No there is no power increase. Let me say that again. MINI has not borrowed any of BMW’s B48 tunes (of which there are plenty) and bumped up the 2022 MINI JCW hatch from it’s 228 hp. That will disappoint many would be JCW buyers. But stay with me here. The revisions that MINI has made to the 2022 MINI JCW are many, and in some cases significant and aggressive. In fact those are the two words you will keep coming back the more you look at the revised car. And seeing them compared to the Cooper and Cooper S it’s clear that the MINI Design Team worked hard to create greater distinction between the normal line-up and the hottest MINIs. In other words, if you were worried that your JCW would be mistaken for a standard Cooper or Cooper S, worry no more.

As with the rest of the range the front of the car has been simplified. In the case of the rest of the range that means eliminating the fog light. However with the JCW they were already eliminated due to the need for further cooling on the right side. With the revised JCW, MINI has better accounted for that need with a design that’s more driven by aero and cooling needs as well as a desire to differentiate. Unlike the rest of the range that features a body colored center crash structure, the JCW uses the typical hexagon pattern from top to bottom creating a more aggressive stance.

2022 MINI JCW Hatch

In some ways we actually prefer the Cooper S design as it’s more honest about the form vs function in the bumper, but the aesthetics of the 2022 JCW MINI are hard to argue with given the brand’s heritage. And if you don’t like the black mustache look of the Cooper S, the JCW fixes that by making the entire front portion black.

Around back we see MINI’s most aggressive take on a rear diffuser we’ve ever seen in this generation. While it’s not the massive diffuser we saw on the second generation GP, it does affect pressure which allows or more uninterrupted airflow.

2022 MINI JCW Hatch

Inside we see a multitude of changes from trim updates to a refresh of the operating system which brings widgets and an improved user interface.

The Brembo brakes and rest of the drivetrain remain with one addition; MINI’s optional adaptive suspension now includes an extra valve incorporated into the dampers to smooth out the ride over bumps and potholes.

But make no mistake, the 2022 MINI JCW Hatch is a fresh take that’s squarely focused on design. And what MINI has done is to further differentiate the JCW sub-brand from the standard MINI range. That lack of differentiation is a critique we’ve had since the very first factory JCW (the R56 JCW) was launched in 2008. In many ways this not only helps to pull apart the sub-brand but it clearly hints at the future of JCW.

2022 MINI JCW Hatch Photo Gallery

OFFICIAL RELEASE

Long straights awaken its tracking ability, in tight bends it shows its unmistakable talent. In the MINI John Cooper Works (fuel consumption combined: 7.1 – 6.8 l/100 km according to WLTP, 7.1 – 6.9 l/100 km according to NEDC; CO2 emissions combined: 161 – 155 g/km according to WLTP, 163 – 158 g/km according to NEDC), every kilometre becomes an experience – not only on the race track, but also on the road. The fascination exuded by the top sports car in the premium small car segment has grown once again with the latest model update. With fresh design accents and extended standard equipment, the MINI John Cooper Works presents itself more than ever in top form. A new operating system and attractive equipment packages also offer optimised options for enjoying extreme driving pleasure in an individual way.

The character of the MINI John Cooper Works, which is consistently tailored to inspiring performance, is staged even more authentically by the British brand’s new, particularly clear and purist design language. At the front of the vehicle, the round LED headlights and the hexagonal radiator grille, which features a red crossbar and now extends far downwards, are particularly prominent. Enlarged cooling air openings ensure optimum temperature control of the drive and brake systems in extremely sporty driving situations. The model-specific side scuttles on the front side panels and the rear apron, which now features a distinctive diffuser to optimise airflow in the rear area of the underbody, have also been redesigned.

The expressive appearance reflects the impressive temperament of the MINI John Cooper Works. Its power source is the four-cylinder engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology, developed with the racing expertise of John Cooper Works, which develops a maximum output of 170 kW/231 hp and a maximum torque of 320 Nm from a displacement of 2.0 litres. After the start signal given at a standstill, it takes just 6.3 seconds for the MINI John Cooper Works with standard 6-speed manual transmission to accelerate to 100 km/h. In conjunction with the optional 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission, the 100 km/h mark is even reached after just 6.1 seconds. 

A sports exhaust system with two 85-millimetre stainless-steel tailpipes accompanies the fast-track manoeuvres with an emotionally powerful sound. It is also part of the standard equipment, as is the sports brake system developed in cooperation with the specialist manufacturer Brembo. Four-piston fixed caliper brakes with internally ventilated discs on the front wheels and red brake callipers bearing the John Cooper Works logo provide powerful deceleration and eye-catching colour accents behind the standard 17-inch John Cooper Works light-alloy wheels. Optional 18-inch alloy wheels are also available, including the new John Cooper Works Circuit Spoke 2-tone design.

The model-specific sporty suspension set-up of the MINI John Cooper Works contributes to the agile handling, which not only thrills in fast right-left combinations on the race track, but also in winding city traffic. A new version of the Adaptive Suspension is now available as an option, which with its frequency-selective damper technology ensures an optimised balance between sportiness and ride comfort. An additional valve smoothes out pressure peaks within the damper when driving over minor bumps, thereby creating a harmonious driving experience. The necessary adjustment takes place within 50 to 100 milliseconds. Direct contact with the road is maintained during sporty driving. In the MINI John Cooper Works, the new Adaptive Suspension operates with more than ten percent greater damping force than before.

The Adaptive Suspension is also part of the John Cooper Works Trim, which is offered as an alternative to the standard equipment and also includes, among other things, exterior and interior surfaces in Piano Black high gloss, Dinamica/Leather upholstery in Carbon Black for the John Cooper Works sports seats and a particularly high-quality exterior paint finish. There is a choice of Chili Red, Rebel Green, available exclusively for the MINI John Cooper Works, or the new Island Blue metallic and Rooftop Grey metallic variants.

Individual wishes in the areas of comfort, connectivity and driver assistance can be fulfilled in a particularly targeted manner with the newly compiled equipment packages. These include new options such as steering wheel heating, lane departure warning included in the Driving Assistant and the Stop & Go function for Active Cruise Control. Park Distance Control (PDC) with sensors at the rear of the vehicle has been added to the standard equipment of the MINI John Cooper Works.

The MINI John Cooper Works now also features a redesigned centre instrument with an 8.8-inch touch display in black panel design as standard, as well as a new operating system whose modern graphic display makes the selection and control of vehicle functions, audio programme, navigation, communication and apps even more intuitive. For the first time, Live Widgets are available for this purpose, which can be selected by means of a swiping motion on the touch display.

Also new: the displays on the centre instrument and on the optionally available multifunctional instrument display on the steering column can be shown in two different colour worlds. In “Lounge” mode, the display surfaces appear in relaxing shades of blue and turquoise. Switching to “Sport” mode causes the screen backgrounds to glow in red and anthracite. On request, the colour worlds of the displays can be linked to the MINI Driving Modes that are standard in the MINI John Cooper Works. This means that when the SPORT driving mode is activated, the display colour changes at the same time as the accelerator pedal and steering characteristics and, optionally, the damper and gearshift characteristics. This creates an overall driving experience in which the starting signal for extreme driving pleasure can be felt and seen at the same time.