We often get lost in a world of fanboyism - especially if the discussion (or buying decision) revolves around cars that have a real fanbase that stems out of decades of actual attainable performance. The Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Skoda Octavia VRS and even theMercedes-AMG GLA 35 are such examples where their fans sometimes overshadow the actual capability of these wonderful cars. And now, there is a 4th alternative. One that merges the realm of performance, fashionable style and absolute practicality into one ‘Mini’ package - the Mini Countryman JCW.
Well, it isn’t really Mini in the mini sense of it though. The Countryman is the largest Mini that there has ever been and we have already had it here for a while now as an electric vehicle. But the fact that this generally hotly contested segment was missing a petrol variant was harming Mini for sure and im glad the bean counters have taken the correct decision and brought in the hottest, most potent, most powerful and frankly the best looking Countryman to India to fill that gap. In fact, not only is this the most powerful Countryman, it is also the most powerful Mini - period!
300hp from a 2-litre, turbo 4-cylinder - those numbers by themselves should be headliner figures as they are higher than the GTI and the VRS and match the GLA 35 AMG. And if we dive a little bit deeper into these figures, we have 400Nm of torque, a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox that shifts really quickly, and of course, all-wheel-drive. 0-100kph is dispensed off in just 5.4 seconds making it quicker than the GTI and the VRS but slightly slower than the AMG. But still, 5.4 seconds in what essentially is a family car? That is awesome.
But a Mini isn’t about straight line speed - it never was. Back in the early days when the Mini race cars would go up against the likes of full body American touring cars on race circuits around the world, the big V8 Americans would always pull ahead on the straights only to be mobbed by the small and nimble Minis around the bends. Even today, a front wheel drive Mini is possibly one of the best handling cars in the world. The addition of all-wheel-drive then just adds to that underpinning that already has its bearings in place.
Yes, in typical Mini style you have a hint of understeer here too but unlike in the usual Mini style, you won’t get torque steer coming out of a corner. Instead, you get grip, grip and then some - with the Countryman JCW taking lines that you’d expect to slow you down, course correcting itself mid corner and then zooming out like it meant all of that. There is a bit of body roll due to its higher ground clearance (190mm of it) but overall, this is not too stiff, not too soft, just the right balance to ensure everyone in the family could have a go and come out happy.
Would it have made more sense if it was stiffer and more planted? Maybe lower by 50mm? Maybe more powerful? Yes, for a few hardcore enthusiasts, it would have made the perfect car but the whole point of the Mini Countryman is to appeal to a larger audience - those that loves driving and also those that like making GRWM reels every morning. Ones that would be happy at a race track but also those who need to look cool while they pull up to their usual matcha boba thingie.
That said, I do have a complaint, and a large one at that. Mini’s are supposed to have a sense of humour. Especially one with the legendary JCW, which for the uninitiated, means John Cooper Works. Now a JCW badge on any Mini signifies that it is a fire breathing, shouty little monster. And while the first part of the previous sentence is true, the second sadly, isn’t. Gone are the days where you could go into a Mini dealer and buy a JCW with the little magic button that opened the valves on your exhaust and make it breathe, sound and behave like a true hooligan. Gone are the days where a performance car had a performance exhaust that came from the factory.
In the Countryman JCW, the exhaust is - for the lack of a better term - disappointing. It sounds like any other car, not like one that has 300hp. Now we know the B48 engine under the hood is not the best ‘tuner’ engine out there but it could have easily been given a more treaty exhaust note here. In fact, with Mini proudly going quad exhaust on the Countryman JCW, the lack of a good note makes me think of the famous phrase - ‘Your ego is writing checks your body can't cash’. Of course, on the inside, the story is very different as you get a synthesised version of the exhaust note pumping through the speakers, pops and bangs included. But frankly, this needs a proper exhaust. And im not even talking about one that makes a racket and pops at the mere mention of a liftoff, but just something that helps make a Monday morning better?
Of course there are things it excels al too. Like the absolutely cool looking exterior with the larger and more pronounced vents, larger spoilers and more girth. The 19-inch wheels, as I mentioned earlier, look cool but the 20-inch option would have looked cooler. The colour options are nice too - a Black with a red roof, a grey with a red roof and British Racing Green with a black roof. But a car like this deserves more - yellows, light blues, bright reds, anything to get the juices truly flowing. And it’s good news on the interior too. The round screen of course is the focal point but you also get a nice set of bucket seats, fantastic Mini quality and more quirks than any car in the segment.
So should you buy one? At Rs 64.90 lakh (ex-showroom), this is not for everyone. It is more expensive than most of its rivals but then it also offers a much more mechanically potent package with a lot less seriousness - exactly what you want from a fun car. That said, the price you’ve just read would be for an unspecced one, one with no frills and bells. And in the Mini world, one can go crazy with adding those in. Overall though, I love it. It’s quirky enough for me to recommend to a wide range of people, all of which would find something to make them happy - lots of power, lots of style and all the substance.
