2018 Mini John Cooper Works Countryman Preview
CARS.COM
Competes with: BMW X1, Audi Q3, Mercedes-AMG GLA45
Looks like: The Countryman got rallyfied
Drivetrains: 228-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder; six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic; standard all-wheel drive
Hits dealerships: April 2017
The biggest Mini is about to get a boost to its performance chops with the John Cooper Works version of the brand’s new Countryman SUV. The 2018 Mini John Cooper Works Countryman is set to be revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show in April, but the company has given the world a sneak peek of the hot-hatch compact SUV now, showing us the biggest, most powerful Mini ever made.
Exterior
The JCW Countryman shares a platform with the new, larger Countryman, which features seating for five, expanded cargo room and a larger overall footprint. The new Countryman is 1.3 inches wider and a full 6.7 inches longer, with a wheelbase that’s 2.9 inches longer as well, making for a much larger vehicle than the outgoing model.
The JCW package adds unique paint and trim, larger air intakes up front, 18-inch wheels (with optional 19-inch wheels), standard LED headlights and a special aerodynamic kit. The JCW also gets some specific racier touches, such as unique Rebel Green paint with contrasting Chili Red accents, to emphasize Mini’s use of this model as the basis for its international rally competitions like the Dakar Rally.
Interior
Inside, the JCW Countryman gets some unique touches, like JCW-branded sport seats with integrated headrests, a JCW sports steering wheel and a JCW-branded gear selector. The headliner is done in anthracite gray, all of which Mini says adds up to a more race-car-like atmosphere.
The new Countryman’s larger interior carries over to the JCW version, of course, featuring the fore-and-aft shifting rear seats, and the Mini “Picnic Cushion,” a surface that folds out of the cargo area and provides seating for people having an alfresco meal. The JCW trim includes a standard panoramic moonroof, Comfort Access keyless entry and start, and an optional JCW-specific head-up display. On the electronics side, a 6.5-inch central display screen or optional 8.8-inch touchscreen navigation system are available, as is a Harman Kardon premium audio system.
Under the Hood
Powering the JCW Countryman is Mini’s most powerful engine: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 228 hp and 258 pounds-feet of torque. It’s connected by either a standard six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels via Mini’s All4 all-wheel-drive system. You’ll hear it, too, with a special sports exhaust flap that opens when necessary to let all that raucous, racy noise out.
Mini says that the JCW Countryman is good for a zero-to-60-mph time of 6.2 seconds, or 0.8 seconds faster than the Mini Cooper S Countryman All4, the next trim level down from the JCW. For some serious sprint runs, the JCW Countryman also includes a launch control mode for optimized acceleration.
The chassis has also received a thorough rework with the JCW package, with an optional sport-tuned suspension, speed-related variable assist steering and a standard Brembo sport brake system. The front wheels receive four-piston calipers and are finished in red paint (front calipers also get the JCW logo). The Mini Driving Modes selector is also standard, enabling customization of a host of settings to suit the driver’s tastes, such as accelerator pedal response, steering feel, engine sound, transmission behavior and suspension stiffness (if equipped with the Dynamic Damper Control option).
Safety
The new JCW Countryman comes with a bunch of available optional safety systems, such as the Driving Assistant that includes forward collision warning with autonomous low-speed braking, active cruise control, automatic high beams and road sign detection. Front and rear parking sensors are optional, as is an automatic parallel parking function.
The new 2018 Mini John Cooper Works Countryman will go on sale in April.
