[ViscountCharles]

Thanks for that heads-up, MrT (and thanks to Aaron for posting the info in the first place).

So that's hifi as an optional extra, but manual aircon and the CD Boost included as standard then. OK, I can live with that . Sports suspension as an optional extra too, and no mention of LSD.

The Chilli pack - wonder what will be in that, given that the car already has 17" alloys and aircon? My guess is that it will feature pretty much everything else that's in the current S Chilli pack (so that's another box I'll tick).

Any hint on whether the launch cars - or at least the summer's production - will include some Clubmen? I can see my not getting my JCW first (as it'll be a Clubman) despite having my name down before anyone else at the dealership, but I'm still fretting about whether MINI are serious about delaying the Clubman model (because I'll have to bail out of getting a JCW if there's a wait beyond late summer).

[DHA]

My dealer has told me I will be able to spec in July. Which seems later than what I have read elsewhere. But I am 99% likely not to go for a JCW now.

[ViscountCharles]

Can I ask why?

[uberandreman]

Just a thought but if their is no aero kit as already specified, and confirmed in the pics, but it sais that it comes with a modified bumper maybe the reason that we keep seeing the mini JCW is becuase they havent finished the new kit which, in all hopefullness will be different from the standerd mini s.

the idea of the diff bumper seemed obvouse cause of the previouse statement I'm just wondering if the retarded marketing actually came because of problems in design or manufacturing.

[rogan200]

Quote: Originally Posted by DHA (original)

My dealer has told me I will be able to spec in July. Which seems later than what I have read elsewhere. But I am 99% likely not to go for a JCW now.

Production is meant to be in July, so unless you dealer has already got a few people ahead of you in their queue, then July is really late. I think they may be mixed up there!?!?

[DHA]

Quote: Originally Posted by ViscountCharles (original)

Can I ask why?

Yeah sure, couple of reasons. If it is 20.5K with no bodykit or suspension once I have added them and options then I would be looking at something north of 24K. Also I am not sure if it will be that much different to the GP we already have, different yes but essentially the same idea.

Quote:

Production is meant to be in July, so unless you dealer has already got a few people ahead of you in their queue, then July is really late. I think they may be mixed up there!?!?

That is what I had thought as well. I have had the deposit down since it was first rumoured late last summer so I doubt there are many ahead of me. I suspect they have got mixed up, or perhaps there are quotas per dealership (like BMW do with M3s at first) and they only have one or two for the year?

[ViscountCharles]

Already owning a GP is a pretty good excuse I had wanted to buy one when they were announced, but (i) I was broke then, and (ii) as the MINI is our only car, with children the lack of rear seats in the GP meant that it was out of the question. Hence why I'm so looking forward to getting a Works (so long as they don't put it beyond my reach by asking Clubman buyers to wait until '09).

[rogan200]

Quote: Originally Posted by DHA (original)

That is what I had thought as well. I have had the deposit down since it was first rumoured late last summer so I doubt there are many ahead of me. I suspect they have got mixed up, or perhaps there are quotas per dealership (like BMW do with M3s at first) and they only have one or two for the year?

I dont think they have quotas: think its more a case of each dealer places orders and requests a delivery date, and miniUK do their best to place people fairly in the queue. Also i've heard figures of n more than 1 car per dealer per month, so 2 a year is probably a bit too few.
Check again with your dealer as mine has given me a date from MiniUK of "week beginning 5May" for customer specs and prices to be released (so you can order with your dealer then i guess)

[ScottyBoy]

Ill be keeping my eyes peeled with this.

Considering ive Speced up an MCS at £20.900 without JCW bodykit and JCW seats and this will have the basic options that i want which is aircon, alloys, Piano back dash, then if this did come with the JCW Bodykit then i will be seriously considering it for Jan 09.

[jon vital]

It does seem to work out a better deal than speccing up a normal S.

Is it really worth going for the chili pack when you already have the aircon and decent alloys on the JCW? An OBC, floor mats and xenons only comes to about £600 and the chili pack is normally £2K !!

[JG02JSG]

Quote: Originally Posted by jon vital (original)

It does seem to work out a better deal than speccing up a normal S.

Is it really worth going for the chili pack when you already have the aircon and decent alloys on the JCW? An OBC, floor mats and xenons only comes to about £600 and the chili pack is normally £2K !!

I speced my 2nd R56 to 25k going for the JCW accesiories and engine conversion which comes in May, when i was taking to the sales man he mentinoed the highest spec he had ever sold in a R56 S was 31k wow

[Hyper Active]

I found this on Motoringfile . MINI has finally updated the official John Cooper Works website to reflect the new factory JCW models. Included is a color visualizer, new photos and generally more details.

Click below to see.

MINI.com - Model Range - John Cooper Works - MINI John Cooper Works

[CooperID]

Quote: Originally Posted by jon vital (original)

It does seem to work out a better deal than speccing up a normal S.

Is it really worth going for the chili pack when you already have the aircon and decent alloys on the JCW? An OBC, floor mats and xenons only comes to about £600 and the chili pack is normally £2K !!

I presume the chili pack for the JCW will be less than £2k to reflect the level of standard equipment.

Should be interest to see just how much less though

Or they might include other things such as the HiFi, tinted glass, auto aircon or full leather to keep it at £2k which would probably suit me better as I'll be adding some of those anyway

[ViscountCharles]

Wheel choices for the JCW - it sounds like there's a choice between 17" Cross Spoke Challenge rims (pictured in the publicity material), and 17" Crown Spoke rims. What do the Crown Spoke rims look like, do they come in either anthracite or black, and what is the weight of the two types of wheel? Just in case Mr. MINI says I *can* have a car in 2008, you see....

[EAC]

Crown spoke wheels are the 'standard' 17" 8-spoke alloys you get with the Chili pack on a Cooper S.

[ViscountCharles]

Well, **** MINI and their cars. When I sell my current car, I'll buy something from a different manufacturer, as I feel *incredibly* bitter by the latest news.

"The UK launch of the R55 John Cooper Works Clubman will take place later, in 2009 (current planning date is 03/09 but this is yet to be confirmed). The delay in launching this model in the UK is due to the non-availability of the R55 JCW aerokit, which is part of the standard specification for all UK MINI John Cooper Works Clubman models. We are working with Munich to bring this model to market as soon as possible."

I'm sorry, but it's bloody shoddy to announce a model to be available from July '08 then put the launch back by nine months or so, doubly-so after deposits have been taken.

I'm not prepared to wait 9 months - more, I'm not in a position where I *can* wait nine extra months (and I wouldn't leave a grand with my dealer for that length of time when it could be earning interest anyway).

I'm angry enough with MINI that my current car will be the last one I buy from them.

[Paul]

I said elsewhere I don't know why they don't repeat the "Pepperoni pack" they did with the S years back, and just offer the Clubman WITHOUT the kit at a slightly lower price until such a time it becomes available.

[paa100]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hyper Active (original)

I found this on Motoringfile . MINI has finally updated the official John Cooper Works website to reflect the new factory JCW models. Included is a color visualizer, new photos and generally more details.

Click below to see.

MINI.com - Model Range - John Cooper Works - MINI John Cooper Works

Interesting that the site shows a JCW Clubman without an aero kit and no tick againts aerodynamic pack in the specs. Are they really promoting a car they wont build until March 09 like this????

[ViscountCharles]

"Interesting" would not be my adjective of choice. "Bizarre" and "zarkfardwarkingly annoying" would be higher on my list.

If I understand things right, MINI planned for the Works *not* to have bodykit as standard. But the publicity photos showed the Hatch *with* bodykit, and there was some controversy about selling a car different to that in the photos. So to match the pictures, *for the UK market*, the Works will have the bodykit.

The photos of the Works Clubman show *no* bodykit. Yet in order to achieve some sort of equality with the Hatch (which is unobtainable in any event; the Hatch will (always* be quicker, and the Clubman will *always* have more room), they have decided - for the UK - to delay the Clubman for 9 months to design and manufacture something not in the photos.

So Hatch buyers *can* get the car in the photos; Clubman buyers *cannot*, and have to wait an extra nine months.

Worse still, what if the Clubman bodykit looks awful? Or drives up the cost more than anticipated? Or even gets cancelled once they decide that it is uneconomic to produce? I pity anyone who decides to wait the extra time to find out any one of those situations occurs.

And finally, March - delivery pril or May - will be bumping up against early news of a likely R55/R56 facelift (as I believe the new cabrio will be due thereabouts, and that is likely to prompt a facelift for the 2nd gen MINI). But I bet that a Works Clibman will be the last car released pre-facelift, affecting interest from buyers (and second-hand values).

The decision is a bad one IMO; but I'm not sure I should care anymore. If MINI UK sticks to the current plan, I'll buy a Golf or an Audi in a month or two.

[Paul]

As with most MINI models the JCW will have "regional variations", and people tend to forget and/or overlook this when referring to MINI.com sites.