MINI Kills Dealer Installed JCW Engine Kit Still Alive?

Sections: 2011 LCI | JCW | R55 (Clubman) | R56 (Hatch) | R57 (Conv.) Aug 31st, 2010 20 Comments

Updated: We just had someone leak us a bit of info that indicates that MINI may have changed their mind regarding the JCW Engine kit on the 2011 MCS. We will have full details soon.

In the summer of 2007 MINI introduced the first drivetrain upgrade for the R56 – the JCW Engine Kit. The kit consisted of a free flowing exhaust, a JCW air intake and more aggressive engine software. The result was 192bhp and 200 ft lbs of torque on overboost. At the time it was arguably as fast as the previous 208 hp JCW factory car (thanks to that torque figure of course). But remember those figures for a second. They appropriately split the difference rather well from the 175 hp MCS and the factory JCW car with 211 bhp (released in 2008).

Now fast forward to 2011 and MINI has upgraded the MCS engine to include variable valve timing and a host of other improvements that add up to 181 hp. So MINI was faced with a decision. Do they upgrade the JCW Engine Kit or simplify the product offering and kill it. And according to sources MINI has made the decision and will not be upgrading the engine kit for the refreshed MCS (2011 onward).

The key to this choice was that the JCW engine wasn’t upgraded with variable valve timing and thus is still at 208 hp / 211 bhp. With the the new 1.6L MCS engine at 181hp it’s not hard to imagine a new JCW Engine Kit getting dangerously close to the performance of the rather pricey factory JCW.

Written By: Gabe

john

As the MINI brand is getting to confident about their products by determine what they think the market wants it’s a bit sad not to have a dealer kit. Why produce a standard 181 hpp car to a merly 211 hp car while other cars in the same range have more power. If the JCW had received 10 to 15 more hp against the standard car the kit would have survived. It all comes down to marketing the JCW brand as a factory car and killing a bit of their own aftermarket.
BORINOT

MINI unwilling to make the competition itself. It is ok. But other brands have entered force in the sector and MINI replied improving all models except the JCW. There are who think, that in spite of 2011 JCW face washing, is no longer only on top. I can’t believe that MINI wants that. Does Mini hide an ace in the sleeve?.What is cooking?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1218137724 Makar Godun

MINI has not to think about simplifying product offering, but “How to Save JCW”!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=157700491 Ronald Campbell

Do you know if they will still offer it at the dealership as an upgrade on the 07-10 R56? I am thinking about buying a nice used R56 and I would want to put the kit on at a later date, but I guess this isn’t going to be an option.
http://www.facebook.com/genochurch Geno Church

Just received word my 2004 MCS was totaled from a wreck two weeks ago. I was all set and ready to place an order for a 2011 JCW.

Now I’m totally confused as to which direction to go?
JonPD

To me personally between the factory jcw and the kit jcw I would have chosen the kit form every time with the R56 platform. Kinda funny to me though that while M Sport is expanding with BMW jcw is shrinking somewhat for MINI.

Having said that I think this is actually a good plan by MINI. with the refresh updates they would have had to upgrade the kit to give it seperation. This however would have greatly narrowed the space between the kit and the factory cars. The heart of all this issue to me is not that they didn’t want to upgrade the kit as much as not wanting to update the factor car. I am sure we will see a tweak of the jcw brand in 2013 (though I do hope that they use the Twins to redevelop the jcw brand).
lavardera

I wonder what the JCW exhaust and intake would do to the 181 in the 2011 engine. Maybe a worthwhile boost without the expense of the entire engine kit.
MatthewW

I’m anxious to see the dust settle on this issue. As @BORINOT suggested, maybe something else is in the Works :-)

As a MINI customer, I really like/d the idea of being able to add JCW upgrades-with the quality and heritage that JCW products provide-to my MINI over time. It keeps me excited about my MINI. Also, having the option to roll into my dealer and buy these upgrades directly from MINI that are covered by/don’t void my warranty is a huge bonus.

I might be totally off on this observation, but I would note that the demise of some post-purchase JCW upgrades doesn’t surprise me in some ways. I found details about most of the JCW performance upgrades from a source other than MINI (read MotoringFile). Perhaps expanded in-dealer marketing and displays would kickstart more MINI owners’ imaginations and increase demand. After all, not too many automakers have an arrow like JCW in their quiver.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=814825706 Sideways Eh!

Seeing that there are far better mods out there that give you more bang for your buck than the JCW parts do, I hope that MINI plans to take the time to properly develop the JCW brand back to a respectible level.
JonPD

This is only affecting the dealer fitted jcw kit. All the jcw options are not being affected, just the one kit.
K

Here’s one idea on how to save JCW: Reduce emissions! In Spain, we pay SIX GRAND more for a JCW than an MCS, because registration tax goes on emissions, and the JCW is in a higher bracket. If they’d revamp the engine like on the MCS, they would undoubtedly sell more.

Aside from that, I must say I won’t miss the power kit, as it now offers very little compared to the stock 184hp MCS, especially now the burble is back…
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1134606899 Dean Cory

You know it. It is quite logical to see them discontinue the JCW stge 1 kit. They basically made it standrd with the MINI Cooper S!
rkw

The elephant in the room is that the factory JCW has sold poorly. Would a small power bump with Valvetronic boost JCW sales significantly? Probably not, and MINI decided to skip the expense. If sales prospects for the factory JCW had been better, they would have updated its engine, which in turn might have enabled the JCW kit to continue.
Alex S

Does this mean that my 2008 MCS can’t receive the stage 1 kit or does it mean that 2011 MCSs and up will not get a JCW kit?
GaryD

Just a thought… perhaps they are looking to kill the JCW in this form factor and instead move their JCW efforts to the upcoming coupe? Thus no refresh and start removing the options from their offerings.
that.guy

Let’s not forget that the first dealer-installed JCW tuning kits were released in 2003. Still trying to find that cool introductory video with the Mike Cooper voice over. It sold me…
Greg W

It is sad to see the COOPER name being devalued in such a way by MINI. Here was a name synonymous with Motor racing and performance that won many F1 Grand Prix races and World Championships, now relegated to an underpowered hot-up kit and model range. You could say Mike Cooper sold his soul to the devil. At least the Schnitzer BMW team remained independent, and is still winning long distance events without being corporatised into BMW. I could be wrong but franchise dealerships aftersales do not seem to want to get into the performance enhancing business, so it is left to other tuning companies to develop and market. Now with the advent of the MINI WRC by Prodrive, Cooper will be relegated even further. It’s a long way from the 1959 United States Grand Prix at Sebring to making push/pedal bicycles – http://www.johncooper.com
Greg W

Oops – wrong website above – too many John Cooper’s in the world… http://www.johncooper.co.uk
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hemisedan

Awfully expensive horsepower ponys. Eight horsepower for $2100?

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