Exclusive 2025 JCW Preview – The Last Ever ICE JCW

DimON · May 2, 2023

The JCW has been the halo car for the MINI range since it was a dealer installed kit in 2004. After MINI had fully acquired the sub-brand it moved from an accessory business to one that was fully integrated into production. That allowed for JCW version of almost every car offer – even theCountryman. However the brand’s core was always the Cooper, the smallest MINI. And now we have an exclusive look at when the last ever ICE (internal combustion) JCW MINI Cooper will launch and what to expect.

If you’ve been following MotoringFile you’ll know that MINI is splitting its core model – the Cooper – into two distinct products. In an unprecedented move there will be two next generation MINI Coopers (hatches) built on opposite ends of the planet on two different platforms. This move will allow MINI to offer innovative electric offerings while still selling to the traditional ICE market for as long as possible. But key to this will be upgrading the F56 to a more modern spec in terms of tech.

The F66 JCW will be an evolution of the F56 which is shared a chassis with. That means we’ll see familiar equipment like JCW brakes but revised elements such as suspension and engines which point to even higher levels of performance.

The F66 2025 JCW Production Plans

The last JCW MINI Cooper will begin production in November of 2024 and be sold as a 2025 model. It will the last F66 introduced and go online at the Oxford Plant at the same time as the F67 convertible begins production.

Finally the last ICE variant, the F67 JCW Convertible, will begin production in March of 2025.

F66 MINI Cooper (ICE) / Oxford, England	Start of Production
F66 ICE Cooper 3 door	03/2024 (07/24 – US)
F66 ICE Cooper S 3 door	03/2024
F66 ICE Cooper JCW 3 door	11/2024
F65 ICE Cooper 5 door	07/2024 (11/24 – US)
F65 ICE Cooper S 5 door	07/2024
F67 ICE Cooper Convertible	11/2024
F67 ICE Cooper S Convertible	11/2024
F67 ICE JCW Convertible	03/2025

Design Of The F66 2025 JCW

MINI is refreshing the F66 Cooper, Cooper S and JCW exterior design to better match the all new J01 electric MINI Cooper. That means we’ll the JCW offer revised lights front and rear and even a slightly shortened front overhang. The key theme appears to be creating design consistency with the future of the brand – the all electric J01 MINI Cooper. The goal is clearly to unify the design language across all models allowing consumers to have a choice that feels strictly about the propulsion system and nothing else.

What that means for the JCW remains to be seen but you can be sure that the MINI Design team will follow the form follows function design ethos we’ve seen in the leaked J01 Cooper S and U25 Countryman S. In other words the JCW will likely become a bit more minimal in design while allow the needed function or engine and break cooling to drive its exterior design. Additionally sources tell us to expect a bit more obvious nods to motorsports in certain elements of the car.

Around back we’ll see fully customizable LED rear lighting that be a big departure from what we’re used to. Additionally MINI will introduce plastic trim that will stretch across the hatch connecting the rear lights. All opportunities for MINI to differentiate the JCW more than the standard Cooper or Cooper S.

Finally it’s worth nothing that the Cooper models will have hidden exhausts and Cooper S will have a dual center exhaust. While we expect the same (albeit larger) for the JCW, it’s worth noting that MINI is going to incorporate quad exhausts on the forthcoming JCW Countryman (more on that soon). Could MINI do that on the JCW Cooper? We doubt it but there’s always an outside chance.

The all important wheels and tires options will stay the same as the F56 JCW but we’ll see three new designs ranging from 17″ to 18″ in size.

F66 ICE MINI JCW Wheel Options

17” John Cooper Works Sprint Spoke black

18” John Cooper Works Lap Spoke 2-tone

18″ John Cooper Works Lap Spoke 2-tone with sport tires

F66 2025 JCW Power and Performance

Being the last of the line in terms of ICE engines, the key will be evolution and not revolution. The petrol powered range will use an evolved version of the current B48 engine range with mild-hybrid added to decrease CO2, make stop and go more seamless and add performance. However since this is the last of the line in terks if ICE at MINI, every petrol powered engine is a revision of an existing one. So things will look familiar but we believe numbers might rise slightly. The 1.5 three cylinder could use a more powerful BMW tune that would see it rise to around 150 hp. Then there’s a series of 2.0 four cylinder that could also use various BMW tunes. But we believe we’ll see something around the 200 hp mark at launch.

F66 ICE MINI Models	Engine Code	Horsepower
F66 MINI Cooper	TBD	155 hp
F66 MINI Cooper S	TBD	200 hp
F66 JCW MINI Cooper	B48B20O1 (unconfirmed)	260 hp (unconfirmed)

The power output for the F66 JCW remains a little foggy. We’ve heard rumors that MINI will be leveraging the 260 hp B48 used in the highly acclaimed 128ti sold in Europe. If MINI goes that route we might be facing a pivotal moment for the brand as there is no manual transmission that works with that version of the B48 in the BMW world. While they certainly exist, there’s simply nothing that BMW or MINI offers that could cope with the 295 lbs of torque tested, approved and ready for sale from the BMW Group.

The other scenario is that MINI would stick to the current 228 HP version of the car allowing the manual to be continued to be offered.

However there’s another bit of intel that’s makes us believe we’ll see this engine in the JCW sans manual. Recently the head of MINI let slip that we may not see manual transmissions in MINIs future. While sources tell us MINI will likely offer it on at least on the Cooper S in certain markets like North America, BMW is clearly not sentimental about manuals as it has unceremoniously killed it in all but two the M2 and M3/M4 twins. And the only reason it’s still offered in those two models was US market demand.

Of course there is an outside chance that MINI could go bonkers and offer something close JCW GP levels of output. The BMW Group has plenty of versions of the B48 that would do that and a couple of automatic transmissions that could cope with the torque. That could give the car up to 301 hp and potentially even 315 HP thanks to the revised B48A20T2. But we’ll only believe it when we hear something credible.

Coping with a likely power increase sources tell us to expect subtle suspension changes to the car to further refine the ride and handling. Carried over will be the JCW brakes which have been excellence since their launch in 2015 on the F56 JCW.

Finally there’s always a chance that MINI will choose to send petrol powered JCWs out with a bang by bringing back the GP. However sources have told us at the launch of the last GP in late 2019 that there was nothing formally planned as a follow-up. Further they indicated that it was likely that the F56 GP would be the last ICE model to carry that name and we might see the electric J01 form the basis of a GP in the future. But we wouldn’t bet against MINI wanting to send off the ICE era in style around 2030.

Want more information on the new MINI family? We’ve got some links for you.

4th Generation MINI Family Overview

F66 ICE MINI Cooper Overview

U25 ICE & Electric MINI Countryman Overview

J01 Electric MINI Cooper Overview

The post Exclusive 2025 JCW Preview – The Last Ever ICE JCW appeared first on MotoringFile.

View the full article