Official: MINI to Build a JCW Countryman
Just in time for MotoringFile’s JCW month, MINI has taken some of the wraps off of it’s 2013 MINI JCW Countryman in Austria today. Rest assured we’re going to have plenty of hand-on details about the car shortly. But we wanted to get you some of the facts as they seem to have leaked out a little earlier this morning.
Consider this car as the next generation of JCW. That means that MINI has taken the criticism we and other media outlets have leveled against it and created something that is a bit more well rounded out of the box than previous JCWs.That means the JCW Countryman will come standard with a more aggressive suspension than the stock set-up on the Countryman Cooper S. Expect the car to sit 10 mm lower with stiffer spring rates and larger anti-rollbars. Additionally the engine will be the variable valve timing of the current JCW engine pumping the power up well over the 210 currently on tap.
Did Prodrive have any involvement in the Countryman JCW? As best we can tell the answer is no. We’ve also learned through sources that that winged Countryman spotted recently outside of Prodrive’s UK offices was simply Team Principle David Richards private car and not anything meant for public consumption. That means if you’ve been waiting for a hot Countryman, get your name on the list for the JCW. It should arrive during the summer of 2012.
Look for a full report on the car on MotoringFile shortly.
<p>I’m glad they made it official this. If I get another Countryman this will be it and just in time for my lease ending in 2013.</p>
<p>Welcome news!</p>
<p>BTW, it’s Dave Richards, not Richard Burns (RIP).</p>
<p>Summer of 2013? Wow, that’s a long time. Seems like it should be ready by summer 2012 by the pics.</p>
<p>Still, it sounds like what I’ve been waiting for.</p>
<p>I thought the current JCW engine, and all the Mini engines had Direct Injection. I thought the difference was the Vanos – the original CooperS engine and subsequent JCW engine had variable valve timing on only half the valves, can’t remember if it was intake or exhaust.</p>
<p>Do I have that straight?</p>
<p>You do – It was a typo</p>
<p>and so are you! ;)</p>
<p>I was a typo at one point also. Then I became a grammatical error. After that I moved on to being a flawed argument. I now look back fondly on my days as a typo. Cherish them. </p>
<p>This was one of the funniest retorts in a long time… well played! :)</p>
<p>I was a typo at one point also. Then I became a grammatical error. After that I moved on to being a flawed argument. I now look back fondly on my days as a typo. Cherish them. </p>
<p>Fall 2012 as a 2013 makes more sense than Spring of 2013…. But that’s me.</p>
<p>very exciting. hopefully the listen to some of the other criticisms and offer these refinements with minimal to no price increases; the countryman gets expensive enough in s trim as it is…</p>
<p>Exciting!</p>
<p>jcwcountryman</p>
<p>To little too late for me. I just traded my ’09 JCW Hardtop for a ’11 WRX STi sedan. And I am lovin’ it, and not missing torque steer. But I will be cheering for Prodrive in the 2012 WRC season (and Petter, always).</p>
<p>Any progress on solving the carbon build-up on the turbocharged engines which use direct injection?</p>
<p>Drive hard and blow it out weekly?</p>
<p>A catch can will help. </p>
<p>Carbon build up with DI and turbos is less than naturally aspirated DI. Buy top tier gas and not drive like a nanny and all will be well. </p>
<p>I don’t have any experience with naturally aspirated direct injection engines, but having been a BMW/MINI service advisor, the 335i’s N54 engine and the turbocharged MINI engines had major problems with carbon build-up. Even using top tier gas doesn’t help because the fuel doesn’t spray onto the intake valves, as it used to with port injection. I’m curious if BMW has found a solution yet. Seems like Toyota is going back to a combination of port and direct injection after experiencing their own problems with carbon build-up.</p>
<p>“Expect the car to sit 10 mm lower…”</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s not going to work. I “expect” it to sit at least 20mm lower. </p>
<p>We’ll see how this stacks up against the Golf R, which is my current “next car”. Assuming price will be similar. </p>
<p>Cue impatient guy: “Look for a full report on the car on MotoringFile shortly.” It seems like we’ve exceeded ‘shortly’</p>
<p>When??? </p>
<p>:-)</p>
<p>At the end of Feb I may be dropping my cash wad on the TT-RS I ordered, but if there is a 250hp JCW Countryman with AWD in the works I may divert the cash flow to MINI.</p>
<p>Don’t do it. The TT-RS is the shizznipple. </p>
<p>No way – get the TT-RS! Unless you need somewhat useable rear seats… but even if you need rear seats, I personally would go for the TT-RS. Are they really comparable prices in the US? High-end TTs are very expensive over here in Canada.</p>
<p>So any news about the JCW engine kit for CMS? 181hp is good but I want gooder, like the other folks with N18 engine :)</p>
<p>I am waiting for a turbo diesel with raised suspension sitting on real on/off-road tires! Torque over HP and utility over handling. I realize this is thread is about JCW, but had to throw my wish list out there… </p>
<p>I second the notion for a diesel version. I love my 335d and wish it had xDrive to be able to handle all of its torque.</p>
<p>I almost lost it when I read the headlines! I’ve been dreaming of a Clubman JCW for the past few months, but have postponed the project to next year. Our first one is on the way so we’ll sit tight with the Tribeca until the little brat is a y.o. How cool is that, the JCW All4 will be ready just around that time 😉 </p>
<p>MINI’s just look better in Chili Red and Black… tempting… this or WRX?</p>
<p>Personally I would maybe go for the WRX but only if it was an STI over the WRC Countryman… As far as I can see, in Canada the 2012 STI is still being offered as a hatch.</p>
<p>So, this is interesting. I’ve been waiting for some real performance in the Countryman. This should do it. But will the back still be too small for my wife considers acceptable….</p>
<p>Or, do I plan on an F31 Touring with adaptive drive and xDrive…. or do we get an X5 and then when we need another car in the stable a couple years after that I get an F80… or the F56…</p>
<p>I wonder what the fuel economy will be in this. I hit 32mpg on the highway in my 2006 E90 and get 36-37mpg in my 2004 R50 while the numbers for the All4 have always been maybe in the middle at most by report… Then I think of the advances the new 3er will have made (less weight, more power, better mpg) and it’ll be at least in the mid-30s on the highway….</p>
<p>But I remain a sucker for a good steer and sheer driving fun.</p>
<p>This upcoming year will be a difficult one to make a decision….</p>