2009 MINI John Cooper Works

Being front-wheel drive, the MINI loses front grip before rear traction fades. When that happens, the proper driving reaction is to lift off the gas at least a little. Some high-priced sports sedans—even some rear drivers—will continue to plow straight ahead at the point. However, either the MINI’s ESC or its suspension design slightly reduces rear grip (or allows the fronts to regain traction). This helps the MINI stay on its intended path.

Inside Experience

There’s plenty of room inside the car. Front leg- and headroom are surprisingly large. The gauges and controls are a bit quirky. The personal-pan-pizza-sized speedometer, mounted in the center of the car, is useful only for scaring passengers: The driver must rely on a small digital readout under the tachometer. Heating and cooling controls are mixed with sound system buttons and few are labeled. An owner would figure it out in no time, but a test driver wound up with some hot, low-volume music.


During normal driving, the steering is a bit quick: Some would say darty. Tire noise is very noticeable and the run-flat tires are bit harsh riding. In first gear under maximum acceleration, you’ll find slightly annoying torque steer: The power makes the nose yaw almost as bad as the turbocharged cars from two decades back.


An important history lesson: John Cooper was a racecar builder. His cars won the Formula 1 World Championship in 1959 and ’60. He started the rear-engine revolution in Indy cars in 1961. MINI is now an independent brand of BMW, but is built in Oxford in the United Kingdom.


The basic MINI Cooper starts at about $20,000. The John Cooper Works model is available as the Clubman (mini-station wagon) and Convertible. Among other things, John Cooper Works models receive stiffened suspension, revised ESC turning and a locking differential. During flat-out acceleration the supercharger allows a bit of overboost, increasing torque from a peak of 192 pound-feet to 207.


The great David E. Davis, then of Car and Driver, may have started the sports sedan revolution with his review of the early ‘70s BMW 2002: “Turn Your Hymnals to 2002” said the headline. (Don’t pick nits: The 2002 was a sports sedan, and it had but two doors.) The MINI John Cooper Works model feels a lot like my ’76 2002, but with double the horsepower, 50 mph higher top speed, and without the skill-honing trailing throttle oversteer. The interior is much nicer, and even roomier. David E., sorry to say, your religious music books are now long out of date. Today, we’re stepping to the “John Cooper Works” march.

About the Author
Mac Demere is an automotive journalist and high-performance driving instructor who has competed in the NASCAR Southwest Tour and Rolex 24 at Daytona.