China-sourced battery Aceman and hatch to land at same time as Brit-built petrol type.

TWO electric models that are first to add fully battery-fed oomph to Mini’s super-sporty John Cooper Works formula have more zap than the single petrol incoming.

But will they have more zip?

BMW New Zealand statement today about its JCW intent for the new Mini family sidesteps that issue.

Instead, it focuses on the new petrol JCW hatch - which finally fully revealed today - and also confirms the most stylistically flamboyant variant isn’t coming.

Why the trendy convertible JCW won’t be joining a petrol hatch and two new venture electric choices, in hatch  and Aceman formats, is not spelled out.

The JCW models’ release is timed for the second quarter of 2025.

Like previous petrol JCWs, the new one comes  from a plant in the United Kingdom.

The electrics, however, are out of China and, though there is some strong styling familiarity, are on a different platform, co-developed with Great Wall Motors.

Whereas the production petrol has now been revealed, the electric have not.

Pricing and specification for any of the JCWs has yet to be shared, but that’s coming soon, a statement today suggested.

However, BMW said today its twin turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder will knock out 170kW - so lineball with its predecessor and 41kW more than the current most powerful Mini here, the Cooper S. 

However, that’s 22kW less than BMW recently attested as a maximum for the comparable single motor electric types.

Maximum torque from the petrol has been boosted by 60Nm, to  380Nm. Expect 6.8 litres/100km and 154g/km of CO2 from this engine. 

BMW reckons this model, now just with a dual clutch transmission, will knock up to 100kmh from a standstill in 6.1 seconds (0.3s faster than the convertible). Top speed is 250kmh.

There’s speculation the electrics will be faster, but if that’s the case and by how much will not be known until their launch event, which is expected to occur in China soon. The EVs are heavier.

Each new JCW has specific suspension settings, which MINI says ‘guarantee a go-kart feeling with agile handling’, and an uprated braking system complete with ‘Chilli Red’ callipers branded with the JCW chequered flag logo.

A key identifier of the JCW cars is that the daytime running lamps in the LED headlight units have a horizontal signature, while at the back the hatches have an aerodynamically shaped rear spoiler, a meaty diffuser. The petrol has a centrally positioned single tailpipe. 

Wheel sizes will be 17- and 18-inch alloys, with 11 different body colours (complete with contrast roofs, mirrors and stripe packs).

A red-and-black colour scheme to boost the sporty ambience is part o the JCW ambience, as are sports front seats, a sports steering wheel - with paddle shifts in petrol - and a fabric six o’clock spoke, and a bold red and black pattern on the dash. 

The petrol Mini JCW has a wide array of drive modes and a wealth of advanced driver assist safety items.

A Harman Kardon sound system comes as standard.