| John Cooper Works | |
| Currentowner: | BMW |
| Producedby: | BMW |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Introduced: | 2002 |
| Related: | Mini |
| Previousowners: | John Cooper Garages |
John Cooper Works (JCW) is a British car marque now owned by BMW and it is an in-house tuning, development, and international automotive racing division for Mini vehicles. It was founded in 2002 by Michael Cooper, son of John Cooper, the racing car maker and tuner responsible for the original Mini Cooper.
In 2007, German automaker BMW acquired the rights to the name,[1] and it bought out the company in 2008.[2]
The first ever JCW kit was a 126bhp upgrade for the Mini Cooper. The kit consisted of the following components:
Despite its price tag of over €2000, this kit only offered a power increase of 11bhp, a sportier exhaust note and a crisper throttle response. The main advantage was that these improvements, though fairly minor, could be made to the Cooper without jeopardizing the factory warranty. In 2004, JCW discontinued the Cooper kit and introduced a Sound Kit for the Cooper. The Sound Kit consisted of a unique air intake system, cat-back exhaust and an ECU remap.
The first JCW Tuning Kit to be made available for the Cooper S was an upgrade for the Cooper S, producing a total of 200bhp. Released in 2003, the kit consisted of the following components:[3]
At the time, the kit could not be factory-ordered, but had to be retrofitted at a Mini dealers or from John Cooper Works themself based in West Sussex, but from late 2005 the Cooper S could be ordered with the upgrade straight from BMWs factory.
In late July 2004, an vastly improved 210 package was launched that increased power further to 210bhp, with the following components:[4]
A "JCW Sound Kit" (Cooper) was made available at the same time, consisting of the cat-back exhaust and the air filter, giving a sportier exhaust note and a 3bhp power increase for around €1100.
In 2007, Mini released the JCW tuning kit for the new "R56" version of the car. This new version now being turbocharged as opposed to supercharged, the kit itself is very different from that of the previous Cooper S. Consisting of an uprated induction system, exhaust and ECU remap, this kit raises power 17bhp to 192bhp. The torque figure climbs 10 Nm to 250 Nm (270 Nm with overboost). Acceleration from 0–100 km/h (0-62 mph) is now 6.8 seconds, and a top speed of 232 km/h (144 mph) is now possible. This kit is commonly referred to as the "Stage 1 Kit", although this nomenclature has never been officially employed by JCW or by BMW.
According to Mike Cooper, this kit would create "the fastest Mini ever produced"[5] above all due to the extra torque and in-gear acceleration, which in certain driving situations will be even faster than the 218bhp Mini JCW GP.
In 2011, the JCW tuning kit was updated for the Cooper S LCI (135 kW). The kit consists of an uprated exhaust (cat-back), intake system, exhaust manifold and an ECU remap. The tuning kit includes a small plaque with a unique serial number mounted on the engine, as well as front and rear JCW emblems. The power is increased 12 kW from the standard 135 kW to 147 kW.
In mid-2008, Mini brought out a new addition to the JCW family - the Mini John Cooper Works. This is in fact not another power kit, but a whole new version of the R56 Mini Hatch, model code MF91 (MM91 in the Clubman version). This new version comes with major differences from the factory, compared to the 192bhp power kit that can be supplied through the dealer network:
Commonly referred to as the GP2, the 2013 John Cooper Works GP is a limited-edition, track-oriented version of the regular John Cooper Works hatchback based loosely on the JCW Challenge race car. Production was limited to 2000 units worldwide. The GP2 boasts a 218-hp (214 for US models) turbo-charged 1.6 L direct-injected four cylinder engine, giving it a 0–60 mph time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 150 mph. The engine is essentially identical to the N18 used in other 2013 John Cooper Works models, with a slight increase in compression accounting for the modest power gain. In keeping with its uncompromising roots, a 6-speed manual gearbox was the only transmission offered. The GP2 also features exclusive 17” wheels, high-performance tires designed in a special partnership with Kumho, adjustable coil over suspension with revised geometry unique to the GP, 6-piston Brembo® front calipers borrowed from the BMW 135i, a full valance tray and functional rear diffuser, a hatch-mounted spoiler with carbon fiber element, red mirror caps, brake ducts, signature badging, a pair of special-edition RECARO sport seats (complete with side-impact airbags), and deletion of the rear seats to save weight. The stability control suite features an additional "GP mode" exclusive to this model which permits a greater degree of wheel-slip while retaining function of the brake-based electronic limited slip differential. The 500 examples sold in the US originally retailed for $39,950[6] and were available in only one configuration.
Notable racing history:
MotorPress.ca reviewed the F56 JCW and gave it a rating of 8.3 out of 10, praising its driving characteristics and mighty engine. The JCW is a powerhouse.[9]
The John Cooper Works Countryman is the first 5-door JCW from Mini that unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The North American debut of the Countryman JCW was unveiled at the 2012 New York Auto Show.