[Test Drive] "Small but Strong" The Charm of MINI High-Performance 'JCW Clubman'

'306 Horsepower' Powerful Performance Enhances Appeal with Improved Ride Comfort

MINI JCW Clubman (Photo by MINI Korea)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The image I had of the MINI brand was that of a 'small and cute car.' Over the past few years, the brand has gained an image of providing driving pleasure, but the design features such as the round headlights and the two lines crossing the front remained the first things that came to mind. The presence of the high-performance 'JCW' in MINI felt somewhat incongruous. This is why the combination of MINI's representative model, the Clubman, and JCW caught my attention. On the 3rd, I personally test-drove the JCW Clubman, which came with the flashy description of 'the most powerful performance in MINI history.'

As befits MINI's flagship model, its exterior is cute yet distinctive. The front features the brand's 'signature' round LED headlights and a larger grille. The side profile is impressive with a long body that is hard to predict from the front, giving an overall unique wagon feel. At the rear, the double-door trunk that opens left and right remains unchanged.

The interior also makes ample use of the round shapes symbolizing the MINI brand. There is even a clear effort to incorporate round designs into the air conditioning controls and various function buttons. Overall, a blend of ruggedness and sophistication, which are usually hard to coexist, come together to complete MINI's unique sensibility. The mood lighting applied to the center display and inside the door panels also catches the eye. Although mood lighting has become quite common even in domestic cars, vehicles that display as delicate and diverse colors as MINI are rare. Additionally, the red stitching throughout the interior maximizes the impression of a high-performance car.

MINI JCW Clubman

The most frequently asked question when I said I was test-driving the JCW Clubman was about the ride comfort. After sitting in both the driver's seat and the rear seats, my impression was "not bad." The driver's seat, with its wrap-around structure often seen in high-performance cars, allowed for stable driving even at high speeds. Another characteristic of high-performance cars, the 'firm seat,' was mainly an issue in the rear seats. Because the seats are not soft, long periods of sitting in the back can be uncomfortable. Shocks from irregular road surfaces are also transmitted more strongly to the rear seats. However, compared to earlier concerns, it seems that significant improvements have been made.

The other concern, the second-row space, is also satisfactory. The back of the front seats is deeply indented, and the upper space is ample, so the second-row space does not feel cramped.

JCW is known as a brand that has condensed over 50 years of racing know-how. It was quite predictable even before driving that the JCW Clubman, with its racing DNA, would deliver explosive performance. But the actual performance felt during driving exceeds expectations. It is equipped with a new 4-cylinder JCW TwinPower Turbo engine that produces a maximum output of 306 horsepower, 75 horsepower more than the previous model. The maximum torque also reaches 45.9 kg·m. The time it takes to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h is 4.9 seconds.

When you start the engine and press the accelerator pedal, the car moves forward smoothly yet with a solid feel. Thanks to the unique all-wheel-drive system (ALL4) and others, the propulsion is excellent, and handling is agile even at high speeds. When taking corners at high speed, the body firmly grips the road, allowing for stable driving. In sports mode, the powerful force is accompanied by a majestic exhaust sound, maximizing the driving pleasure.

However, the brakes seem somewhat less sensitive. Instead of stopping immediately when pressed, even when the pedal is pressed firmly, the speed decreases gradually.

MINI JCW Clubman

The greatest attraction of the MINI JCW Clubman is undoubtedly its driving performance. The explosive power and smooth driving feel befitting a high-performance model are strengths that the JCW Clubman can proudly claim. Thanks to its solid fundamentals that compensate for somewhat lacking advanced features, fatigue is minimal even during long drives. The improved ride comfort, which had been a weakness, also seems to enhance the appeal of this vehicle. The price of the JCW Clubman is 57 million KRW.