MINI launches most powerful model

The MINI John Cooper Works (JCW), mounting a 2-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine, is the fastest and most powerful MINI yet, with 231 horsepower, up 9 percent from the previous model. / Courtesy of MINI

By Park Jin-hai

MINI Korea launched the most powerful production model of its car, Friday.

The MINI John Cooper Works (JCW), mounting a 2-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine, is known to be the fastest and most powerful MINI yet, with 231 horsepower, up 9 percent from the previous model.

It takes just 6.1 seconds to hit 100 kilometers per hour from a standstill, with a maximum speed of 246 kilometer per hour. Its torque has been improved 23 percent at 32.7 kilogram meters, while its fuel efficiency is up 3 percent at 11.9 kilometer per liter.

The company says it aims to sell 7,000 MINIs this year.

“When we first launched the brand in 2005, we sold just 761 cars. In ten years, the number grew ten-fold to 6,572 last year,” said Joo Yang-ye, director of MINI Sales and Marketing, during the launch event at the BMW Driving Center on Youngjong Island, Incheon, Friday.

Korea is globally the ninth largest market for MINI.

“Although sales have slowed in recent years, we think it is just a slight temporary falter in growth,” he said. “In the first five months, we sold 2,870 MINIs, thus we are confident of achieving our 7,000 sales target this year.”

The company’s sales have grown at an average of 27 percent per year here since its 2005 launch. Its sales growth topped in 2011 with 93 percent, but slowed to 38 percent in 2012, 6 percent in 2013 and 4 percent last year.

Four body colors including chili red and revel green are available.

The base price for the MINI JCW starts at 48.9 million won.