I'll be honest - this wasn't a proper, pedal-to-the-metal attack on the Goodwood hillclimb route. That's mainly because it occurred during the Moving Motor Show, the road-car-focused opening day of the Festival of Speed.
The Moving Motor Show is about letting potential customers drive production cars. For this reason, a 60mph speed limit is in place along the hill route, and the course includes an extra haybale chicane that will be removed before the professional drivers do their timed runs tomorrow. The restriction is frustrating in a normal road car, and it takes even more concentration to adhere to it in a 228bhp Mini John Cooper Works.
I've been itching to drive this hottest of hot Minis since it was unveiled at the Detroit motor show back in January. Okay, so 236lb ft of torque, a 153mph top speed and a 6.1sec 0-62mph time aren't going to worry the likes of the Honda Civic Type R or Volkswagen Golf R, but at £24,380 in six-speed automatic form, the JCW is the cheapest option of the three.
The JCW has another string to its bow, too. In my opinion, it sounds by far the best of the three. JCW models come with a small keyfob that disengages the catalytic converter from the exhaust, making the engine's noise louder and ensuring plenty of pop and fizz elsewhere.
I also like the optional automatic transmission. Select manual mode while waiting at the start line and you can use the paddle shifts to pull away with plenty of gusto. Brake for the first right-hand corner, then it's a blast past Goodwood House itself and then left at Molecomb into the snaking, narrow, walled section. The JCW's quick steering is ideal for the last few sections, where the hillclimb course alternately widens and narrows.
As I return to the Moving Motor Show pavilion, there's a long line of prospective buyers waiting for their turn in the JCW and the other performance models on hand. Although my run was not quite 'flat out and fearless' - that's the theme for the action that will come when the festival kicks off in earnest - it was enough to get a flavour of the Moving Motor Show's appeal.
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