It’s unpredictable, like a bouncing ball. The MINI’s high-performance models, the JCW 3-Door and JCW Clubman, dart around the driving center like an excited child running around.
On the 9th, I had a brief encounter with the JCW 3-Door at the ‘JCW Challenge’ media event held at the Yeongjongdo Driving Center in Incheon. The JCW Challenge has been conducted annually since 2022, allowing MINI JCW customers to experience the capabilities of JCW while driving on the Yeongjongdo circuit.
The program I encountered with the JCW 3-Door was the Time Trial, a circuit driving event where the person with the shortest lap time wins.
With its round eyes, it exudes an adorable charm that seems to have jumped straight out of a cartoon. Its dimensions of 3,870 × 1,725 × 1,415 mm encapsulate the essence of its MINI name. Being surrounded by larger cars makes the MINI’s compact cuteness stand out even more.
Inside, you can feel the unique tidiness of MINI. The JCW 3-Door is equipped with a Visual Boost that features a round 8.8-inch touchscreen. It is fitted with an FM radio double tuner and speaker system. Furthermore, Bluetooth-connected CarPlay allows for tidy calls and music playback while driving, without the clutter of cable. Additionally, the 5-inch driver display showcases MINI’s trademark simplicity.
With 2.2 turns lock-to-lock, the steering response is heavy and smooth, as expected from a high-performance vehicle. The JCW 3-Door pairs a 231 horsepower, 2-liter 4-cylinder TwinPower turbo engine with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
The circuit within the driving center contains several split routes. As there was a risk of straying off course while driving alone, we conducted a warm-up run under the guidance of an instructor before beginning the main drive.
As soon as we started, we immediately followed up with solo driving. Upon navigating the hairpin section, a 950-meter straight line followed. Stepping firmly on the accelerator, the JCW 3-Door dashed forward at an impressive speed of 170 km/h, like a marble shot from a slingshot.
In the successive curved sections, it glided through effortlessly, as if fish swimming smoothly without any roll. The narrow alleyways were navigated skillfully, reminding me of the movie Italian Job showcasing the MINI’s true capabilities. During high-speed circuit driving, I almost lost my way, a situation where an ordinary vehicle would have needed to reverse. However, the JCW 3-Door swiftly exited the confusing route without needing to backtrack.
Exiting the hairpin section, the car maintained perfect grip as it navigated the course smoothly.
The time recorded for one lap of the Yeongjongdo Driving Center was 1 minute and 55 seconds. Had I not hesitated during the brief moment of losing track, I could have reduced my time even more.
For the gymkhana, I took the wheels of the JCW Clubman. It measures 4,266 × 1,800 × 1,441 mm, making it significantly larger than the JCW 3-Door. The eye-catching exterior features red decals along with a John Cooper Works branding sticker.
The JCW Clubman offers 2.4 turns lock-to-lock, and its steering response echoes that of the 3-Door model—heavy and smooth.
The interior matches that of the JCW 3-Door; the only difference is the application of suede sports seats. After the slalom, we continued with an 8-shaped turn followed by a series of rapid lane changes into the course.
After the practice driving, the main course driving began. The JCW Clubman shows agile performance, pairing its 306 horsepower, 2-liter JCW TwinPower turbo engine with an 8-speed automatic transmission while achieving maximum torque of 45.0 kg.m.
As the slalom continued, and during the 8-shaped turns, the car could easily have slipped; however, the JCW Clubman’s ALL 4 all-wheel drive feature and Dynamic Stability Control effectively stabilize the vehicle.
Even during rapid lane changes, the JCW Clubman seemed to perform as if by shortcut, quickly changing lanes to reach its destination. The recorded time was 36 seconds, lagging far behind the first place at 31 seconds. My delayed start was due to the ISG (Idle Stop Going) function activating during the idle stage causing the engine to turn off. Despite this, I felt no disappointment.
The JCW delivers an unpredictable fun similar to a bouncing ball and kept me entertained throughout my time at the driving center. Whether in the city or outskirts, driving with the JCW is always an enjoyable experience.
MINI is set to release a full change of its entire lineup in the second quarter.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr