The final piece of the MINI puzzle for now, the John Cooper Works Countryman, has had its pricing and specifications announced ahead of its local arrival into showrooms.
The John Cooper Works is pitched as the sportiest Countryman in the range, and as such, comes with higher performance and added equipment as standard, and starts from $56,900 plus on-road costs. Like the other John Cooper Works models in the MINI range – the 3/5-door hatch, Clubman wagon and convertible, the Countryman applies the highest tune of engine available in the MINI range, for now.
Centrepiece to the John Cooper Works transformation is a 170kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, capable of launching the Countryman from 0-100km/h in just 6.5 seconds. Helping traction is the standard All4 all-wheel drive system, only available in the Countryman Cooper SD and John Cooper Works Clubman in Australia – the John Cooper Works hatchback and convertible are front-wheel drive.
Transmission choices are an eight-speed automatic, or a no-cost six-speed manual, the latter unavailable on Australian Countrymans until now. Fuel consumption is rated at 7.4L/100km for the automatic, or 7.8L/100km for the manual.
The John Cooper Works Countryman features a range of sportier details to go with the added performance of the car. The exterior features a sports bodykit with more aggressive front and rear bumpers, as well as side sills and a rear spoiler. Also featured are 19-inch alloy wheels with 17-inch Brembo brakes, with chrome dual tailpipes and a gloss black finish to the mirrors and roof rails.
Inside the John Cooper Works Countryman, the sporty touches continue. A leather-wrapped three-spoke John Cooper Works features, as do JCW sports seats with Dinamica suede/leather trimmings and a 12-speaker harman/kardon sound system with an 8.8-inch MINI Navigation System Professional infotainment system.
Otherwise, the John Cooper Works Countryman continues the high standard of equipment as other models in the range, including adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, dual-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry/start, a hands-free tailgate and LED headlights.
On top of the extensive level of standard equipment, there are a number of available optional equipment packages for owners to further personalise their Countryman. The Climate package adds a panoramic electric glass roof, sun protection glazing, and heated driver and front passenger seats, while other options include the interior and exterior mirror package and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
John Cooper Works Countryman standard equipment:
– Active Cruise Control, functional from 0-140km/h with Stop and Go Function
– Driver Assist package (includes Forward Collision Warning, City Collision Mitigation (AEB), High Beam Assistant and Speed Limit Information)
– Comfort Access keyless entry and start
– Hands-free tailgate operation
– Front and rear parking sensors with automatic parallel parking functionality
– Revised turbocharger, pistons and exhaust system
– Performance control to reduce understeer and increase traction and stability while cornering
– Red grille insert surround
– JCW-specific door sills, gear shift lever, instrumentation, and stainless steel sports pedals
– ‘Hazy Grey’ interior surfaces
– Anthracite roof headliner
– Rear seat armrests
– 12-speaker Harman/Kardon HiFi system
– MINI Navigation System Professional
– Head-Up display with JCW-specific content (driving speed, navigation info, phone and audio lists, engine revs, gear indicator, shift point)
– Speed Limit Information
– LED headlights
The launch of the John Cooper Works Countryman coincides with updates to the wider range of MINI products, including revised colours/trims, the availability of wireless Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, revised instruments and a driver fatigue monitor. These updates will be available from July 2017 production.
We’re big fans of the latest MINI Countryman. It’s a well-rounded car with lots of flair and a wide range of personalisation available. You can read and watch our review of the 2017 MINI Countryman range here.
