Mighty Mini John Cooper Works refreshed and reloaded for 2021

The Mini John Cooper Works has been treated to a cheeky nip and tuck for the 2021 model year. Straight out of the blocks you will notice that this performance-focused Mini now sports a more aggressive face, courtesy a set of new round LED headlamps and a revised hexagonal radiator grille, which features a red crossbar and extends further downwards. 

Other notable cosmetic tweaks include enlarged cooling air openings, that ensure optimum temperature control of the drive and brake systems during particularly aggressive driving scenarios (like on a racetrack for example). The model-specific side scuttles on the front side panels and the rear apron, which now features a distinctive diffuser to optimise airflow in the rear area of the underbody, have also been redesigned.

Climb inside the cabin and you'll be met with a redesigned centre instrument panel, with an 8.8-inch touch display in black panel design as standard, as well as a new operating system whose modern graphic display makes the selection and control of vehicle functions, audio programme, navigation, communication and apps even more intuitive. For the first time, Live Widgets are available for this purpose, which can be selected by means of a swiping motion on the touch display. Yep, the Mini John Cooper Works is a tech-junkie's dream. 

Individual wishes in the areas of comfort, connectivity and driver assistance can be fulfilled with the newly compiled equipment packages. These include new options such as steering wheel heating, lane departure warning included in the Driving Assistant and the Stop & Go function for Active Cruise Control. Park Distance Control (PDC), with sensors at the rear of the vehicle, now also feature as standard equipment – great for us urbanites. 

Engine-wise the 2021 Mini John Cooper Works retains the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol motor developing 170kW and 320Nm worth of torque. Drive is sent exclusively to the front wheels via either a six-speed manual or eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission. Equipped with the former, this flagship Mini will romp its way to 100km/h in 6.3 seconds. Tick the box on the latter and this comes down to 6.1 seconds.

A race car-inspired sports exhaust system with two 85mm stainless-steel tailpipes is fitted as standard (cue the noise), as is a bespoke Brembo brake package immediately identifiable by its bold red painted calipers front and rear. Seventeen-inch John Cooper Works light-alloy wheels are standard but customers do also have the option of upgrading to larger 18-inch wheels if they so wish. In the chassis department, a new version of the Adaptive Suspension is now available as an option, which with its frequency-selective damper technology ensures an optimised balance between sportiness and ride comfort. 

The revitalised Mini John Cooper Works will land in SA during the second quarter of 2021.