Video Review: the 2025 MINI Convertible JCW – Does New Equal Better?

DimON · July 2

The Convertible JCW is MINI doing what it does best: turning the volume up and giving you visceral thrills. However with the manual gone, can this new, faster, more refined JCW convertible not just match its predecessor but beat it? After a day behind the wheel we got some decisive (and surprising) answers.

The JCW Convertible might not be the most rational drop-top out there—but that’s sort of the point. This is performance with personality, roof optional. In a sea of overly serious sports cars and sanitized hot hatches, the JCW Convertible still feels refreshingly unapologetic. It’s not perfect, but it’s fun in a way few cars dare to be anymore.

MINI’s convertible gets a serious shot in the arm for 2025 in one critical way. Under the hood, the B48 2.0?litre turbo still makes 231?hp, but torque jumps to 280?lb?ft, arriving at just 1,500?rpm—a gain of 45?lb?ft over the previous F57. It’s this low?end shove that gives the JCW Convertible a sharper, more urgent launch—0–60?mph is officially 6.2?s, though real?world testing chipped in with times closer to 5.8?s .

Like the F66 JCW Coupe, new version ditches the manual for a 7?speed DCT. It’s a more crisp shifting experience than the Cooper S DCT which helps give the entire experience a more immediate feel. Chassis updates over its predecessor include a wider track, stiffer structure, and 225/40 R18 rubber front and rear—overall curb weight climbs to 3,307?lbs, yet body control and grip feel noticeably sharper.

But there are concessions: the manual vanishes and personalization options have been drastically pared back. Even the front brakes swap out four?piston Brembos for a simpler single?piston caliper—less bite, but hardly a real world downgrade for most.

In short? The F67 JCW Convertible is the fastest and most refined drop?top MINI yet. It delivers stronger performance and sharper dynamics—but without the manual, slightly less of an emotional connection to the driving experience. But if you can move past that one omissions, this is a profoundly improved car. Now watch the video to see how all these pieces come together.