW are still developing the engine kit for a fall of 2007 release, the first Carbon Fiber pieces and similar items will be available in late spring.

The reason for this change is pretty simple. BMW is busy developing the full-on JCW kit and simply won’t be finished until later in the year after many miles of testing everywhere from the Nurburgring to Death Valley. Meanwhile smaller accessories are much easier to design, build and ship so they will be on the shelves first.

Look for performance related items to come later in the year or even 2008.

Written By: MF Staff

http://www.mini2.info markus

the new JCW Aerokit:
http://www.blokspeed.net Eelke

If we want to get really nit-picky, historically, only the suped up versions of the Minis were Mini Coopers, so technically does that make all us new MINI owners posers since we all carry the Cooper name on our cars?

Well, just about everywhere but the US market, there is the Mini One, so that does make the Coopers the “souped up” versions. With the R56, it will even no longer be possible to get a One up to the same level of a Cooper with just a software upgrade, because its engine will be smaller (1.4). Which I suppose is a good thing for the Cooper name.

However, I do think the Cooper name has devalued over the years. This devaluation was probably at its prime between 1996 and 2000 when the difference between a “normal” Mini and a Cooper was a white roof, white bonnet stripes and white side mirrors, and the difference between a Cooper and a Cooper S (“sportpack”, in some markets) were bigger wheels, bigger wheel arches, (two additions which actually made the car slower because of more weight and more drag) and some extra gauges in the dash. Take special note that there were no technical differences.

So, Mini actually has taken steps in the right direction again, although I do think that the current positioning of the Cooper is still not quite right in terms of doing the name justice. I think the Cooper should be much closer to the S in terms of power (140 BHP turbo? For early Minis, Cooper used to be the magic word, S was icing on the cake – the magic now all seems to be in that single letter). This would leave some room between the One and the Cooper for another model that takes the 120 BHP engine they are planning for the Cooper, but doesn’t bare the Cooper name (Seven would be a nice name for such a model – One, Seven, Cooper, Cooper S :)).

Of course, there are all kinds of possible reasons to not do this. Gap between MC and MCS not big enough for people wanting the S, gap between One and Cooper too big but no market for yet another model, etc. My point really is, I think those are all reasons the marketing department came up with (had they had a will to do the right thing in a historical sense, the Cooper would have been Seven all along, Cooper S had been Cooper, and Cooper S JCW had been Cooper S – but they chose to cash in on the Cooper name, and who can blame them?). The fact the R56 Cooper is getting a 6-speed gearbox just like the S is actually a step in the right direction.
Drewski

Of course, there are all kinds of possible reasons to not do this.

It’s all about the marketing behind it all…And it all makes sense if you think about BMW’s marketing schemes for US models: Base model, Larger/Higher output engine model, and then a somewhat limited production premium model (the M, of course).
http://www.blokspeed.net Eelke

Yup, that’s what I said, it’s all about marketing :) However, for that marketing scheme to work, names are not important. What it’s all about is that they wanted to cash in on the Cooper name. When it’s down to the name (imagine identical cars, except for white roof), would you rather have a Mini Cooper or a Mini Seven (for example). How about the guy next door? But as I said, who can blame them, really? They already did much better than Rover did the last few years in terms of doing “the right thing” with the Cooper name. But we digress…
http://miniclubofwny.activeboard.com Rocketboy

Wow, it’s the invasion of the piss and moaners. Sorry, JCW is not just the kit, but also the brand name of the line of accessories. Having JCW accessories does not make you a ‘poser’ if you do not have the engine mod. It’s you’re fault that that you assume that if someone has a JCW wheels, or a JCW dash, etc, that it has the JCW engine mods. If I replace my MINI shift knob with a Momo one, does that mean I’m a poser for not having a Momo modified motor? Or if i have a MiniMania skid plate, does that mean I’m a poser for not having the MiniMania engine kit?
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isellem

i wonder if its the JCW aero kit… or just the regular aero kit. If you look at the current jcw brochure all the cars have the aero kit… but its not a jcw aero kit
alpinamike

The problem is that it will happen , the e36 M started it all. De baged or not, people will do things to make their car look like something else, maybe that is the breed and MINI is about making things “your Own” as long as it is a MINI or a BMW, thats it!. Opps sorry, is a Vtec classic a classic, yes-its just had a update:). I think everyone has their own opinion, you just have to take things with a grain of salt. Some people want to spend money on the engine and some like the outside to look more or less like something else.
MauiMac

markus, would you mind poster a Hi-Res image of “the new JCW Aerokit”? Thanks in advance!
Jake

I think this has been the most entertaining thread I have ever read on this post! Talk about polarization!. Personally, I would be inclined to remove any JCW badges and run as a “Q-Ship”. However, if the guy in the Cooper S beside me (or Cooper for that matter) wants to put a JCW badge or “accessory” on his car, all the power to him. He’s obviously having fun, despite being labeled a poser by others. I think “fun” (and marketing, of course) is what Mini intended…it certainly sells cars. I’m not suggesting the purist agree with this. Far from it! If people were’nt so opinionated, this forum would be boring. Long live the posers!
Pedro

If putting something on your car that is more cosmetic than functional makes you a poser, than technically everyone that buys an ’07 MCS is a poser for having a fake hood scoop…

I say put what you want on your car…

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