India currently has only one F1 grade race track, which is Buddh International Circuit (BIC). It is India’s fastest race track and is inviting for enthusiasts to drive fast vehicles to have a jolly drive. That said, driving around a high-riding SUV on this race track feels a bit silly, owing to their high centre of gravity.
However, Mini India thought BIC was the perfect location to launch their new Countryman John Cooper Works All4 in the country. The company even asked media and journalists to feel free to push Countryman JCW on the track without an instructor sitting beside them. We did just that and explored the dynamism of Countryman JCW and here’s everything you need to know about it.
Mini Countryman JCW Track Drive Review
The Countryman is Mini’s SUV range like Cooper is its hatchback range. Currently, Countryman is in its 3rd Gen avatar and it was only available in India with an Electric powertrain. For the first time, 3rd Gen Mini Countryman has been launched in India with an IC engine and we’re glad that it is the full-blown high-performance John Cooper Works version.
The price Mini is quoting for Countryman JCW All4 is Rs 64.9 lakh (Ex-sh). There are three colours to choose from – Midnight Black, Legend Grey and British Racing Green. Even though it doesn’t come with Chilli Red highlights, I quite liked British Racing Green. Being a full JCW version, it had a tonne of JCW-specific elements to stand out.
Powertrain & Performance
Mini Countryman JCW All4 comes with a 2.0L 4-cylinder TwinPower Turbo Petrol engine. This engine is breathed upon by John Cooper Works, Mini’s high-performance division, and the result is 300 bhp of peak power and 400 Nm of peak torque, mated to a 7-speed quickshifting DCT gearbox and an intelligent All4 AWD drivetrain.
This engine is mated to a throaty and screaming quad exhaust setup. It not only looks good, but also provides the aural vigour that one associates with high-performance vehicles. Performance metrics include 5.4 seconds from stand still to reach 100 km/h and unleashed, Countryman JCW All4 will reach a top speed of 250 km/h.
The Track Experience
If you thought driving a high-riding SUV with a high centre of gravity on an F1 race track would be a bad idea. However, very few SUVs exist in the world to prove this perception wrong. Mini Countryman JCW is definitely one such SUV. With helmet tightly strapped up, we set out to find out just how much we can push Mini Countryman JCW All4 on the race track. The answer is, a lot.
Buddh International Circuit has everything to test the dynamics of a vehicle including straights, flowing corners, tight chicanes, fast and slow corners and a lot more. Countryman JCW All4 launches cleanly as it has all-wheel traction and gets to speed in a brisk manner. It is capable of reaching 100 km/h from stand still in just 5.4 seconds and you can feel all of that thrust and vigour in the way it accelerates.
After the first warm up lap, we started pushing Countryman JCW around corners. It handles like a dream (in SUV terms) and boasts crisp and direct steering response. The suspension is tuned in such a way that it does not let cornering forces unsettle the dynamics. Body roll is well controlled and driver is not tossed around like a wet cloth in a washing machine. All4 AWD system ensured optimum traction across this high-speed track excursion.
Drive & Handling
If you carry more speed into a corner than necessary and think, “This is it. The tail will kick out any time now”, you’d be pleasantly surprised to see Mini Countryman JCW holding on to your line without losing composure. It is like driving a high-riding go-kart, a quality which Mini is associated with. Even the braking performance was quite good and Mini India even encouraged us to brake later into the corner to truly experience their bite and stopping power.
For Rs 64.9 lakh (Ex-sh), Mini Countryman JCW All4 is one heck of a package, if you just consider the driving experience. But Countryman JCW is a Mini, with impeccable interior quality, circular OLED instrument screen, HUD, Harman Kardon HiFi sound system, 360-degree cameras, electric seat adjust, panorama sunroof, interior camera, a 500L boot, decent space for five occupants and much more.
