When is a JCW not a JCW?

[GCA3N]

Yes the Factory JCW has a larger Turbo and the actual Engine Components were worked on/upgraded by the BMW M team. I had the article somewhere that indicated this but now i've lost it ha.

That's what the dealer told me Ryan but I wasn't sure if he was just saying that or he knew his stuff, guess he did. I guess that would maybe explain no start stop on mine and even if I drive it 20 yards the engine cooling/fans stay on for a while after stopping it.

Cheers Ryan.

[Bazthemod]

Won't need to tell the difference soon... MINI has killed off the JCW kit for Cooper S

http://www.motoringfile.com/2010/08/...it/#more-13086

[GCA3N]

Won't need to tell the difference soon... MINI has killed off the JCW kit for Cooper S

http://www.motoringfile.com/2010/08/...it/#more-13086

Very interesting Baz. Variable valve timing too. mmmm.

[ELFMAN]

In my opinion if your car comes from the FACTORY as a 'JCW', kitted and badged-up, it IS one. If it's an R56 S with JCW bits dealer-fitted afterwards, then it's an upgraded S, and NOT a JCW model. I think MINI has maybe ditched the JCW Kit as there wasn't enough 'clear water', performance-wise, between the standard Factory JCW and the 'upgraded' JCW-kitted S, especially now that the 'new' R56 engine has more power.

At the moment as far as I know, the mechanical engine differences between mine and the standard 'Factory' JCW are the JCW's strengthened internals, bigger turbo, I think the induction feed pipe into the Airbox and maybe a few other wee electronic tweaks - so the power difference won't be that big, but the POTENTIAL to further tune the Factory Works car will be greater because of the stronger Engine and bigger Turbo etc. How many JCW owners will take advantage of that is an unknown.

After the JCW Suspension's fitted, I'll probably have spent the equivalent £££ that I would have on a standard factory JCW, but that was in my own time over a year and a half and the bits I have 'over' the Factory JCW are Drilled front Discs, JCW Recaros and next week sometime - the full JCW Suspension kit - none of which come as standard with the Factory car. (I also got a great deal at the time 'from stock' on my new S, which I couldn't have with the JCW). Mine also doesn't have the clever Elctronic Differential of the JCW, but it does have a mechanical Limited Slip Diff. So G3 ELF is maybe a 'Semi-Works', or is it just just an R56 with a semi?

I have deliberately NOT fitted the 'Works' badging, as I don't want to advertise the fact that it isn't standard (apart from the Exhaust, which can't be helped), I also think the badges are being used 'cosmetically' on quite a few MINIs that may not actually have been 'officially' upgraded (and have the wee certificate signed by Mike Cooper) - fair do's, I don't have a problem with that, but I feel it could detract a wee bit from the 'special' nature of the badge and its historical significance - however tenuous these days! But the fun is arguably to be had in how the car goes, and not necessarily the badge it wears.

Funny, I thought the R56 engines already had, along with all sorts of other clever modern techno stuff, some form of Variable Valve Timing, obviously I was wrong.

[GCA3N]

As ever a great write up, some great points, you really should write for a living.

Think u could be right about factory JCW being tuned further. TBH I don't feel the need to go further tuning wise but then again I think if I started I wouldn't stop. I guess it's all down to how much cash you are willing to spend.

[Forbes]

Remap it Greig. Hear it works wonders

[ELFMAN]

Cheers Greig, Re. Writing - I wish....

I know (William's Dad) Brian's JCW (now sold I think) was putting out, if I remember rightly, 270+BHP and 280-ish Ft/lbs Torque or something mad like that with induction mods and a remap. It went LIKE STINK, the way it closed gaps (or opened them up) was a sight to see on the way to and from Oxford this year. Mine feels quick enough - my brain can only accelerate so fast..... I'm looking to upgrade my mind at some stage though.

Only thing I'd like to do to my car in future would be to fit a big 'Forge' Intercooler - that's meant to be a good mod. Whether you're in an R53 or an R56, it's all about getting lots of cold air in and lots of hot gas out!

[Mon the fish]

If I had a turbo'd car, I would be seriously looking at a remap to release some extra power. So easy to do, and on modern turbos much less risk

[GCA3N]

Remap it Greig. Hear it works wonders

If I had a turbo'd car, I would be seriously looking at a remap to release some extra power. So easy to do, and on modern turbos much less risk

That's all very well but I have a car with 500 miles on the clock and 5 years warranty and servicing how on earth could I remap and not effect the warranty. Unless dealers do remaps?

[clubman0_1]

got a cooper S with jcw upgrade kit. only differance between mine and a jcw is bodykit for a start, red brembo front calipers and 191 bhp as opposed to 211bhp. brembo's are the big alloy red one with jcw on the. jcw also have red coloured standard calipers on the rear. dashboard is a funny patern thing on a jcw. exhaust has big tail pipes as its a different rear section. they don't say jcw though. its just a bit more free flowing. kit commes with a different rear section and it has bolt on tail pieces and they do have jcw logo. believe they up the boast on a jcw slightly thus making power hike possible. regards the engine internals put a slighly thicker crown on piston and install an oil spray pipe to cool piston crown due to increase in boost. ford do this on 2 litre zetecs. mapping is different to provide correct fueling as well. JCW also have a ridgid induction pipe. air box is change on both. jcw's also say that on log book where a cooper s says cooper s.

i personlally paid £250 more from the dealer for a cooper s with about £6500 jcw of extra's on it second hand (carbon dash, steering wheel, handles, gearsknob, mirror caps, bonnet scoops, boot hand, r109 split rims and engine upgrade) and would sooner have this than a jcw. spend another £1600 and id have a car that looks like a jcw but fully loaded with body kit and calipers. you don't need 6 pot calipers to stop. bar that its about £200 for pads compared to £40 odds for a cooper s. you can't interchange wheels easily with other style with the calipers as they rub. me personally i also like the cooper s kit. aero is nice but in your face. us spec jcw don't come with aero kits as standard. coopers s is understated. vents are also non functional and look a bit pointless. bet though if you put a good driver in a cooper s and a bad driver in a jcw the person in a cooper s would still win in a race even without jcw upgrade.