New Electric Mini John Cooper Works Is A Total Letdown

Mini has revealed a new generation of its electric Cooper hatchback, and while there is a lot to admire about the youthful EV, we're less enthusiastic about the downgrading of the legendary John Cooper Works (JCW) name that has taken place. Yes, the JCW badge is now merely a trim level with some hood stripes, sportier front/rear styling, and racier seats - but no more performance than the Essential, Classic, and Favored trims.

Over the decades, JCW-equipped Minis have come to signify maximum performance for fans who were willing to sacrifice some comfort and daily liveability. With the new Cooper Electric Hardtop, that's no longer the case, and by making the JCW model nothing more than a cosmetic upgrade, Mini isn't honoring its in-house tuning and racing division as it should.

The new Cooper Electric Hardtop will be available in Cooper E and Cooper SE powertrain variants, with the former making 181 horsepower and the latter 215 hp. The SE will hit 62 mph in 6.7 seconds, so it's more of a warm hatch than a hot one, and even it doesn't deliver the heat we expect from a JCW-badged Mini. Even the new Go-Kart driving mode isn't exclusive to the JCW. For reference, the 2023 gas-powered JCW Hardtop hits 60 in under six seconds. It can also be had with a Nitron suspension and front/rear dampers that can be adjusted separately.

The new Cooper Electric Hardtop in JCW guise has high-gloss black exterior detailing and a contrasting roof in Chili Red, while its cabin receives upgraded seating with black synthetic leather and red stitching. It looks great, but JCW Minis have always offered more.

Consider the raucous JCW GP hatch from a few years back. With 301 hp, it became the quickest Mini ever, and it looked the part with its dramatic double-contour spoiler. And, when Mini chose to celebrate the manual gearbox with a special-edition hatch earlier this year, it did so with a JCW-tuned model.

Even though John Cooper Works was only founded in 2002, the division's links to the Mini brand go all the way back to 1961 when John Cooper modified the original, pint-sized Mini. Racing versions of this Mini won the Monte Carlo Rally for four consecutive years, cementing Mini's reputation as a driver's machine. JCW also supports Mini Motorsport teams participating in events like the Dakar Challenge.

The first JCW kit for the modern Mini included a flowed and ported cylinder head, a remapped ECU, an uprated exhaust, and a new air filter. Although the power hike was modest, it was far more than a sportier-looking Mini. The exhaust note was naughtier, and the throttle response was improved. Through the years, the JCW treatment was applied to larger Mini models like the Clubman and Countryman.

Mini's decision to make the JCW name nothing more than a visually sportier trim is disappointing, considering the colorful history of the sub-brand. We can think of a few other cars that didn't live up to their hallowed badges: Nissan Sentra Nismo, the New Z Nismo (with its weight gain and automatic-only transmission), the new four-cylinder Mercedes-AMG SL 43, and the softer third and fourth generations of the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Subaru still hasn't been forgiven for slapping the iconic STI badge on the distinctly unsporty Forester SUV, and the lack of a real STI has damaged the reputation of the WRX sedan.

We hope that the expected gas-powered versions of the new Mini hatch don't follow their electric siblings with another watered-down JCW.