Apparently BMW is serious this time. Not that the current JCW isn’t fast, but it’s clear that BMW will need more power if they are to position the MCS JCW against such cars as the new VW GTI or Civic Si.
So first on the agenda will be the launching the next generation JCW MCS with around 225-230bhp in late 2007 as a 2008 model. With improved torque and drivability from the new dual-stage turbo it should no doubt be a screamer. Further rumor has it the 2008 JCW MCS will come from the factory with a unqiue body kit, and possibly even a full JCW suspension. It’s unknown what BMW will do in the brake department as the stock MCS will be getting what are essentially JCW brakes as standard.
Taken as a whole, it would seem the next JCW MCS will be engineered in a fashion much closer to the way BMW designs and builds its M cars.
However BMW may not stop there. Knowing that a special edition (or as we call it, “the über MINI”) may be on tap later in the production life of the R56, the folks in Munich have reportedly engineered the next JCW drivetrain to be tunable up to 300bhp. Now before we go on, let’s make one thing clear. This does not mean BMW will build a 300bhp MINI. And don’t go telling friends it’s true because you heard it on MotoringFile! What it does mean is that the components that are going in the next generation JCW MCS should be able to safely withstand 300bhp should the need arise. This could allow for minor production changes to produce hefty power increases for any future special edition JCW MCS. But we have to stress we have no information (even rumors) of a car with that much power on the horizon. However at the very least, this information should be a music to the ears of aftermarket tuners.
As you would expect (and as we’ve reported previously) the new JCW kit will only be available as a factory option and may even be considered a completely different model similar to the M3. Yet despite all of these changes, it may be comforting to know that MINI plans on keeping JCW pricing at or near the same level as the current car.
All hail the mighty JCW! Oh how I miss mine. A moment of silence please…
guess i’ll be waiting until 2008 for my next MINI.
Well… I might be talked into trading in my 2006 for a 250+ “Uber” MINI 🙂
Sounds like this will be my next MINI coming ’09-’10
Mmmmm. Now that sounds tasty…230bhp? 180lbs lighter? Sounds like a GP killer to me! Just in time as well! My ’05 MCS should be out of warranty by then, and it would seem a trade-in looks likely!
I hope we get better seats than the current JCW! I want the Euro spec seats!
If they want this MINI to compete against the GTI they had better keep it light with only 230bhp! The GTI is 3100lbs and has 200bhp which translates to 15.5 lbs/bhp… the CIVIC SI (US SPEC) is 2700lbs with 200hp which is 13.5lbs/bhp. If they manage to keep the MCS to 2300lbs as promise (ballpark) with 230bhp then we are talking 10lbs/bhp!!!
The new Porsche Cayman S (whichs laps the ‘ring faster than a 911) only has 10.01lbs/bhp!!!
RM2k5
i would think they are running up against the limits of fwd and torque steer and would be using awd for this kind of hp.
Great things to hope for. If they go in this direction, BMW has captured my feelings…. The GP is a let down, and they need to bump up the power substantially for a higher end version…
I only wish the original retro instrumentation would be available in the 08 car. I am not a fan of the instrumentation aspects of the 07 model.
bring back the retro, please!
anymore talk about AWD….. forget the GTi- i see an R32 in my next mini’s sights
Rallymini2005- i thought the 911 as faster by about 5 or 6 seconds.
Well I say it’s about time MINI gets serious with the JCW like BMW does with the M cars. Nozz, I hear ya. I miss mine too. (Clicking heels) There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home…
j, I was pretty sure the Cayman S was faster than the base 911. The higher end 911’s are still faster, but the Cayman overtook the 911 by a couple of seconds…
“Porsche claims the Cayman S will lap the North circuit of the Nuerburgring in eight minutes, 20 seconds (running 19-inchers and with Sports Chrono), just a few seconds slower than the Carrera. We’ve heard, but can’t substantiate, the opposite; that in fact the Cayman is actually a few seconds quicker than a base 911, although still not the measure of the 355-horse Carrera S. A bit of marketing/positioning, perhaps? ”
-MotorTrend.
This is what I have heard… FWIW.
RM2k5
Goodness sake! I think we’re starting to reach the limits of what is <em>reasonable</em>. It’s not like the stock MCS is slow or anything! It’d be fun, don’t get me wrong, but it’d be a little monster – a car to be wrangled. You’ll need a chair and a whip just to get in the snarling little beast. I’m all for it, I just can’t imagine a MINI with that kind of get-up.
Hey everybody, I heard on MotoringFile that “BMW will build a 300bhp MINI”! 😉
<blockquote>180lbs lighter?</blockquote>
This claim is in serious dispute – information on Mini2 states that the R56 is in fact 10kg heavier than the current MCS.
Well, now I know what I’ll be trading my 2006 MCS for, when the time comes…
AWD! AWD! AWD!
🙂
see you in 2009….
Anyone that desires AWD should look to a different manufacturer. It’ll NEVER happen in a production Mini. I’m getting kind of hacked off at it always being brought up.
In this sector of the market, to have an AWD version of a car, you need a platform that supports its mnaufacturing, development and production costs. This means a shared platform amongst ‘group’ members. The likelyhood of BMW developing an AWD Mini platform (shared with no other manufacturers) are as likely as the moon really being made of cheese.
<blockquote>Hey everybody, I heard on MotoringFile that “BMW will build a 300bhp MINIâ€ÂÂ! ;)</blockquote>
Aww JD7, you beat me to it!
Finally, a M type of Cooper S available from the factory! I hope BMW equips the 2008 JCW with the JCW sports suspension and brakes from the factory at a “reasonable” price. Perfect, my lease on my cooper s will be up in late 2007, sign me up!
MINI has been tinkering with the idea of AWD. There is a Motoringfile article about a year or two old thst describes a working R53 MCS prototype fitted with AWD by Getrag, the same company that supplies the MINI manual transmissions.
Do I want AWD? Personally I could care less. I live in Florida, so AWD is of very little benefit to me on a day to day basis. AWD makes the car heavier, more complex and then there are the increased costs….
I don’t think it will be a far fetched thing for MINI to ever offer AWD, specially now that the new R56 platform is coming out, which should be more “friendly” and less expensive in terms of adding an AWD system.
I can see in the future an AWD MINI Traveller wagon. Would be a nice competitor to Audi, since thay are thinking of axing the A4 Avant sportwagon in favor of yet another Crossover or SUV (Read Q7) for the US market.
Still a turbo…
I’ll take my GP with the supercharger thank you.
Most if not all actual evaluations thus far have been giving the GP a solid thumbs up as far as the driving experience is concerned. And most already state the GP is pushing the envelop on usable power to the road.
So I don’t see how 230-300hp is going to be that much more usuable … unless you’re racing nd have the chassis/suspension really tricked up.
I also don’t see how they’d possibly be able to keep the price around $30-$31K to match the GP.
All things considered … the GP will remain the ultimate supercharged Mini.
Not to mention the GP looks better than the R56 MCS.
Sorry but the truth hurts….
“Not to mention the GP looks better than the R56 MCS.
Sorry but the truth hurts….”
Not for me, but everyone has their own opinion on what looks good to them. Given that we haven’t even seen photoshoped pictures of what the R56 JCW will look like I personally can’t wait to see what BMW comes up with.
From a style standpoint, GP is an ugly looking ‘special’ car in my opinion.
Already have the first pre-ordered JCW at my dealership just waiting for it to be offered. Just got off the phone confirming another order for a 2008 “uber” mini spot when/if it becomes available.
Way to go mini, glad they woke up and relized that they needed to make sure that the JCW puts the GTI and SI into my dust lol.
As I live where the white stuff falls I am eagerly anticipating a AWD option.
>Anyone that desires AWD should look to a different manufacturer. It’ll NEVER happen in a production Mini. I’m getting kind of hacked off at it always being brought up.
Tony – I respect your reasoning but I have to say I’m pretty confident you’ll be proven wrong.
>This claim is in serious dispute – information on Mini2 states that the R56 is in fact 10kg heavier than the current MCS.
But it has in no way been officially disproved.
…with all this talk of weight gain/loss and aesthetic-only hood scoops, what is really confirmed???
…i can’t believe that the ‘don’t take a dump without a plan’ germans would just add-on a hood scoop just for fun…
…c’mon their GERMANS!!!
…you have to believe that interior is going to be as custom as you want, more possibly than before…
…and there is still enough camo on these cars to screw up the beauty of it’s lines…
…there is MINI a brewin’ and all will experience Gemutlichkeit!!!
…i guess that comment really belongs on the preview thread…
…must have gotten disoriented in the 107 heat index…
With a face and body like the 2007, it better have a great personality.
Sweetness. I want a MINI badly, always have. I ended up with a MKV GTI more from circumstance than anything, and it is an amazing car. I have been eyeing the next gen for when I get rid of the GTI and I definitely want the JCW> I cant wait. This would be an amazing car.
“Still a turbo…
I’ll take my GP with the supercharger thank you.”
The only thing the Supercharge has over these new twin scroll small turbos on direct injected engines like the new MINI and the GTI is the sound.
I know, I have a GTI and am very very familar with the supercharged MINI. MY power band is WAY bigger with low end torque, no turbo lag and absolute power on demand. The kind of burst you get in a MINI at 4500 RPM I get in my GTI at 1800 RPM and doesn’t end til about 5500-6000 RPM. With these new designs the supercharge has very little to stand on, except the beautiful noise
All this talk of more power and I’ll still thrilled by my Cooper. What’s my problem?? Of course, I’m also thrilled in a 997cc Mini and my old Spitfire. I guess I just don’t get it, although it’s clear that lots of knowledgable folks do. Carry on.
different strokes for different folks. Certainly shouldn’t diminish the Cooper or any past MCS for anyone.
Any chance the U.S. will see a JCW w/an auto tranny this time around?
Gabe you say: “It’s unknown what BMW will do in the brake department as the stock MCS will be getting what are essentially JCW brakes as standard.”
Does this mean that 16″ wheels are out for the MCS?
Or perhaps we might see some LIGHT 7″x16″ or 7.5″x16″ wheels for the MCS. It could happen.
Light wheels are always unlikely on a production car, to easy to bend and break. So I highly doubt it.
16″ is an interesting question. I certainly don’t see much of a loss if they are gone. The handling differences are so vast… the 16″ wheels eat up some of the MINIs handling prowess in my eyes
Keep in mind there’s already the 16″ Bridge Spokes that will take the JCW brakes now.
Brilliant – looks like I have two years to run my GP before trade in!
I am moving to Paris so the GP will be perfect for dodging mad French taxi drivers!
I really like the sound of the new JCW car and I am sure it will surpass the current vehicle, however, lets not get carried away as the current car is in my opinion an exceptional automobile and new model or not it always will be! Furthermore the current car is for me slightly better looking.
If we are making a wish list for JCW (08), I like what Mini is already planning. Three more proposed and low cost items. 1) Track version of the DSC, that can be enable and disabled, similiar to what they have in the M-car. Something that would provide a benefit instead of a hindrance around a track or a curvy road. This would have very little cost, yet provide a real performance benefit 2) lighter wheels. Doesn’t have to be extreme, but instead of just an 18″ heavy bling wheel, come up with a stylish yet a pound or two lighter 17″ wheel. Again, not very much cost associated, but a good 15-17lb wheel would be great. 3) and this is a little more extreme, but a CF hood. Something to take a little more of the weight off the front. Maybe CF is too extreme, and maybe with the pedestrian rules it may not work, but at least a lighter weight aluminum hood. This will help balance the car a little more. This would be the most expensive, but again I think it is consistent with the M philosophy of making cars more dynamic. This would add to that feeling on the Mini.
300 hp in a front drive car would be very hard to handle. Although with all the electro nanny’s coming out it’s not out of the question. My thinking is that AWD will be used on the 300 hp MINI. Coming from Subaru’s AWD is a feature I’d gladly pay for. In the mean time I’ll enjoy my 06 MCS Lite.
So my new dream car is a 300HP JCW R55 with AWD.
Andrew,
All good points about my turbo comment, but…
Still a turbo as in it will wear out faster. Period.
Turbo’s have their pluses, but for me the longevity factor of being supercharged wieghs out in the end.
To each his own as they say…
If the power numbers are close to correct the little thing is going to need AWD…desperately! Any more than about 220hp is pushing the limits of what ANY fwd can handle even with the computer looking after you! I have personally reached the limits of my 04 on clean, dry asphalt several times. And to those of you opposed to the idea of awd…hey you don’t want it, don’t get it on yours I want it on mine so I am willing to pay the price $ and weight. Bring it on BMW I have a check for you…Where is my car?!!!
255 Hp for the Mazda 3 MPS, thru the front wheels. Drive reports say the car is nice to drive. Mazda have developed systems to cope with this kind of power to the front wheels.
Paul, well that is one thing I missed putting on the side of the supercharger. Fair enough.
Fiat has a 325bhp fwd 147 that lapped a track faster than a BMW M3, on 5th Gear.
Wow…I guess I’ll be waiting a bit longer….well worth the wait!!!
che spettacolo