MINI John Cooper Works
Australia's Best Driver's Car

10th

MINI has fun entrenched in its design and engineering DNA and the John Cooper Works versions ensure each donor model is right at the very top of its game. But there’s a difference between the credentials required of a fun-to-drive hot hatch and a truly potent pocket-rocket. The diminutive British three-door tried valiantly to hold its own in our head-to-head driver’s car shootout, but at the chequered flag it flinched first…

The Peter Pan of the motoring world has finally grown up, with more than one of our judges lauding the updated MINI John Cooper Works for its maturity and solid feel on road.

It’s ageing gracefully too, presenting itself as an accomplished driving machine which delivered plenty of thrills for our judging panel.

The latest JCW hot-hatch is the most powerful MINI to ever enter production, and behind the wheel, that’s easy to believe.

Its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine produces 10 per cent more power than the previous JCW model at 170kW and 23 per cent more torque at 320Nm. While it isn’t the most powerful of the two-wheel drive models on test at Australia’s Best Driver’s Car, its power delivery is exhilarating enough to give the driver a broad grin, particularly on tight and twisty roads where the MINI shines.

It also acquitted itself admirably on track, despite scoring a lap time of 1.05:319 (placing it second last ahead of the Mazda MX-5). Unsurprising as it has the second lowest power output of any car in the field. At the drag strip, however, it did surprise, champing at the heels of the 200kW Peugeot 308 GTi.

The MINI John Cooper Works features a six-speed manual transmission to deliver an engaging driving experience. Most judges remarked on how well the gearshift performed as it has a smooth gate and nice, short shifts.

Judges were also largely impressed with the MINI’s steering feel, with Nadine Armstrong commenting that the steering was brilliant over Arrowsmith and Luke Youlden remarking that the MINI’s quick steering revelled in the tight, twisty stage between Strahan and Queenstown.

“Steering as direct as Mark Latham,” said Ken Gratton, who added that the MINI offers even better handling in Sport mode.

Unlike the conventional buttons in most vehicles on test, the MINI uses a bezel around the gear lever to switch between its dynamic modes -- Sport, Mid and Green. It’s an easy switch to use, once you identify its location, but like the rest of the MINI’s centre console, it’s just seems an afterthought and in spirited driving you want your controls to be as easy as possible to locate and use.

Selecting Sport mode throws up a graphic on screen that promises 'maximum go-kart feel'. It changes the accelerator curve, steering assistance and engine acoustics, and the dynamic damper control system. It’s delivers a sensation that the MINI has moved from mundane into fun mode and confirms you are sitting behind the wheel of a John Cooper Works vehicle, if not an actual go-kart.

MINI says the dynamic driving position is enhanced by the JCW sports seats, and largely our judges agreed, remarking they were well shaped and supportive, offering a good driving position for visibility and connection to the steering wheel and pedals.

However, it’s cockpit comfort is impacted somewhat by the driver’s centre armrest, which even when stowed away can encroach on elbow space during gear changes.

The MINI’s rigid body structure gives it a more solid feel on road than either the Peugeot 308 GTi or Renault Clio RS220 Trophy. That stiff chassis boosts the MINI’s composure and allows the JCW to sit flat in corners, giving it an agility which screams hot-hatch.

Unfortunately, while the judges were almost unanimous that the MINI shone on Tasmania’s twisty roads, it was felt by some that it could not be pushed as hard as the chassis might tempt you to do, as the skinny run-flat tyres did not offer as much grip as those of its competitors.

This delivered less than ideal confidence during fast cornering, particularly on track at Baskerville, where Luke Youlden said he found it “easy to find the limit” of the tyres.

The MINI’s brake performance also received its fair share of feedback with a range of comments, both positive and negative, for its hard racing brake pads which had been fitted for the recent Targa Tour.

Combined with tyres that had likely been given some punishment on the Targa Tour the week prior to our drive, the MINI was not exactly fresh out of the factory. That said, at least the previous drivers had well and truly run it in ahead of our competition.

Yes, the MINI John Cooper Works struggled hard to match the power and outright performance of other cars in the field but its fun factor is not in dispute.

In fact, it gave Youlden and I so much enjoyment behind the wheel that we wondered if a motorkhana activity might be an option at the next event. The MINI JCW would have that win in the bag!

2016 MINI John Cooper Works pricing and specifications:
Price: $47,400 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 170kW/320Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 6.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 134g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Four-star ANCAP

motoring.com.au’s 2016 Australia’s Best Driver’s Car

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