Hidden in all the news on the new electric MINI Cooper and Countryman today was our first look at the next generation MINI Countryman JCW. Th big news is that it’s 100% ICE (internal combustion) and retains it’s powerful all wheel drive drivetrain. However there are some surprises and not all good.

While we only have German specifications and a few photos, we now have a good idea of how the car will look and what power we should see. According to MINI of Germany the Countryman JCW will have 295 hp with a top speed limited to 155 mph. many of you will immediately notice power is down 11 hp from the current F60 JCW’s 306 hp.

Even more interesting (or troubling) is that the torque has gone down substantially by 36 lb-ft to 295 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately it’s as we predicted given the new Countryman JCW uses the same version of the B48 that the X1 M35i does.

Why the downgrade? Let’s first talk about that torque figure. It’s likely connected to the dual clutch 7 speed and the amount of torque it’s rated for. So why would they replace the Aisin that was in the F60? BMW has been reducing the number of components like gearboxes in the line-up which means the 8 speed Aisin auto is now gone. Instead BMW has chosen a new Getrag dual clutch that handle a wide range of applications for both brands. The downside is that it’s torque rating isn’t as high as the 8 speed Aisin.

Now let’s discuss that lower hosrepower figure. In the EU the X1 M35i’s B48 is tuned down to 295 hp vs the 313 hp that it gets in the US. That’s likely due to CO2 emissions regulations. We’d fully expect the US spec MINI Countryman JCW to have the full 313 hp that the BMW X1 M35 does.

The MIN Countryman JCW will go into production in March of 2024 and should reach European dealers late that month. Expect US deliveries in September of 2024.

The Full Countryman Range – Pricing and Availability

Given that the MINI Countryman is based on a platform that can accommodate electric, petrol and diesel powertrains, it will be the most versatile model family that MINI sells. We should see the Countryman range have a total of eight variants and three distinctly different powertrain options.

The New MINI FamilyDrivetrainPricingStart of Production
J01 MINI Cooper EElectric32,900€ 11/2023
J01 MINI Cooper SE Electric36,900€ 11/2023
U25 MINI Countryman CICE (Petrol)39.900€ 11/2023
U25 MINI Countryman D ICE (Diesel)42.900€ 11/2023
U25 MINI Countryman E Electric43.500€ 03/2024
U25 MINI Countryman S ALL4ICE (Petrol)45.900€ 11/2023*
U25 MINI Countryman SE ALL4Electric49.500€ 03/2024*
U25 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4ICE (Petrol)56.500€ 03/2024*
F66 MINI CooperICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024*
F66 MINI Cooper SICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024*
F66 MINI Cooper JCWICE (Petrol)TBD11/2024*
F65 MINI Cooper 5 DoorICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024*
F65 MINI Cooper S 5 DoorICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024*
F67 MINI Cooper ConvertibleICE (Petrol)TBDTBD*
F67 MINI Cooper S ConvertibleICE (Petrol)TBDTBD*
J05 MINI AcemanElectricTBDTBD
J05 MINI Aceman SElectricTBDTBD
* Available in the US at launch
mini Cooper electric mini countryman electric

This is Just the Start – An Entire New MINI Family is Coming

The new J01 MINI Cooper electric and U25 MINI Countryman (electric) will publicly debut at the Munich Motor Show next week. That will be followed by the internal combustion U25 Countryman which will be shown later this year. Then we’ll see the heavily revised F56 morph into the F66 internal combustion MINI Cooper. This will be MINI’s answer to all those who want a Cooper but aren’t ready for electric. Finally we’ll see the all electric MINI Aceman crossover which effectively takes the place of the beloved MINI Clubman. The Aceman will be a small crossover roughly the size of the original MINI Countryman and will be released late next year.

For more coverage of the new generation MINI released today, check out the following articles and videos.

MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review

MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review

New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review