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Mini has released details of its new four wheel drive Clubman and John Cooper Works Convertible, ahead of their showroom debuts in April.
The Mini Clubman All4 is priced from £24,305. Clubman All4 models will be sold with either the Cooper S 2-litre four cylinder turbo petrol engine of 192hp or the Cooper SD diesel of 190hp. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard on the petrol engines with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission on the options list – diesel variants come as standard with the Steptronic.
The new all-wheel-drive transmission features a lightweight unit to minimise efficiency losses over front-wheel drive variants. It runs as standard in front-wheel-drive form but is connected to the Driving Dynamics System (DSC) to ensure rapid transmission of torque to the rear wheels when conditions dictate.
This is the brand’s second model to feature four wheel drive after the Countryman SUV.
Also on sale from April is the new Mini John Cooper Works Convertible, the third-generation performance version of the drop-top priced from £26,630.
The new JCW Convertible uses the same powertrain as the already announced hatch variant, this being a 2-litre four cylinder TwinPower Turbo engine with 231bhp and 320NM of torque – 20hp and 60NM improved over its predecessor variant and 40hp better than the stock Cooper S.
Mini claims a 6.6-second 0-62mph time with the stock six-speed manual gearbox, 5.9 seconds if fitted with the optional eight-speed Steptronic auto. Efficiency figures are 43.5mpg and 152g/km for the manual, 47.9mpg and 138g/km with the Steptronic.
The car gains several chassis upgrades to cope with the extra power, along with a Brembo sports brake system with four-piston calipers.
Bespoke exterior and interior treatments help distinguish the JCW model from standard Convertibles, in particular a body kit. This features an aggressive front end boasting extra cooling ducts for the engine and brakes, revised LED headlamps, wider sills, a deeper rear bumper and centrally mounted chrome exhaust pipes.
