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Originally Posted by Inside Line
The sportiest Mini yet, the 2008 Mini John Cooper Works will make its debut in early March at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show. An upgraded 218-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter engine, revised chassis tuning, distinctive body kit and new interior help distinguish the John Cooper Works from the standard Mini trims.
The new car, which also forms the basis of the latest Mini Challenge racecar, will be sold in both two-door hatchback and three-door Clubman styles in North America.
Modifications to the front include a deeper front bumper and standard foglights, but in the rear, the look differs on each model. The hatchback gets chunky sills underneath the doors, while the longer-wheelbase Clubman retains the standard sills. A unique bumper and exhaust pipes are part of the package.
The Cooper S's MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension has been heavily retuned, with firmer bushings, springs and dampers together with more resilient stabilizers and a lower ride height. Along with the standard suspension, Mini offers two optional packages to further improve driving dynamics, including a Sports package that adds firmer dampers at each corner and beefed-up front and rear stabilizer bars.
Above the Sports package is the John Cooper Works package, primarily for track use. It further lowers the ride height and adds firmer dampers and larger stabilizers. Other changes include the weighting of the electronically assisted steering system and the mapping of the throttle, controlled by a "Sport" console-mounted switch.
Larger brakes have been added with red calipers bearing the JCW emblem, and the Challenge racecar lends its multispoke 17-inch wheels mounted with 205/45R17 run-flat tires.
Inside, the John Cooper Works model uses a new three-spoke steering wheel, revised instrument panel, sport seats and Alcantara headliner.
The John Cooper Works goes on sale in August, with U.S. pricing set at $28,550 for the Mini John Cooper Works coupe and $30,800 for the Clubman John Cooper Works.
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More:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=124917#2
And the decisions get harder and harder....