With MINI’s strategy to go all electric 2030, fans have been wondering what that will mean for the performance oriented JCW brand. Today we’re getting our first official view at what they will look like. No this isn’t the MINI Cooper JCW we’ve all been waiting for but sources tell us that the Cooper S with JCW Trim we see here is nearly it – except for some important details which we can exclusively report.

Why is MINI offering the look of JCW without the performance? In the words of MINI Head of Design Oliver Heimler, the brand wanted to give customers the choice of look without having to compromise on range or comfort. However not all markets will follow this approach. For instance MINI USA intends to keep the JCW Trim you see here off the options list for all non JCW models. The thought is that it should be exclusive to JCW models to maintain exclusivity.

This means what you see here is extremely close to the final J01 Cooper JCW we’ll get next year. The big changes over the standard Cooper SE is the body kit and wheels. A theme throughout is the new JCW logo which provides elements in the grille and wheel designs.

The 18-inch wheels in Lap Spoke 2-tone design with ten spokes each will be offered on the new Cooper JCW but will have a larger system complete with red brake calipers.

MINI Cooper SE in JCW Trim includes diffusers at the front and rear. The radiator grille surround and logo are finished in high-gloss black, something we’ll definitely see on the full JCW as well. Finally a contrasting roof and the mirror caps in Chilli Red will be one of three options in the JCW. It’ll also have black and body color options but gone is the white roof.

Racing-inspired interior.

The JCW seats here are rumored be the final seats we’ll see on the full JCW model. They combine synthetic leather with red stitching and multi-coloured knitted material in the shoulder section. The black and red colour concept is continued on the 2d-knit covering the interior of the door and the dashboard – the passenger side of which is has the JCW-specific pattern in style of a chequered flag.

The central, high-resolution OLED display with a diameter of 240 mm bundles vehicle-related data and provides information on navigation, media, telephone and climate settings. The JCW will have its own MINI Experience Modes – GO-KART Mode. This mode changes the display and interior lighting anthracite red. In addition to the special GO-KART sound, the optimized throttle response of the accelerator pedal in this mode enhances the sporty driving experience. The full JCW will likely have further driving enhancements like drift mode.

The full electric Cooper JCW will likely be coming early next year to Asia, Europe and South America.

Gallery: MINI Cooper SE with JCW Trim