The Mini Cooper John Cooper Works is the range-topping version of Mini’->ke57s iconic Cooper->ke629 line. It boasts 228 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque, all coming out of its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. For a hatchback, those numbers are impressive, but not so much when you’re talking to an aftermarket tuner. Manhart Racing thought so and it went about and gave the Cooper JCW a 300-horsepower upgrade. Now, it’s B&B Automobiltechnick’s turn, and just like Manhart, the German tuner has an upgrade that takes the Cooper JCW’s output in the neighborhood of 300 ponies.

Of course, B&B’s tuning program doesn’t stop there. The tuner is actually offering a three-stage engine kit that adds different amounts of ponies on the four-cylinder. It also a platter of chassis and suspension upgrades, all included to provide the Cooper JCW with improved grip and handling, not to mention the benefit of enhancing the performance hatchback’->ke304s sporty looks.

It may not have any exterior and interior modifications like what Manhart Racing is offering, but for what prospective buyers are getting, B&B’s program for the Cooper JCW is kind of kit that every type of owner of the hatchback can enjoy, all at affordable prices to boot.

Continue after the jump to read the full review.

2016 Mini Cooper John Cooper Works by B&B Automobiltechnik

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2016 Mini Cooper John Cooper Works by B&B Automobiltechnik
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 300
  • Torque: 343
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The exterior upgrades to the Mini Cooper John Cooper Works are limited to a set of B&B’s new 18-inch B9 alloy wheels wrapped in 215/35R18 tires. The wheels are complemented by the tuner's own high-performance brake system, featuring 13-inch vented discs in the front.

Interior

Unfortunately, the German tuner didn’t pay mind to the interior of the Cooper JCW, opting instead to keep everything in stock configuration.

Drivetrain

The lack of any exterior and interior upgrades may be a downer for some prospective customers, but B&B is making up for it with a three-stage engine upgrade that improves the Cooper JCW’s output to as much as 300 horsepower.

The first stage of this upgrade, appropriately dubbed the Stage 1 kit, features a slight improvement in boost pressure by 0.20 bar and a remap of both the fuel and ignition curves. These upgrades help the Cooper JCW take its power up to 272 horsepower with no mention of any improvements in torque. If that’s not enough of an upgrade, B&B is also offering the Stage 2 kit, which adds improvements to the intake ducts and manifold to go with a turbo boost increase by 0.25 bar and the aforementioned remaps on the fuel and ignition curves. This specific stage in the engine upgrade package takes the output to 286 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of twist. Sweet numbers, but that has yet to maximise the potential of the Cooper JCW’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

That’s where B&B’s Stage 3 kit comes into the picture. This kit takes things up on another level by putting all the tuning upgrades together – a high-performance intercooler, modified intake ducts and manifold, high-flow exhaust downpipe, and a remap of the fuel, ignition and turbocharger boost curves – and wrapping them up in a nice bow to the tune of 300 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque. With all the pieces together, B&B effectively helps the Cooper JCW cut its 0-to-60-mph sprint time from 6.3 seconds to 5.4 seconds. And since the engine remap includes the removal of the stock Vmax limiter, the tuner was also able to increase the top speed from 153 mph to 174 mph.

The German tuner is also offering three different exhaust systems, each of which are aimed towards improving the performance hatch’s soundtrack. The most basic of these packages is a typical aftermarket sport exhaust. Customers are also free to upgrade to a sport exhaust with an uprated catalytic converter or B&B Racing’s own exhaust system with a metal catalytic converter. This upgrade tacks on another 20 horsepower to the output while also helping cut down the thermal load on both the engine and turbocharger.

Chassis and Suspension

To accommodate the improvements in power, B&B is offering a set of sport springs that drops the Cooper JCW’s ride height by about 1.18 inches. Not only does this add to the Coop’s exterior stance, it also helps improve the performance hatchbacks’ overall handling. Those who opt for something more sophisticated can avail the B&B/ KW coilover suspension kit that completely replaces the car’s OE suspension setup with adjustable ride height manipulation and bounce and rebound control, resulting in further improvements to the car’s overall grip and handling.

Pricing

Refer to the table below for the full pricing details of B&B’s performance upgrade package.

Item

Price in € (Euro)

Price in $ (USD)

Engine upgrades

Stage 1 engine kit

€1,298

$1,446

Stage 2 engine kit

€1,950

$2,172

Stage 3 engine kit

€3,950

$4,400

Exhaust upgrades

Sport exhaust

€895

$997

Sport exhaust with urated catalytic converter

€1,398

$1,557

B&B Racing exhaust with metal catalytic converter

€2,795

$3,113

Brakes upgrades

High-performance brake system

€3,295

$3,670

Chassis and suspension upgrades

Sport spring set

€298

$332

B&B / KW V3 coilover suspension kit

€1,849

$2,060

Others

High-flow downpipes

€1,398

$1,557

Oil cooling system

€998

$1,112


Competition

Mini Cooper John Cooper Works F300 by Manhart Racing

Manhart Racing’s F300 program for the Mini Cooper John Cooper Works isn’t as extensive as B&B’s myriad of kits, but it does squeeze out the same improved output of 300 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque as B&B’s Stage 3 kit. Manhart achieved this number by adding a new intercooler and a Remus stainless steel sports exhaust system to go with an optimized ECU unit. The increase of 69 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque from the Coop’s standard output of 231 ponies and 236 pound-feet of twist translates to a 0-to-60-mph time of under five seconds to go with a top speed of about 175 mph.

Read our full review here.

Conclusion

This is the perfect example of a tuner who puts a singular focus on a specific part of a car and then sets out and does it successfully. B&B’s engine upgrade package for the Cooper John Cooper Works isn’t going to blow anybody’s mind away, but the simple fact that there is a variety that comes with is enough to give it some serious thought. Prospective customers are free to chose the engine kit they want and they’re not pressured into getting they don’t like. More importantly, the prices are actually affordable and the number of chassis, suspension, and brake upgrades also provides choices for the would-be buyer.