BIG things come in small packages, and this is particularly true for the new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman, which had its debut at the Paris Auto Show (Modial l’Automobile Paris) currently on the French capital.

The biennial expo, which started on October 1, is slated to end on October 16.

“The MINI is an iconic brand… it’s important you keep the familiarity and family feel,” Sebastian Mackenson, senior vice-president of MINI at the BMW Group, told Auto.

“It’s a car that goes for a special, unique connoisseur that’s looking for performance and exclusiveness,” he continued.

According to a BMW Group release, the new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman is the biggest top athlete in the history of the British brand to date. The bonus, in terms of roominess, everyday practicality and long-distance suitability, offers a new range of opportunities to enjoy racing passion. The fact that the extremely sporty temperament typical of the John Cooper Works models reaches a whole new dimension in this model is due to the fact that the most powerful engine ever fitted in a MINI is combined with the latest version of the all-wheel drive system, ALL4, for the first time. In the new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman (combined fuel consumption: 7.4 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 168 g/km), the drive torque generated from a peak output of 170 kW/231 hp and a maximum torque of 350 Newton metres is distributed as needed between the front and rear wheels in every situation on the road.

The standard all-wheel-drive system forms part of a precisely assembled overall package, comprising not just the powerful four-cylinder turbo engine; the sports suspension complete with 18-inch John Cooper Works light alloy wheels, the Brembo sports brake system and distinctive body features for optimised aerodynamic properties and cooling air intake, but also a model-specific cockpit with John Cooper Works sports seats. This guarantees enthralling performance when accelerating from zero to 100 km/h, for instance, which takes 6.3 seconds with both the standard six-speed manual transmission and the optional eight-speed Steptronic sports transmission, accompanied by the powerfully emotional sound of the sports exhaust system. Power transmission to all four wheels increases agility on spontaneous sprint manoeuvres as well as when taking bends in dynamic style, ensuring supreme forward thrust, even beyond the asphalt.

Drawing on motor racing expertise, the suspension technology has also been harmonised with both the car’s vehicle concept and its outstanding engine performance. The latest variant once again combines a single-joint spring strut axle at the front with a multi-link rear axle in a version that is adapted to the specific model in terms of rigidity, kinematics and weight optimisation. Designed in collaboration with the specialist manufacturer Brembo, the four-piston fixed caliper disc brakes guarantee consistently high deceleration performance, even when exposed to intensive stress on the racetrack.

The new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman goes on sale next year.

— Brian Bonitto