Mini->ke57 has just confirmed their line-up for the 2012 Geneva Motor Show and as expected, the John Cooper Works Countryman is on that list. The car was caught testing for the first time last winter in Austria, but we have to admit it looks better than expected.

The new John Cooper Works Countryman is based on the current, most powerful version of the vehicle - the Countryman S - that uses a 177 HP turbocharged 1.6-liter engine. However, for the JCW version, the engine's output has been increased to 218 HP. The car will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 7 seconds and will be capable of hitting a top speed of 140 mph (manual version).

The new Countryman JCW will be distinguished by the usual JCW aerodynamic kit, an exclusive selection of paint finishes, 18" light-alloy wheels, a sports exhaust system, and a sporty interior.

UPDATE 09/26/2012: Mini has announced that the new Countryman John Cooper Works will go on sale on the US market at a starting price of $35,550.

Hit the jump to read more about the new Mini Countryman JCW.

2013 Mini Countryman JCW

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2013 Mini Countryman JCW
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 218 @ 6100
  • Torque: 207 @ 2000
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The new Mini Countryman JCW will be distinguished from a standard Countryman mainly thanks to its new aerodynamic JCW kit. This kit includes more muscular front and rear aprons and bespoke side skirts, a new set of 18-inch Twin Spoke light-alloy wheels with polished spoke fronts and black rim wells, and John Cooper Works logos on the radiator grille, tailgate, door sill strips, and near the side indicators.

The car will be finished in Chili Red and will be combined with a contrasting paint finish for the roof and exterior mirrors. Customers can also choose between seven other colors for the exterior, including Light White and Jet Black. Sport stripes are also available as an option.

Interior

For the interior of the Countryman JCW, Mini will add sports seats in Diagonal Track Carbon Black cloth trim with red contrast stitching. The cockpit, door panels, and center console are painted in Piano Black, while the flourishes for the cockpit and doors are painted in Chili Red.

The sports steering wheel is also painted in red and features a John Cooper Works logo. The speedometer and rev counter dials feature a darker paint, while the roof liner is painted in an anthracite color and the gearshift lever has red shift pattern lettering.

Engine

The Mini Countryman John Cooper Works is powered by a newly developed four-cylinder turbocharged engine that features BMW Group’s Valvetronic technology. This engine delivers a total of 218 HP at 6,100 rpm and a peak torque of 207 lb-ft between 2,000 and 5,600 rpm.

The engine is combined with a sports exhaust system, an ALL4 all-wheel-drive system, Brake Energy Regeneration, the Shift Point Display, and Auto Start/Stop function for models with the manual gearbox.

The Countryman JCW will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 7.0 seconds on the way to a top speed of 140 mph for the manual and 139 mph for the automatic. Fuel consumption has been reported at 39.2 mpg imp (automatic: 35.3 mpg imp) in the EU test cycle.

Prices

The new Mini Countryman JCW will go on sale in Fall 2012. It will go on sale on the US market at a starting price of $35,550.

Competition

The main competitors for a standard Countryman include models like the Audi A3 and the Mazda3. The new generation A3 will be unveiled next week on the 2012 Geneva show floor, so the two models get to meet there for the first time. The JCW will target the most powerful A3 model in the line-up, which is rumored to deliver about 210 HP.