MINI has announced a new Cooper 5 Door Hatch variant aimed at bridging the gap between the traditional Cooper S and the track-ready John Cooper Works models.
Dubbed the Carbon Edition, this exclusive JCW-inspired model comes in short supply, with only 40 units available nationwide.
At a price of $56,990 plus on-road costs, the Carbon edition is packed with upgrades both inside and out and will also debut the John Cooper Works Aerodynamic package for the Cooper S Hatch in Australia.
Outside, the body comes finished in Midnight Black metallic paint and with Black Line trims for headlight and tail light surrounds. MINI has toughened the Cooper’s stance with a set of 17-inch John Cooper Works wheels, also finished in Black.
True to its name, the Carbon Edition also features a carbon fibre bonnet scoop and exterior mirror caps. These are complimented by Carbon Edition decals on the doors, bonnet, roof and tail gate, as well as the John Cooper Works rear spoiler and front bumper attachments.
Inside, each Carbon Edition is stamped with a unique build number. It gains sports seats wrapped in leather, a sports chrono package, perforated leather sports steering wheel, gearshift lever with red contrast stitching and door sills featuring the John Cooper Works touch.
No special edition would be complete without something special at its heart; a JCW tuning kit has been applied to the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, upping peak power and torque outputs to 155kW and 300Nm, up 14kW and 20Nm respectively. At 5.5L/100km, fuel consumption remains unchanged from the MINI Cooper S 5 door Hatch.
Along with the tune, the Carbon Edition features carbon fibre exhaust tips which can be controlled remotely via Bluetooth. Two exhaust modes are available: a street-legal Sport mode or track mode.
The uprated motor is mated to a six-speed sports automatic transmission with paddle shifters for increased control.
The MINI Carbon Edition also adopts dynamic damper control as standard equipment. The system automatically alters the suspension’s damping response, providing a choice of comfort-oriented or sport-focused options.
All this value won’t last long, so best jump on the horn to your closest MINI dealer and put a deposit down quick.