Video Summary
The brand-new Mini John Cooper Works Electric features red stripes. It has a new diffuser which is exclusive to the JCW. The big mini grill is mostly blanked in as the electric model doesn’t need massive grills. The headlights are the typical mini happy eyes, with daytime running lights. It includes nice red details and the John Cooper Works badge. It has 18-inch alloy wheels that are exclusive to the John Cooper Works. Red mirror caps and a red roof provide more red details. The door handles are sort of flush, opening upwards. The doors are pillarless. The charging flap is on one side, with AC and DC points. The rear spoiler is meaty. The Mini badge and Cooper with the John Cooper Works logo are on the back with a black bar. It has standard triangular shaped lights that are less “Brexit-ty” than normal. It has sticker work on the back and a massive black diffuser.The car's boot is not electronic and has 210 liters of space; folding the seats down increases it to 800 liters. There aren't many features in the boot, and it is not usable either. The review notes that it is a Mini, so it’s never going to be the most practical car.
The back seats do not fit a tall person. Headroom is also lacking in the back seat. The car has two individual seats and Isofix mounting points in the back. There are two side armrests with a penholder and a single cup holder in the center column.
The dashboard is design-led, using different materials. The door cards have a weave-carpet feel, and it has Harmon Kardon tweeters. The Mini leans into the BMW wheel design. Cruise control functions are on one side, and the other side is the media function. The car lacks a gauge cluster. The car displays its speed and other information on a heads-up display. There is one paddle on the steering wheel. This says “boost”, which increases power when pressed.
There is a twister key-on for the power. There are shortcut buttons for heated seats and windscreen controls. You can turn down the noises it makes through the drive/experience modes.
The electric version is 258 PS and 350-Newton meters of torque, but the petrol version is 231 PS with 380-Newton meters of torque. It can do 0 to 60 in 5.9 seconds and has a top speed of 155 miles per hour. The reviewer says the electric’s power makes it completely mental and crazy to drive, while the petrol version has a higher top speed. The car is great fun and enjoyable to drive, with lots of power running through the front wheels. The ride is bouncy and quite firm, with a lot of feedback. Mini has managed to capture the essence of what makes Minis great with electric, but the electricity has not put it off. Overall, its great.
