The MINI Cooper John Cooper Works and its Convertible version are presented with their 231 CV petrol engine

Last week MINI was present at the Paris Motor Show with new models such as the Aceman and the Cooper in its fully electric version, both in the sporty John Cooper Works version, to which the Cooper and the Cooper Convertible will soon be added to the British brand’s range, also in their John Cooper Works version with the classic and exciting petrol engine.

Luckily, the Cooper and its convertible variant will continue to have the John Cooper Works version with a combustion engine, maintaining the go-kart-style driving that has always characterised these models, which guarantees the sensations of a true sports car. The good news from the presentation in Paris of their electric cousins is that they have given us a preview of the styling of the latter.

The styling of both the MINI Cooper JCW and the Cooper JCW Convertible is undoubtedly much more radical, with the octagonal grille in glossy black featuring the John Cooper Works logo, as well as air intakes in the lower section, complemented by those at the ends of the bumper with red inserts, all accented by the new LED light cluster. On the sides we find exclusive wheel designs in sizes of 17 and 18 inches, while at the rear the changes come from the prominent rear spoiler and the diffuser, into which, incidentally, the centrally positioned exhaust pipe is integrated.

As for the Cooper JCW Convertible, it features a fabric soft top that can be black or feature a Union Jack design in grey as a contrast, and which can be fully opened by its electric mechanism in 18 seconds, and while on the move as long as we do not exceed 30 km/h; at any speed we can also open it so that it retracts a total of 40 cm, like a sliding roof. It is worth noting that if we opt for this body style we can also choose the Copper Grey colour, available exclusively for the Cooper JCW Convertible.

Now, if we step inside the MINI Cooper JCW and Cooper JCW Convertible, we will find the characteristic colour scheme of these versions, that is, red and black, as can be seen in areas such as the dashboard and especially on the passenger side, where part of the surface features a woven pattern in these colours. The sports seats are upholstered in black synthetic leather with multicoloured knit fabric on the shoulders and red decorative stitching, and the pattern also appears on the sports steering wheel with gear-change paddles.

The 240 mm diameter OLED screen provides relevant information for the driver, although it can be more specific if we select Go-Kart mode, as it will show not only the speed but also other performance-related data, such as torque, the power output in kW and the current G-force. Through it we can also control other functions such as climate control, communication, telephone and navigation, either via the touchscreen or by voice commands, including the Harman Kardon sound system, which comes as standard.

Mechanically, the MINI Cooper JCW and Cooper JCW Convertible use a 2,000 cc four-cylinder in-line engine with TwinPower Turbo technology, which produces a power output of 231 CV and a torque of 380 Nm, allowing them to accelerate to 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds for the Cooper JCW and in 6.4 seconds for the Cooper JCW Convertible, while the top speed is 250 km/h; figures that are, in any case, very similar to those of their electric cousins. As for consumption, the Cooper JCW will return 6.8 l/100 km, slightly higher in the Cooper JCW Convertible at 7.1 l/100 km.

Both are linked to a sporty dual-clutch automatic gearbox, and also feature specific suspension settings that make them more agile, and a braking system in Chilli Red with the JCW logo.