‘ENDEARING’ NOT-SO-MINI CAR GETS 73-HP BOOST IN POWER
FRANKFURT Minis are cute. Sure, there are reasons to like Minis other than their teddy-bear headlights and rounded, pudgy faces, but they’re nonetheless endearing little cars. Well, maybe not so little when we’re talking about the Mini Clubman, which boasts six — yes, six — doors, and seating for four-and-a-half. (There are seat belts for three in the back seat, but squeezing three adults will test one’s tolerance for personal space intrusion.)
The Clubman received its last generational upgrade in 2015, so for 2020 it receives an expected mid-cycle refresh, including new LED exterior lighting, a reworked front grille, new interior trims, and some suspension changes. If that were it, there wouldn’t be much point in this test drive, but we’re actually in Germany to drive the more muscular Mini John Cooper Works Clubman All4 — it receives a significant upgrade in the form of an extra 73 horsepower and 73 pound-feet of torque.
The additional power comes via extensive changes made to the 2.0-litre turbocharged four. Boost has been increased through the use of a larger turbocharger, and subsequently a variety of internal engine changes have been made to deal with the additional power. These include strengthened crankshaft and bearings, pistons, connecting rods, and improved engine cooling.
The compression ratio was also lowered to prevent the engine from disintegrating from the additional boost. Claimed engine output is now 301 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque, which is enough to propel the JCW Clubman from zero to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds — significantly quicker than the 6.3 seconds the current, 228-hp JCW Clubman.
The engine mates to an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission, with a torque-converter clutch that locks up as soon as the vehicle gets moving, providing a manual transmission-like direct connection to the wheels.
All-wheel drive is standard, and it now incorporates a mechanical locking front differential. Several internal components in the AWD system have also been upgraded to deal with the additional power.
Externally, the JCW is distinguishable from other Clubman models by the large side air intakes in the fascia, the aerodynamic side skirts and the small roof spoiler that hangs above the vertically split rear-door windows. The interior is roomy enough for four, and storage space behind the third-row seats is decent, at 360 L. Folding the rear seatbacks down expands storage to a useful 1,250 L.
The ride is comfy and relatively quiet, unless you select Sport mode, which aside from firming up steering and sharpening throttle response also electronically enhances the engine sound in the cabin. There’s also Normal and Green modes.
Probably the JCW’S most redeeming quality, aside from its new-found power, which allows it to blast out of corners with a little anger in its stride — is its sports car-like handling. Despite weighing in at 1,625 kilograms, it steers sharply and with precision; its rigid chassis feels taut, and it exhibits very little body roll through corners. It is also very stable in a straight line, inspiring confidence at the wheel, even with autobahn speeds approaching 200 km/h.
Electronically adjustable adaptive suspension is optional, but my tester is equipped with the standard, non-adjustable dampers. The revised suspension puts the Clubman 10 mm lower than before and is set to be quite firm. This really enhances the JCW Clubman’s handling on smooth German pavement, but is too stiff to provide a comfortable ride on our pockmarked Canadian roads. It’s too bad we didn’t get a chance to drive a Clubman equipped with the adaptive suspension, because I suspect it will be the better setup, since it is adjustable.
The new eight-speed automatic transmission works remarkably well, providing smooth, almost seamless gear changes when driving normally, and enthusiastically slamming into gear when upshifting while driving hard in Sport mode. Moving the gear selector to the left engages sport-shift mode, which holds gears longer than regular auto mode. Using the paddles when the gear selector is to the left engages manual mode, which allows instantaneous manual gear changes.
The power increase also prompted a move to larger brake discs, and while braking is more than adequate to slow the JCW Clubman easily from speed, the pedal is sensitive at lower speeds, requiring a light touch.
The Clubman isn’t Mini’s biggest seller, coming in just ahead of the Mini Convertible, which slots into last place in terms of sales volume for Mini. Nonetheless, it’s a lot of fun to drive, and despite its unassumingly cute appearance, it packs the punch of a middleweight fighter.
The 2020 Mini JCW Clubman ALL4 will arrive at dealers in the fall, starting at $41,090 — a $3,000 increase from the current model.