Initial Factory JCW Kit Details Leaked

As some readers may have noticed, over the last few weeks we’ve been holding off on releasing further details on the factory JCW kit while (and secretly hoping) someone else would leak the info first. It now looks like that (to some degree) has happened. A few of the initial details have now been leaked and posted on MINI2.co.za [Link removed by request] (a South African MINI enthusiast site) that came from a South African source. While most of the specifications have been reported on MotoringFile previously, there are a couple of things new in the list that may be of particular interest to some readers. Here’s the official specification run-down of the factory JCW Tuning Kit as posted on MINI2.co.za:

• Performance Kit (including modified engine)
• Brakes (16″/17″ brake system with red brake calipers)
• Exhaust system
• LSD (Limited Slip Differential) and DSC
• Special wheels
• JCW Badges and door entry plates
• 260 km/h speedometer limit (as opposed to the normal speedometer on the Cooper S with a limit of 240 km/h)

The things we haven’t been able to speak about before now were the exhaust system, speedometer and the wheels. We can confirm all three are true. We’ll offer more details on the exhaust system in our full report that will appear on MotoringFile in the near future. The wheels are believed to be one of the two 18″ JCW branded wheels coming for 2008.

The top speed of the new car is estimated to be 150 mph with 260 Nm (around 190ft lbs) of torque (280 Nm including overboost function or around 206ft lbs) and power in excess of 154 kW or 210bhp. While the latter number has been mentioned on MF for quite some time, it’s nice to finally see some confirmation from yet another source. And as we’ve said all along, expect any official power figure published by MINI to be fairly conservative.

Also according to the source, acceleration will take you from 0 – 62 mph in 6.6 seconds. However that figure is also quite conservative considering dealer installed JCW cars are already getting better times. Look for automotive publications to achieve times around six seconds or lower.

Of course the most intriguing part of the above list is the “Performance Kit” bullet. And based on what sources are telling us, we can tell you that those words don’t do all the modifications justice. But those details (and many others) will have to wait until closer to the launch of the new JCW scheduled for the Geneva Motor show in early March.

You can read our earlier report (with many more details) below:

[ MF Exclusive: Factory JCW Kit Revealed ] MotoringFile