A MINI with the works

MANILA, Philippines - What’s small, green and white, goes from zero to 100 in 6.5 ticks, tops 238 kilometers per hour, and is now available locally?

Nope, this is not the frog-in-a-blender joke.

The answer, of course, is the MINI John Cooper Works (JCW) – an ironically lengthy label for such a diminutive vehicle.

But I digress. For what the MINI JCW lacks in size, it more than makes up for in performance, styling, and the internationally iconic stature.

The equally iconic Rauno Aaltonen, dubbed the “original Flying Finn” of motorsport and presently a global ambassador of the MINI brand, recently gave local motoring press a better appreciation of the MINI legacy – both through talk and an actual stint at the wheel of the MINI. Meanwhile, an exact replica of the 1960s MINI Cooper S raced by Aaltonen at Montecarlo was put on display at the MINI showroom in Bonifacio Global City.

“To keep up with the excitement of the MINI, we felt it proper to bring in the man himself, Rauno Aaltonen, in Manila to show the Filipinos what a MINI can actually do,” said Willy Tee Ten, president of British United Automobiles (BUA), exclusive local distributor of the MINI.

The go-kart handling, impressive braking system and one-of-a-kind maneuverability, the MINI is known for all these and more, and the MINI JCW adds even more premium and exclusivity, and punch to the storied brand. BUA brings in the variant with even more flourish by also featuring the extremely limited edition MINI JCW World Championship 50.

Initially unveiled at the 2009 MINI United Festival in historic Silverstone track in England, only 500 units of this MINI will be made – with only four being earmarked for the Philippine market: units 018, 278, 280 and 388. Each car comes with a framed certificate of authenticity signed by John Michael Cooper, son of John Cooper. As of press time, two have been spoken for, so hurry up.

But what exactly is the relation of the late John Cooper to MINI?

Even before the classic Mini was launched onto the market, sports car constructor John Cooper had been casting his eye on the revolutionary new small car. Tinkering under the hood and drawing up modifications and tweaks rapidly transformed, according to MINI, “a practical two-door car into a thoroughly competitive sports machine.” In the 1960s the MINI Cooper and Cooper S models made their mark as serial winners both in rally racing and on the racetrack. Highlights in the racing career of the classic MINI are its three overall wins in the Monte Carlo Rally of 1964, 1965 and 1967.

Thus, the MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50 is the latest iteration of a long motorsport tradition shared by the MINI and John Cooper Works brands.

The MINI John Cooper Works squeezes a mind-boggling 211 horses from a four-cylinder power plant that features a twin-scroll turbocharger and petrol direct injection.

The MINI JCW-WC50s feature the classic pepper-white racing stripes on the roof and bonnet hark back to original Cooper F1 concept – the specification of which was given directly by John Michael “Mike” Cooper (son of the late John Cooper). Throughout the development process, Mike was consulted by the MINI design team. Mike signs as John Cooper, and his signature appears on one bonnet stripe and on a fascia plaque. The special edition also features an aerodynamics package and John Cooper Works Cross Spoke Challenge light-alloy wheels in jet black.

Bi-xenon headlights, black interior surfaces, additional driving lights, upgraded suspension system and audio unit, and healthy use of carbon fiber bring the MINI tradition into a new era. As an added badge of individuality and exclusivity, a special number on the side scuttles finishers identifies each MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50 as an individual entity of a limited series.

Like I said, the works.

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The MINI John Cooper Works is priced at P2.99 million.

The MINI showroom in the Philippines is located in 5th Ave Cor. 26th St, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 856-65-55 or 856-75-55 or visit www.mini.com.ph.