MINI new Clubman is bigger and more practical than ever, but it's about to become hotter too. Our spy snappers have captured the racy Clubman John Cooper Works (JCW) edition before its likely debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.
The high performance Clubman will get running gear based on that in the new MINI JCW hatch, so the 189bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine in the Clubman Cooper S will be bumped up to a heady 228bhp. Expect a 0-62mph time of around 6.5 seconds and a top speed of at least 150mph, but around 40mpg combined should also be possible.
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Tell-tale signs that the car in our spy shots isn't just the regular Cooper S include beefier brakes with red calipers behind non-standard alloys and a chunkier front bumper with larger air intakes. Expect similarly racy exterior detailing to the MINI JCW hatch on the production Clubman JCW too.
The new, six-door Clubman uses the platform from the BMW 2-Series and is a full 270mm longer and 73mm wider than the previous car, so this performance version can be seen as a proper VW Golf GTi rival rather than a hot supermini estate. That means the price shoots up, however, and expect the JCW to command at least £25,000 before you've troubled the options list.
Do you like the idea of the practical yet pokey MINI Clubman JCW? let us know in the comments section below...