Since its rebirth under BMW->ke178 in 2002, no other car company has been able to touch Mini->ke57 when it comes to its range of customization. There are literally millions of permutations available—virtually assuring that no two Minis sold will be alike. A countless range of exterior graphics packages, floor mats, trim options, key fobs, fog lamps, colors, wheels, body-kits, valve stem caps, spoilers, performance parts and storage options allow buyers to customize Minis anyway they wish before their cars even leave dealer lots. These peripherals have been a huge revenue source for the company and, when added liberally, can cause MSRPs to double over the base cost.

Now Mini is introducing a whole new range of options to complement both the third-generation 2 Door and 4 Door models, including the new John Cooper Works Pro design line, at the 2014 Essen Motor Show.->ke2128 In addition, a gigantic range of new accessories is being introduced that will allow customers to take color coordination to new levels for both models. Want plaid floor mats? How about graffiti-styled rear-view mirror cover that say “VROOOOM?” Mini can oblige no matter how questionable your tastes may be.

Click past the jump to read more about the MINI Cooper S With John Cooper Works Pro.

Exterior

We’re still waiting on the full-fat JCW Mini Cooper and its 230-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter, but based on what we’ve seen of it testing at the Nürburgring, the JCW Pro design line exterior package should provide a preview of what we can expect from the outside. It features a unique body kit with a lower front lip and a rear diffuser, complete with lateral splitters and fins. There’s also a unique rear spoiler and 18-inch wheels. If the last JCW Mini was anything to go by, these changes will actually improve aerodynamics and reduce lift, rather than just function as fashion items.

The rest of the accessories introduced, on the other hand, will not. Here, you can find the now familiar Union Jack roof graphics, assorted rearview mirror covers and more than a few ghastly graphics packages. The gray car shown with the green graphics shows off the Vivid Green line, and is an example of how buyers can color coordinate these accessories to their liking. There’s also range of roof racks available to ferry things like surfboards and mountain bikes to where ever they need to go.

Interior

Where to start? Mini seems as keen to slap JCW badges all over non-JCW cars as BMW is to slap M badges all over non-M cars. The interior gets entry-sills with JCW LED lighting, JCW floor mats, JCW window blinds, and JCW key fob and key ring. So, yeah, lots of JCW stuff.

As for the rest of the accessories, the amounts of accessories that can be added to the interior exceed that of the exterior. Here you’ll find uniquely patterned entry-sills, interior rearview mirror covers, seat covers, child safety seats, key fobs and some floor mats, which, if we’re honest, look straight out of the AutoZone catalog. Like the outside, it can all be coordinated, but there’s probably nothing stopping you from mixing and matching, and creating a Mini interior that looks like Pee-wee’s Playhouse.

Drivetrain

We’re really looking forward to seeing what kind of tuning Mini has in store for the actual JCW Mini, but it’s looking like we’ll have to wait a bit longer for solid numbers. The cars shown at the Essen show will be powered by the same turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 1.5-liter, three-cylinder engines found in the Cooper S and Cooper respectively.

The only performance upgrade to be found is a new exhaust for the Cooper S, which is actually pretty cool. Like more exotic cars from Ferrari and Aston Martin, it features an exhaust flap that can be controlled from the cabin. Open it up if you want to enjoy a louder 2.0-liter soundtrack, or close it if you don’t want to wake the neighbors. Mini says it enhances engine output, but not by how much.

Prices

Mini hasn’t announced pricing, but we’d imagine the spreadsheet at Mini HQ that holds this information is massive. The accessories will all surely be priced on a piece-by-piece basis. As mentioned before, piling on the accessories can translate to a skyrocketing final cost estimate, so check those boxes carefully.

Competition

Volkswagen Golf GTI

The U.S. has always lacked the vast selection of hot hatches that our friends across the Atlantic enjoy, but one constant has always been the Volkswagen GTI. The seventh-generation GTI is one of the best ever. Starting at $24,395 it’s good bit more expensive that a Cooper S, but on-paper performance is a step above.

Volkswagen’s now ubiquitous EA888, 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder puts down 210 horsepower and a hefty 258 pound-feet of torque. The sprint to 60 mph comes is 6.3 seconds and it tops out at an impressive 155 mph. Compare that with 7.8 seconds and 130 mph for the Mini Cooper S.

Ford Fiesta ST

The newest crasher to the American hot-hatch party comes from Ford in the form of the punchy Fiesta ST. It’s the kind of car Ford has been building for decades in Europe, but it’s a completely new prospect for we North Americans. It exudes quality, and, more importantly, it’s fast and fun to drive without compromising usability.

It’s also closer to the Mini in terms of cost and performance than the GTI. Pricing starts at $21,400, and a 1.6-liter EcoBoost supplies 197 horsepower to the front wheels. 0 to 60 comes in 6.8 seconds and it has an estimated top speed of 130 mph.

Conclusion

Customizing the way your car looks is a completely subjective thing. So, far be it for me to tell anyone how to do it, but I’m going to do just that. These add-ons range from pleasingly subtle to slightly tacky to straight-up ugly. Either that, or I just don’t know how to have fun.

Several of the JCW options add a bit of sporting flare. The JCW body kit looks good, but I’d only be interested if it were attached to a car with JCW parts under the hood. The only box here I would be checking is the one for the new exhaust. The rest I would leave at the dealership, but Mini certainly doesn’t need my help to make piles of money off this stuff.