The Cooper name is steeped in motorsport history. A legendary car maker whose innovative designs changed the face of four-wheeled competition. The Cooper portfolio includes winning Formula One cars that were driven by icons such as Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jack Brabham. But it’s the MINI Cooper that’s perhaps the most iconic car in the Cooper catalogue. The famous 1964 Monte Carlo rally win is the stuff of motorsport folklore, with Paddy Hopkirk hustling a MINI Cooper S to victory against rivals who had more than double the engine power.
Today, that Cooper spirit is embodied by the John Cooper Works badge. A symbol of performance. Of engineering excellence. And a guarantee of laugh-out-loud driving fun. Until now, it’s only ever graced MINI’s combustion-engined models, but the tuning boffins at JCW have finally worked their magic on, not one, but two electric MINIs – the Cooper and Aceman. So it’s time to find out what those JCW engineers have done to ensure these cars live up to the John Cooper Works moniker. And to do that, we’re taking them for a drive around the splendid roads of the Peak District.
Book a test drive in an all-electric John Cooper Works model
Well-judged power
Naturally, when you think ‘hot hatch’, you think ‘power’. And both the Cooper and Aceman have been spiced up to dish out 258hp and a meaty 340Nm of torque. Prod the accelerator, and the response is instant, the torque from the electric motor pushing you back in your seat. But more impressive than the outright pace itself is the way in which that power is delivered – linear, predictable and always accessible. The Cooper JCW will scamper from 0-62mph in 5.9s, while the Aceman covers the same sprint in 6.4s – both firmly at the sharp end of what you’d expect from a top-tier hot hatch. And on these zig-zagging roads, they feel even quicker than the figures suggest. Even once you’re up to motorway speeds, both cars still pull strongly, making overtaking effortless.
Indeed, all that torque made short work of the Peak District’s steep inclines. And if you ever need a quick burst of power, there’s a boost paddle mounted to the JCW steering wheel that gives you an extra 27bhp for 10-seconds. If you’re in the mood for some spirited driving, you can switch to Go Kart mode, which gives you all of the power and sharpens up the pedal response. You even get a racy synthesised engine note inside the car when you give it the beans, which adds to the sense of occasion. At the same time, the infotainment screen displays real-time power, torque and G-force graphics.
Go-Kart handling
Speaking of Go-Karts, that’s almost become a bit of a cliche for describing MINI handling, but after a few minutes navigating some twisty, undulating Peak District asphalt, it becomes clear that MINI’s signature nimbleness and agility is very much present and correct. The steering is quick, and both cars bite and turn in keenly. And that likely has a lot to do with the fact that both cars have specially tuned JCW suspension, right down to fettling with the camber – an indication of how seriously MINI have taken these new electric JCW cars. The result is confidence-inspiring handling that makes you feel like a big kid. Even on the imperfect, potholed roads, both electric JCW models constantly manage to find grip and stick to the road reassuringly.
