Hot MINI Aceman JCW confirmed

MINI’s entire family of all-new models due to be launched from 2024 will come with the option of an extreme JCW version, it has been confirmed, including the all-electric MINI Aceman SUV.

Speaking to carsales, MINI’s global boss Stefanie Wurst stressed that performance cars under the John Cooper Works (JCW) sub-brand wouldn’t die out with the car-maker’s well-publicised move to all-electric powertrains in the coming years.

“JCW is a very important part of our heritage – it is the epitome of MINI’s go-kart feeling,” she said.

Explicitly confirming that not only will the 2024 MINI Aceman get the JCW treatment, but every single car MINI will produce from now on, Wurst said the strategy will mirror what will happen with the BMW M brand.

Work is already underway on the first all-electric MINI JCW hot hatch.

The car-maker released images back in December 2020 of a high-performance version of the MINI Electric with what was believed to be a twin-motor powertrain and wild aero sourced from the combustion-engined MINI JCW GP.

Back then, the development car was said to produce more than 300kW and, with the help of all-wheel drive, was capable of a 0-100km/h sprint of less than 4.0 seconds.

There’s no word yet on powertrain or performance specifics for the incoming range of battery-electric MINI JCW models, but it’s thought the next-generation MINI three-door hatch could offer both combustion and pure-electric JCW variants thanks to its flexible architecture.

No timeline has been given for when we’ll see the new breed of MINI JCW, but it’s thought the fastest version could be introduced on both the three-door hatch and Aceman in 2024.

As well as confirming MINI’s fastest hot hatches would live on, Wurst also confirmed the BMW-owned British brand was happy taking a back seat when it comes to autonomous driving development.

“When introduced in 2024, the Aceman will have Level 2 – this is like the standard you have in most of the regulatory systems in most markets,” she said.

“[For our buyers] it’s not the most predominate question you would ask from a MINI, it’s more for another type of car that we have in the BMW Group portfolio but it’s not for a MINI, even in 2024.”

In the future, MINI says it will not turn its back on affordable entry models, with Wurst insisting that electric cars “should remain affordable”.

She also refused to confirm MINI is plotting to introduce a smaller car, like the original MINI Rocketman concept, to sit below the next-gen three-door hatch and Cooper – although did concede market conditions and upcoming regulations in Chinese and European cities could force brands like MINI to start producing smaller cars.

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