John Cooper Works Clubman
Racer John Cooper is inextricably linked to Mini. Appending his surname to the little beastie created one of the most iconic Anglophile sportsters ever. The tradition continues with Mini's latest John Cooper Works (JCW) branded Mini, the Clubman. This one joins the Motor Trend stable as our third long-term Mini-following the 163-horsepower 2003 Cooper S and our 172-horsepower 2007 Cooper S-in an ascending progression of power and performance.
As expected, most of the Clubman's performance goodies are standard equipment: 1.6-liter turbocharged 16-valve four-cylinder, 17-Inch alloy wheels, 205/45R17 ContiSportContact 3 SSR run-flat tires, and Brembo front disc brakes with 12.4-inch ventilated rotors and red-painted calipers. However, Mini thrives on a palette of personalization and extended upgrade options; thus, our Chili Red Clubman sports $100 black hood stripes, a $250 multifunction steering wheel, $250 Rooster Red interior highlights, and a $500 USB/Bluetooth adapter. Yeah, sure, the optional $500 sport suspension package, which we opted not to get, would have been icing on the cake for hard-core staffers, but retaining an ounce of civility goes a long way on extended jaunts. The options we did select on the list added only $1100 to the $31,450 base price, bringing the total up to $32,550.
Choosing the 2+1-door Clubman over the standard two-door does not indicate a giant leap of practicality, but its lengthened wheelbase nets more cargo area and enhanced rear-seat accommodations, the latter boasting a legroom bump of 2.4 inches over the coupe, allowing adults to sit in relative comfort. It's one attribute passengers will appreciate even though it's still no family hauler. The curbside-only half-door eases ingress and egress as well as simplifying side loading or installation of a child safety seat. Further, our over-equipped photography team has already exploited the barn-door cargo access and fold-flat second row.
The real prize in the JCW Clubman is the performance. With 208 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque, the tweaked 1.6-liter offers ample muscle, especially in a vehicle weighing only 2768 pounds. It's no surprise, then, that with a weight-to-power ratio of 13.3 pounds per horsepower, the test numbers are imposing: 0-to-60 in 5.7 seconds, the quarter mile in 14.3 seconds at 96.3 mph, and 60-to-0 braking in just 109 feet. For context, our long-term 291-horse Mitsubishi Evo MR recorded 0-to-60 in 5.3, the quarter mile in 13.9 at 99.4, and 60-to-0 in 112 feet. Keeping the Mini's potency in check is an alphabet soup of tech systems: Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Dynamic Stability Control, and Electronic Differential Lock Control (EDLC), all of which are linked and help modulate power to the wheels and are semi-programmable from the cockpit using the DTC switch. There are three braking-system monitors, as well-Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Corner Brake Control (CBC) for braking while steering, and Electronic Brakeforce Controller (EBC) to balance braking when weight distribution changes. With our JCW, we return to a standard Getrag six-speed manual transmission, a refreshing, more involving switch after a year with the six-speed slushbox in our long-term 2007 Cooper S. One unaddressed and unwelcome dynamic of the Mini's front-drive layout, however, is torque steer. The JCW Clubman has it to the max, and we, as will Mini owners, will have to live with it or try to tame it with bolt-ons. That said, the torque steer is brazen but not unworkable, so after the driver adapts, the experience can be quite rewarding. Minis are almost a staple in the Motor Trend stockade of asphalt weaponry. The JCW Clubman brings us a slightly larger package that's more eager than ever to take on the varied tasks staffers will ask of it. How eager? Well, it's already amassed over 4400 miles in only two months of duty.
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