Detroit show: Mini unwraps JCW concept

MINI has released images of its latest performance flagship, with the John Cooper Works hatch set to make its international debut at the Detroit motor show next month.

The BMW-owned British brand is calling it a concept, but the JCW is based on the production-ready hatch that was unveiled simultaneously at the Los Angeles and Tokyo motor shows last month.

The concept features unmistakable John Cooper Works styling touches, including sports stripes, red roof, external mirror caps and roof spoiler contrasting with the ‘Bright Highways Grey’ body colour that carries a brushed metal look.

Red accents can also be found on the sports brake calipers, the rim of the light-alloy wheels and on the indicator surrounds, while strong red lines feature on the grille and on the lower air intakes.

LED headlights feature at the front, and a black grille surround differentiates the JCW from the standard hatch, while specially contoured side skirts, a rear apron with flaps and a diffuser element and the roof spoiler boost the aerodynamics of the car.

Both the front and rear bumpers have been redesigned from the standard hatch, with intakes at the front replacing the fog-lights of the production model, while at the rear, Mini has fitted a sports exhaust with twin tail-pipes in chrome finish and a John Cooper Works silencer system.

Mini says the visuals will match the aural experience, promising an “unmistakable engine soundtrack” for the JCW concept.

Mini has not given anything away about the powertrain, but one possibility is an uprated version of the 141kW/280Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder TwinPower petrol unit from the Cooper S.

That engine pushes the Cooper S from a standing start to 100km/h in 6.8 seconds and the outgoing John Cooper Works hatch can complete the dash in 6.6 seconds, so expect a slight improvement on that figure.

The standard Mini hatch is confirmed for a local berth around March next year, which means a production version of the JCW could land sometime after the middle of 2014.

Further details will be released at the Detroit show in January.