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2013 MINI John Cooper W
orks
Countryman All4
»
Just one look is all you’ll need to see that
the John Cooper Works Countryman, or
JCW as MINI’s top-tier trim level is most
often (enthusiastically) referred to, is not
your average Countryman. John Cooper
Works logos are strategically placed around
the exterior, specifically within the grille
insert, on each front fender engine vent/
side marker light garnish, on each wheel
cap, and on the rear hatch lid. Stepping
inside, the steering wheel features red
contrasting stitching, a nice match to the
red piping that frames each black leather
sport seat.
Under the hood the 2013 JCW
Countryman comes with a 1.6-litre
four-cylinder engine. It gets twin-scroll
turbocharging, direct injection, variable
valve control and an intercooler resulting
in a maximum of 208 horsepower and 192
lb-ft of torque, plus there’s an overboost
function that can increase torque output to
207 lb-ft for brief moments.
The JCW Countryman feels completely
planted on pavement no matter how tightly
the road bends or how many bumps, dips,
frost heaves or potholes get thrown at it.
There’s a bit more suspension travel in
this rig than the low-slung JCW Cooper
so rougher stretches of roadway aren’t an
issue, and that extra ground clearance can
be a real asset off the beaten track where
MINI’s All4 all-wheel drive system is
totally up to light-to-medium-duty 4x4ing.
All4 also improves on-road handling
with up to 50-percent of torque at the
rear wheels, making the much bigger and
heavier Countryman feel lighter on its feet
than you might expect.
After nearly 500 kilometres of enthusiastic
testing, I’ve come away a JCW
Countryman believer. I’ve driven almost
everything with a John Cooper Works
badge on it and loved them all.