No word on US availability yet but at least it’s official in the UK. Here’s the full press release:
>The John Cooper Works engine tuning kit has been a great success since it was launched in 2003. Demand in the UK has seen one in nine Cooper S hatch owners opting for the upgrade. From this month, the tuning kit is now available for MINI Cooper S’ with automatic transmission.
>The JCW kit will push the auto-shifting Cooper S to 203bhp at 6,450 rpm with an impressive 0-62 mph in 7.3 seconds; an increase of 33bhp over the standard MINI Cooper S. Offered as an aftermarket kit from all 157 MINI dealerships, the cost is £2,999 (excl. fitting).
>The Aisin six-speed transmission in a MINI Cooper S auto was developed to maintain the MINI’s traditional zesty drive. The close gear ratio settings ensure sharp gear changes and a dynamic driving experience that complements the sporty character of the MINI Cooper S. The great drive is further enhanced by the high level of standard equipment including Steptronic paddles on the steering wheel, limited slip differential (Ed. we believe this is a typo) and Adaptive Transmission Control (AGS). AGS allows the transmission to adapt over time to fit with the driver’s individual driving style.
MINI UK Press
OK, before anybody says it……..
The auto is terrible.
I can’t believe that they are letting the auto have a JCW kit.
They are taking the heart out of the car.
What in the world is BMW thinking…..the MCSa was bad enough, but now they get JCW too?
………. I get it. My car is a blight on the face of the MINI planet. I will flog myself all the way to the junkyard where I will personally put it in the crusher and then drive myself to the nearest Toyota dealership where I will dutifully purchase a beige Corrolla.
— Jay
Okay now that that is out of the way 🙂
man i hope this signals a change for us here in the united states…
i’ve been tracking the development of this thing through some close friends at mini and it’s been “done” for months, but still (as of today) remains in emissions control limbo. it’s been confirmed to me that it could be released today if they wanted to, but apparently when they do emissions testing on these things it requires them to engineer for projected emission standards many years into the future (2009ish i think) and they want to make sure it passes.
i’ve hear estimates for the last year, so i’m done guessing. but i know for a fact that it WILL come out and that mini is aware just how many people are ready to plunk down the $$$ to do it.
i’m first in line at my dealership!
cheers – drew
Well, MrV, you gonna be da envy of ALL your friends now!
MrV please take your uppity posts elsewhere. We don’t all like stick. We don’t all have the ability to drive stick. It’s only fair that we get the same options available to you.
Gabe, how are they giving the MCSa’s LSD’s? I thought they couldn’t do that.
for the love of god, PLEASE let’s not have an mcsa bashing on this thread…please….
Matthew, read my post again, it’s a tounge in cheek comment (try to pay particular attention to the last paragraph where I talk about my car).
I waited many months before my dealership would take my money as a deposit for my MCSa. I had one of the first MCSa’s here in the U.S., and if you look at past threads on this site, you will find that I am VERY vocal in my defense of the MCSa.
I’m with Drew…. hence the pre-emptive nature of my comment. When I saw the article, I knew it was all coming again, and thought that maybe my comment would get it all out of the way at once and head off the (apparantly) inevitable discussion.
— Jay
I’m personally more intested in the revelation that my MCSa apparantly came standard with LSD. ???????
— Jay
First of all, I love my MCSa, but I second Matthew’s comment, how did they do the LSD?!?
I would feel bad, but 3000 pounds is something like $5,000+. Umm, I think I can live without that. I did my 15% pulley reduction and Alta Air Intake for about $500. OK not 200+ hp, probably only around 180, but for $4,500 I’ll live without the extra 20hp.
Paddle shifters rule!
– John Connor
I too had to reread it just to be sure…. but i got it.
1. Does the approval of a JCW Kit, installed by a UK dealer, mean they’ll add a limited slip to the automatic transmission as an available option?
Does the UK kit include a limited slip upgrade?
I thought MINI hadn’t approved a limited slip with the automatic. You can’t get it over here in the US
2. There are 157 MINI Dealers in the UK….and less than 100 in the entire US ?????!!!!!!
Is that article incorrect, or does this mean that it’s possible to get the automatic with the limited slip differential somehow? Last time I looked those were mutually exclusive options.
Hmm, only what, a half-second 0-60 gain? That’s not great.
Anyone have experience with Mini-Madness?
They’re in my area, and seem to offer a lot of HP gain, also they said that their kits work with the MSCa for the most part.
Please may those who can’t resist to bash those auto user to grow up. Let them enjoy their MINI even if’t auto.
$5,000 for a JCW on the auto? Not bad if you ask me. Look at the price on the one for the manual, and it only get 7 more hp. If I was in need of an automatice then I’d definately be looking at a MINI, especially with this new kit. Are there any other automatics anywhere near this fun to drive?
As it is I have an MCS w/JCW getting the last few goodies added by the dealer right now and hope to be driving it this weekend, or at least by this time next week. I’ll give a couple of extra speedy shifts after break-in just for those that cannot enjoy the standard transmission, and hope that you will in turn relax in stop and go traffic for me sometime :).
<blockquote>… how are they giving the MCSa’s LSD’s?</blockquote>
They’re not, the LSD is only available on the manual transmission.
Notice that the press release says …
<blockquote>Offered as an aftermarket kit from all 157 MINI dealerships, the cost is £2,999 (excl. fitting).</blockquote>
Last price I heard on the US dealer installed kit was $4,775 excluding labor.
I think it’s a smart move for MINI to make a JCW kit availible on the MCSa. Why let the aftermarket make all the money?
Interesting that the MCSa version of the JCW kit makes 7 less bhp (i.e. ~6.9 hp) than the manual version. Couple that with increased drivetrain losses for the automatic vs. the manual… the JCW MCSa will not keep up with a (properly driven) JCW MCS.
I still have to wonder why the MCSa kit makes 7 less? If they were trying to maintain dominance of the manual version (for “purists”), it still wouldn’t make sense simply due to the drivetrain loss difference.
Oh well… it’s interesting news to say the least. Also it makes me wonder if the lack of LSD on USA-bound MCSa vehicles was a marketing one by MINIUSA instead of a technical one.
7.2 seconds (estimate) for 0 to 60 is quite good indeed! Much, much better than the 7.7 seconds or so for the Scion tC manual. I wish I had one! …….. JCW MCSA of course.
What . . . ever,
Blah JCW. My MCSa is a heavily modded MINI and is fast for very little money compared to the JCW kit. Although I do worry sometimes when problems come up because it is aftermarket parts. But that comes with modifying the car.
Gabe I hope you don’t mind this next line.
If anyone is curious about my car check out my blog:
<a href="http://mini.mdsbrain.com" rel="nofollow ugc">http://mini.mdsbrain.com</a>
I thought that the entire reason the JCW kit wasn’t out or available yet was because there was an issue with auto tranny and its software being buggy. Apparently BMW/Mini was trying to work out the software, not hardware issues before they were to move ahead and offer the JCW package?
I do agree that it is logical that the emissions testing would look at future goals for meeting stricter standards but how much is that going to hold up the delivery for the US market. There is little time left before the end of the line for this model to be doing that type of testing now.
For the car to produce less horsepower one would have to consider the weight gain of the automatic over the manual. I would guess that it is not that significant but it does make a difference. Also, the power band in an auto versus a manual would seem less and could contribute to the lower horsepower? Maybe I have this wrong.
As for those who can’t drive sticks, I am possibly one of them. Being almost 6’9″ tall and the pedals being rather close together on the manual, it appeals to me to not have to deal with the problem of driving barefoot all of the time. Dealing with constant shifting in commuter traffic, less the time I actually get to play darting around the back roads, it appeals to me not to have that extra hassle but still appreciate the performance gain.
I would assume that the price for the package from the factory or from the dealer would possibly include the big brake kit? This would jump the price up further. I would also like for Mini to include the Works suspensions as well in this package because I have a bunch of friends that wind up getting it anyway because they have issues with the regular suspension keeping up with the better performance. The local Mini dealer service manager told me that more people are coming in for the Works suspension and using it to replace after market suspension failures or to upgrade from stocks S offerings. Thoughts on whether they should also include this?
Anyway, I kind of got off topic but I think it is great that they are offering more and more options. The more the better as diveristy lends to everyone having fun rather than the select few.
Night.
fpanda
fpanda,
I am quite certain that the power measurements listed are all at the crank, not at the wheel. This would mean that the increased weight of the transmission, as well as its additional power drain, don’t even factor in until AFTER the published performance numbers.
That means the JCW MCSa ends up with:
7 less bhp than the manual, AND
increased weight of the transmission, AND
* increased power loss of the transmission
Which equates to a very noticable drop in performance, although of course it will be more consistent performance, since the manual transmission is so utterly dependent on the skill of the driver. And even very experienced manual drivers miss a shift or two from time to time. 🙂
The point is, the JCW MCSa has a published acceleration rate of “0-62 mph in 7.3 seconds”, whereas the JCW MCS has an acceleration rate of “0-62mph in 6.6 seconds” (<a href="http://motoringfile.com/2005/08/03/mini_uk_announce_factory_jcw_option">see this story</a>). That’s a very significant difference!
As I’m positive no one subscribing is a professional driver (e.g. Schumacher, ) the 0.7 second diffrence WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE TO YOUR LIVES! You don’t red line it every gear change every time you drive. You’d look like a d@#k!
Get over it manual drivers, automatic drivers are driving for fun, not to see if they can get to a 24-7 in 0.7 seconds slower than you!
(p.s. I drive a MCS manual)
Jon,
Get off your high horse. Comparing performance facts is a perfectly reasonable thing to do. I wasn’t trashing the MCSa. Some of us consider the acceleration to be part of “driving for fun”. As for making a difference in our lives, did I say that?
Guess what, the fact you drive ANY Cooper WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE TO YOUR LIFE!
Why don’t you just play it safe and trade your MCS in for a Honda Civic, since it makes no difference to your life.
Seriously, I don’t understand what you were trying to accomplish with your post. I was merely stating facts, there was no need to get “negative”.
As for the US JCW for the MCSa…i could care less for our car. (not to say that i don’t hope that those who want it get it!)
I think once the car gets close to the end of it’s warrantee I’ll just throw a 15% on it when my wife isn’t looking….
“Honey, why is that oil change taking so long? And why did it cost $120!?! And why are you grinning like that..you KNOW i hate that grin….”
-jac
Wow. Can everbody take a chill pill? We all share the same basic platform chaps. I drive a One myself but I don’t feel any animosity towards any other MINI. Auto or Manual.
BACK ON TOPIC….
can’t wait for this thing to finally appear on our shores… santa? listening?
Edge,
Thanks for the clear comparison. I appreciate it when people apply clear and concise reasoning when doing a comparison like that.
I understand that there are also those that live for the performance and want the most from what they pay for but can one really expect to be drag racing from light to light to feel that extra .7 sec difference between the two? Some of us look for the little differences that make it more pleasurable to own a car like this and enjoy the moments when we can.
Thanks,
Fpanda
I hope MINI USA gets this released soon; I know a lot of people have been anxiously waiting for it.
I’ve never understood the whole manual vs. automatic wars. Driver skill (or manliness, or womanliness, or whatever) is a personal trait that has nothing to do with the vehicle you’re driving. Its safe to say Michael Schumacher in an MCSa would blow the doors of me in my manual transmission MCS.
2 days ago I got stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on Atlanta’s Downtown Connector. At that point I really would have liked to have an MCSa.
Fpanda,
In my opinion, the choice of transmissions greatly exceeds the actual performance numbers in terms of importance. Which transmission you choose is a VERY personal decision, and everybody will defend their choice – and rightly so, although I think the “I don’t know how” excuse doesn’t cut it. The reasonings that make sense IMO are “I know both, but I just prefer auto” and “I am not physically capable of driving a manual”. Ignorance is NOT a valid reason! Educate yourselves!
That being said, while I used to be more negative about the existence of the MCSa (when it was first announced), I have very much come to peace with it, and I think it can be plenty of fun for some people, it’s just not my preference.
However, you ask me if 0.7 sec in 0-62mph performance numbers is a noticeable difference. ABSOLUTELY! It’s over 10% of a drop, and believe me in back-to-back comparisons, your “butt dynometer” will notice too. This, of course, assumes that the person driving the manual JCW is talented enough to actually get decent performance out of it. 🙂
oh well – so much for a discussion/rumor fest/get psyched thread about the jcw mcsa kit…
happy holidays.
(OK, since comment #1 didn’t work to head off this stupid discussion again, I’ll try and different tact and fan the flames instead.)
Edge, you bring up an excellent point regarding the “IF the person driving the manual is talented enough to get decent performance out of it”.
The performance numbers of any car are done with a talented, professional driver behind the wheel. I have wondered on occasion how the numbers would turn out if they put average Joe driver behind the wheel. Would the MCSa and the MCS turn out a little closer in that scenario? If you pitted myself in an MCSa against someone of equal driving skills (which isn’t much) driving an MCS would the results of such a competition be close?…. I would even be willing to bet that the vast majority of drivers out there would actually get beaten by the MCSa, because the vast majority of drivers out there simply don’t know how to shift like a professional does. I’m in my 30s and this is the first auto that I have owned and I am sure that I can’t shif like a pro! Add to the fact that a novice in an MCSa can shift VERY quickly in manual mode.
Of course, as the driving skills increases, this theoretical advantage of the MCSa would quickly disapear. It’s an academic / never can be replicated theory…. but an interesting thought.
Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to change into a flame retardant suit.
— Jay
<blockquote>I would even be willing to bet that the vast majority of (MCS) drivers out there would actually get beaten by the MCSa, because the vast majority of drivers out there simply don’t know how to shift like a professional does. I’m in my 30s and this is the first auto that I have owned and I am sure that I can’t shif like a pro! Add to the fact that a novice in an MCSa can shift VERY quickly in manual mode.</blockquote>
That’s a valid point but I would have to disagree in this case simply because I believe that the majority of MCS (manual) owners are not the “average driver”. But to some degree this discussion is pointless. Speed and acceleration really don’t matter a whole lot if your not on the track. What matters more to me on the road is feel, sound, and involvement. This is why I own a manual MCS. Not for a second of difference in 0-60 times.
And just so that last paragraph is not taken the wrong way: As someone who has spent some quality time behind the wheel of a MCSa, I am on record as being a fan of the car. I have no problem with it being sold and people owning it, driving it, and loving it. It’s just not a car that fits my needs at present.
Oh man… I can’t believe I just moved this discussion further off topic. Sorry Drew 🙂
when Ian Cull (GBMIMI) picked me up at a Boston area airport I was quite impressed at the acceleration of his MCSa. It ought to be that more impressive with the JCW package, if he gets it which I would assume he will.
forgiven gabe… holiday spirit and all… forgiven ; )
Actually, my dealer service told me back in July that the JCW kit was available for the MCSa. Might be a Canadian thing. Might be the service department having figure out how to do it before official announcement?
I have the manual. I have no problems with the auto. Budgetary constraints prevented me from buying the auto on my MCS. I even actually like the auto but if I had bought the auto my wife would be driving the MINI and I would have a hard time getting it away from her – selfish me.
Ken,
My MA actually ordered about 3 MCSa with JCW before the MCSa was even released. He was highly perturbed by the amount of miscommunication on the subject. He had actually been told by his regional MINI dude (official title) that it would be available by the time the MCSa was released. Here we are…… almost 1 year later.
And Gabe… point taken. Many MCS drivers are not average. … maybe that’s the point of all the grumbling…. the MCS standard owners are upset that average drivers can now own the same car as them?? Kind of elitist, but maybe a grain of truth.
Just another thought.
— Jay
actually i’m gonna go out on a limb and say that ALL mini drivers are anything but average ; )
Getting back on track, I have a question regarding whether or not the MCSa JCW will only be offered via an upgrade from the dealer or will it be orderable from the factory? My concern is that I feel more comfortable having the factory install it intially versus having your dealer hack into it after the fact.
Also, does anyone have comments on updating or modifying/hacking the transmission software to eek out faster shift times to make up the difference? Is this possible? Are their programs that would give you stock program for everyday driving and then with the flip of a switch allow for more agressive driving?
I have also heard of my dealer telling me that they would install the JCW kit into the MCSa now but because of software issues with the tranny it wasn’t recommended. How can one dealer get away with installing it and other won’t? I worry about service and warranty claims.
Thanks,
FPANDA
fpanda,
If you are not worried about warranties, go aftermarket – much of the the extra cost of the JCW upgrade is “peace of mind” knowing that it is factory backed.
So saying that, the JCW upgrade is not currently available for the MCSa – any dealership that installs one is gambling with YOUR warranty. Can you trust that they will personally back it if something fails? What if you move to a different dealership?
I wait, somewhat impatiently, for the official approval of the JCW/MCSa upgrade. And yes it will only be available (if ever) as a dealer installed upgrade – in fact at the current rate, it won’t even be approved while the current MINI design is still in production 😉
“my comment is awaiting moderation” – what did I say?!
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WordPress grabs comments that contain certain words or phrases and holds them in moderation from time to time. This is to attempt to cut down on spam or derogatory posts. It’s all automated so those of us who moderate the site don’t really have any say in it. We can just approve the comments. Once WP has built up “trust” in posters, they’re comments are rarely held.
MrV, sorry about that back in the beginning. I get defensive due to all the bashers. After you pointed it out I re-read your post and now its quite funny.
Have a good one.
Ian, by the time it’s available you’ll be on GBMINI V.