Is This the New AWD JCW Clubman?
The Clubman is coming soon. Really soon. But that doesn’t mean Clubman developments will cease. A year ago we reported on MINI’s grand plans for the JCW brand starting with the F56 and F57 convertible (debuting late this year) and then adding the Clubman and Countryman. The latter however are the really interesting ones for longtime MINI fans however. With up to 300 hp and all wheel drive reportedly on tap, these will be the fastest MINIs yet. And this spy shot might just be our first look.
Two key things point to this being a potential JCW test mule. First the tell-tale red JCW calipers that are standard on all JCW cars. There’s a chance that they could be simply testing the after sales version of the brakes. But there’s another image that shows what could be a subtle but obvious lump between the rear two wheels. Is that a rear differential driving the rear wheels? It’s almost impossible to know. But what we do know is that MINI is preparing to release a JCW AWD Clubman. So it’s a matter of when, not if. We believe that when is about 18 months away.
Beyond the B48A20O0 found in the just released JCW, sources tell us that BMW and MINI are working on a much higher performance variant of the B48 with a target output as high as 300 hp. The engine is rumored to be destined for use in the BMW high spec versions of the X1, X2 and future FWD versions of the 1 and 2 series hitting dealers later this decade.
These same sources tell us that MINI has plans for this engine in its larger all wheel drive UKL based vehicles – the next generation F54 Clubman and the F60 Countryman. If true this engine will form a the basis of a high output all-wheel drive JCW variant of both cars released as early as 2017.
While nothing has been confirmed at this time, this approach would make a lot of sense from a product and marketing perspective. MINIs are increasingly cross shopped with larger more expensive alternatives on one end. On the other are an increasingly impressive list of rivals with products designed to encroach on MINIs market.
Having different power plants to solve for difference JCW cars makes sense when you look at how BMW M approaches its models. But then of course that begs the question, why not throw the high output 2.0L in the smallest car you have – the F56 hatch? We expect BMW and MINI won’t want to put that much power through the front wheels only and they’ve already commented to us several times that the F56 will not be available in AWD. Yet it remains an attractive idea. Even if the engine is detuned a bit it could make for one hell of a JCW model in the smaller cars.
<p>The new Clubman may be the car that keeps me with MINI. Daughter and son were 4 and 2 years old in ’08 when we bought our first MINI Clubman. Our family has outgrown the size and we really want the four doors now. Prefer the new Clubman design over the countryman or new 4-door.</p>
<p>First question is do I wait for the JCW… the second question is when is the online world premier hitting MotoringFile?</p>
<p>To answer your questions:
1 – That’s up to you
2 – Very, very, very soon :)</p>
<p>I say be a first adopter, I really want to know if MINI gets it right for a change.</p>
<p>The Clubman may be the best looking of the current F-series generation. The longer wheelbase and larger greenhouse balance the longer nose, the lower front grill is better resolved and the enormous F55/56 tail lights are gone.</p>
<p>I dunno about the tail lights, they may have left just enough uncovered on the mule to be visible (for safety), who knows how much is still under the camo?</p>
<p>Decent looking wheels – credit where due.</p>
<p>Looks good but with MINI’s poor track record of new systems, I sure won’t be buying one until after all of the bugs are worked out, certainly on anything like an AWD system and that is if they even admit the problems and don’t string customers along for a few years. This all sounds so promising. How can anyone possibly resist? At the same time it also sounds complicated and then having to deal with MINI/BMW service centers – no thanks! I give it two to three years before the bugs are worked out and don’t look forward to reading all of the unhappy customers complaining on the various MINI forums I frequent.</p>
<p>Lease it. Give it back after 3-4 years. Then buy the one that has the bugs worked out. ;-)</p>
<p>F54 Clubman is a game changer for MINI. Its size puts it firmly in the C-segment, which is the biggest car market segment in Europe. Significantly, the new Clubman is a compact premium ‘Sportwagon’, and as such is probably the most desirable MINI yet. It’s reassuring to hear that there will be a JCW version with four-wheel-drive, to compete with the new Golf R SportWagen.</p>
<p>It always surprised me that BMC never produced a Cooper version of the original Mini Estate. Fortunately, for BMW’s ‘heritage department’, John Cooper Garages – later to become John Cooper Works (JCW) – built a one-off batch of six Mini Cooper Estate cars, using tuned-up versions of the Cooper S engine. Two were bought by Steve McQueen and one was bought by Clint Eastwood.</p>
<p>An AWD, manual transmission, 300hp Clubman? That sounds too good to be true. Keep the options light and the price may be tolerable too.</p>
<p>Can’t wait for the F54 reveal!</p>
<p>I get a kick out of the always griping guys here. Now it’s that MINI doesn’t know all wheel drive! And that they have no experience in it. Well, who is the parent company, and how many years has BMW had X drive? Also, haven’t they been racing all wheel drive for some time, as well? I may be too much of an optimist, but I think that when Mini does bring the all wheel out for a performance version of the Clubman, they’ll have it pretty much figured out. Also, that’s one of the reasons for when we see these spy shot cars. What are they doing, out for a joy ride? No, they’re TESTING the bloody things. That’s all. For me, it still has two too many doors.</p>
<p>Official F54 pictures available now :)</p>