MINI’s lineup renewal continues with a performance model we’ve been waiting for since the new 3-Door Hatch came out in February. The F66 with gasoline engines currently tops out with the Cooper S but a John Cooper Works arrives this fall. In the meantime, the JCW is being officially previewed in images of a camouflaged hot hatch.

With the new generation of models, MINI has launched a JCW Trim that’s all show without any extra go. The disguised car seen here is the full-fat JCW, cloaked in retro-flavored camo. It mimics the livery used by the firm’s race cars from the 1960s. That “37” logo harkens back to the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally where the classic Cooper S triumphed 60 years ago.

Mind you, the disguised car is actually a motorsport version. Bulldog Racing will enter the JCW in the SP3T category at the upcoming 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Eagle-eyed readers are going to notice the feisty hatchback has a single-exit exhaust whereas the 2025 Countryman JCW has a quad setup. It goes without saying that the full roll cage won’t be installed on the street-legal model.

Don’t hold your breath for a three-pedal setup since MINI has signaled the demise of the manual gearbox. The new JCW will be an automatic-only affair, likely with a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission. As for power, it’s getting a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine. Expect a healthy bump from the 204 hp available in the Cooper S. The Oxford-based marque isn’t saying how much muscle the flagship F66 will have but the old one was rated at 228 hp and 235 lb-ft (319 Nm).

Once again, the British brand is not going to sell a JCW flavor of the more practical 5-Door Hatch (F65). That said, additional JCW models are arriving later this year. MINI is also planning to introduce a John Cooper Works derivative of the electric Cooper (J01). In addition, the Aceman subcompact electric crossover will spawn a fully fledged JCW variant.

With MINI going completely electric by 2030, you’re looking at the last generation of the JCW hatch with a gasoline engine. Pricing isn’t mentioned but it’s likely to cost more than its F56 predecessor, which was available for $36,395 before options.

Source: MINI