The new Mini Cooper S John Cooper Works has been prematurely revealed in a series of official photographs posted to the internet this morning.
Set to make its public debut at the Detroit motor show in early January, the new range topping Mini model is planned to go on sale in the UK during the second quarter of 2015, at a starting price close to the £22,460 of its predecessor.
As tradition dictates, the new the Cooper S John Cooper Works is based around the three-door Cooper S. It receives a series of styling upgrades to reflect its added performance potential, including a unique front bumper boasting enlarged air ducts, revised LED headlamps, altered wheel arch cladding, wider sills, more prominent spoiler atop the rear hatch, a deeper rear bumper and twin centrally mounted chromed tail pipes.
Power for the new front-wheel drive supermini comes from a revised version of the standard Cooper S’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine – the B48 as it is known internally at Mini's parent company, BMW.
Described as the most powerful engine to be fitted to a regular series production Mini model, it delivers 228bhp between 5200 and 6000rpm along with 236lb ft of torque from just 1250 through to 4800rpm.
This represents a 20bhp and 29lb ft increase on the turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine used by the second-generation Cooper S John Cooper Works predecessor, and is 39bhp and 25lb ft more than that offered by the milder version of the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine used in the Cooper S.
Although it does without a mechanical limited slip differential, the new Cooper S John Cooper Works receives an electronic differential lock to help place its reserves to the road. Buyers can choose between either a standard six-speed manual gearbox or optional six-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel mounted shift paddles.
Tipping the scales 100kg under the model it replaces at 1205kg, the three door hatchback is claimed to hit 62mph in just 6.1sec and reach a top speed of 153mph in manual guise – 0.8sec and 7mph faster than the old Cooper S John Cooper Works and a similar 0.8sec and 9mph improvement on the Cooper S.
Mini’s latest performance hero rides on standard 17-inch wheels shod with 205/45 profile tyres, although 18-inch rims are available as an option. Along with specific suspension tuning, the new car also receives a Brembo brake system.
Inside, the new Cooper John Cooper Works sports a number of unique touches, including model specific sill decoration, more supportive front seats with integrated headrests, a three-spoke multi-function steering wheel, new gear lever, stainless steel pedals and revised instrument graphics.
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