MINI Clubman JCW 306hp - on track with the R53, R55 and F56 | PistonHeads

Promoted: You may have read our recent dream drive (bit.ly/2q5sK15) which saw us circumnavigating the UK to visit its three highest peaks in the brand new MINI Clubman John Cooper Works 306hp.
In part two, the journey continues on to Anglesey. There we have a date with an empty track, 5 MINI JCWs and an enthusiastic trio of PH members wanting to put the new MINI Clubman JCW 306hp through its paces.
There’ll be a full summary of the day from Dan soon, but for now it’s over to our intrepid PHers to see how the new car performs versus their own previous-gen JCWs…
Click here for more information on the new Mini JCW: bit.ly/2IHhYo1
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[@wads80z]

OK, you made an ad. Whens the review?

[@GeoffreyCapes]

I like how the tech has evolved, AWD and the increase in power. Sometimes, well a lot of times cars look great in their purest form, designers want to show an evolution and I wish they would tweak this design trend. I want that original Clubman with all the gadgety packed inside. A car, with a small footprint and a large useful space in the back.

[@mikefleming8945]

I nearly had him..... for the first 5ft...… but the new F54 JCW is some machine.

[@chrisg4rr377]

Looking forward for this. I hated driving the F56 compared to the R56 JCW

[@carcreationsyt]

Awesome video! I really want to see that car do donuts like they showed in the promo

[@EthanJonesEthanJones]

Nice vid!

[@chirpywiggins5796]

Wish my 2015 jcw had that bhp,it's still a hoot to drive though,as are all JCW's

[@adegreen2731]

Would have been interesting to see the current F56 JCW (hatchback) up against this new 306bhp clubman. Based on bhp/tonne there's barely anything in it and according to zeperfs.com it would appear the current 231bhp hatchback is actually marginly quicker still from a rolling start. Anyone had experience of both? Was eyeing up the new clubman as a replacement for my F56 JCW, but unless I'm into burning away from traffic lights I think I may be dissapointed...

[@122A7]

i wouldnt touch anything with a prince engine. the new one on the other hand is pretty fine

[@lapamful]

I'd hire one of these for a track day or something, but I've never own one. Just a headache. Shame.

Care to expand on why a headache?

[@lapamful]

@ BMW reliability

@@lapamful Speaking as the owner of a few I've yet to experience this internet lore lack of reliability where BMWs are concerned.

[@lapamful]

@ oh puh-lease. No matter how bad the vehicle. No matter how infamous the reliability, whether it's a Mini, Range Rover, Alfa Romeo, whatever, there's always one guy who comes along and says 'but I've never had a single issue with my car'. If it's true then it's called the exception, mate, not the rule. And if you've had plenty then you're obviously a car salesman.

@@lapamful Oh *puh-lease* . I'm talking BMW E30 , E39, through to E92 and even the R50 Cooper, a few models of each. While I had a few issues with the R50 ( dead LCD in the tacho, boot release button issues and a tail light letting in water) I've had zero issues. Same goes for family members and friends with BMWs. Anecdotal as you may want to call that it is what it is. I can even quote several reg numbers which will even tie up with cars I've owned and sold on if need be. Your 'evidence' of 'BMW reliability' seems so far based on what a mate of a mate of a mate on a forum said. So, tell me, what BMWs have you owned and without googling common issues and forums for random issues ( who after all posts saying how well their car is running and how many problems they haven't had? Car forums don't work like that) what problems have you fallen foul of? If you say problems with VANOS I'm simply going to reach through my screen and throttle you.

[@bign3ck]

But it's so heavy, I recon an R53 works will piss on it with only 215bhp

[@darrenlucas2768]

You would think so....but I would expect not. I have an R53 with around the power figure you quoted, but the reality of 306 bhp is a huge amount more.....but the torque these engines produce is the game changer. Even a stock R56 JCW will leave an R53 JCW, I think this would dispense with it too. Things have really moved on...a mate of mine has an F55 with just the 189bhp map and it's bloody quick and will pull all day next to mine.......but the rawness of the R53 is what gives it it's charm. None of the cars I've mentioned would piss it in it's state of tune now, I think a few cars lengths can get pulled out of corners down the straights ,it takes a very quick car to piss an R53 with 210ish ponnies,it's still a bloody rapid machine..but I bet that Clubman is a techno master piece that the R53 can only dream of( if that flicks ya switch) 250+horse power I expect would be putting it back in the game for playing tag with this Clubman which alot of guys have achieved, but costs really start to spiral . Interesting debate.....I'd like to see a film with somebody showing just how far things have come since the first BMW model S.🏆

[@astradala1845]

Na other way around. R53 would get smashed

[@JSNFARRELL]

Good thing you didn't go into reliability issues, this video would be over an hour long! - 05/11 MINI owner

[@jamesseaton7033]

Who remembers when PH was good?

[@randymarsh3636]

Nothing small about mini anymore. Slowly but surely it evolves in to a golf.

[@shareenbibi1364]

Unspeekable thats not a mantion

[@supercarsofgrimsby6953]

Advert for unreliable tat. End of.

[@supercarsofgrimsby6953]

@ No need for Nootropics for you Einstein.

[@lukejohnson3755]

Ugh...BMW

[@BobbyDazzler888]

Minis are no longer mini in size. Better buy an alpine 110 if you want a light fun car

[@Cornwall1888]

Greg M those aren’t exactly competitors a110 is nearly £50k

[@BobbyDazzler888]

Cornwall1888 yes true but come on, the minis are just sheeet these days.

[@Cornwall1888]

Greg M These are the big mini clubman estates not really supposed to be mini

[@BobbyDazzler888]

Cornwall1888 yes. Buts its a jcw nonetheless.

[@jajkc]

Greg M I’m guessing you own one?