There was a notable omission from our small-engined Six of the Best at the weekend: a 21st-century Mini. In both supercharged and turbocharged forms, they made for fast, characterful, exciting 1.6-litre hot hatches. It’s just that, to be frank, an old one with a sequential and a Hayabusa engine is even more exciting.
But the Mini thing just had to be revisited, especially with a JCW as nice as this one coming under the hammer soon. Nowadays it’s easy not to be too interested in Minis with John Cooper Works badges on them, which is a bit of a shame given the heritage. We know there won’t be another manual one (the 1-to-6 was a rather sad send-off, too), the new ICE car doesn’t seem all that sporty, and you’re most likely to see the initials on a Countryman SUV than anywhere else. Perhaps there’ll be a brilliant EV reinvention of the flagship Mini though, for now, the back catalogue looks more enticing than the current range.
This is probably exactly what was said 20 years ago when the first supercharged JCWs emerged. Too big to be a proper Mini, much too powerful, all style over substance and not cute enough - much better looking at an older, cheaper, simpler one. Sounds very familiar, right? So maybe we’ll all be lusting over Countrymans come the 2040s, with the Mini of the time so far removed from what we fondly remember. Or maybe not. Whatever the case, with no reserve and a guide of just £4-5,000, this R53 looks a very good value way into what’s becoming a more covetable classic hot hatch by the day.
No little effort was put into the JCW kit (it was a dealer-fit option back then, ordered new and fitted before registration) to ensure that it wasn’t just a cosmetic exercise. So over a standard supercharged Cooper S of the time, the John Cooper Works received a new supercharger pulley, a gas-flowed head, better spark plugs, bigger injectors, a reworked intake and exhaust, plus tweaks to the ECU to keep it all working harmoniously together. It meant an increase in power from the regular 163hp to 200hp - or 205hp by the time of this 2005 car. Back when a Fiesta ST could barely muster 150hp, it was a lot of power. Still is, really, in a car this small and light - even the brand-new Cooper S is just 204hp strong.
Understandably, then, these are the most desirable R53s out there, and are seldom seen as the JCW kit wasn’t a cheap extra when new. In fact, the original owner (one of just two in almost 20 years) did a great job of the spec, red working brilliantly with the contrast black accents and 17-inch silver wheels - the body-coloured trim inside really lifts the cabin as well. Leather seats will have cost, too, and the current owner has upgraded the stereo for a Bluetooth/DAB unit. Don’t adjust your screens, either, as this JCW really is that red; garaged since the current owner’s acquisition in 2008, it absolutely gleams.
The very nature of these Minis means they just beg to be driven, yet both keepers of this one have managed to keep themselves to just 62,000 miles in total. There are plenty of services in the history file, plus an MOT until next March with only an advisory for front brake pads. Which could of course be swapped in for something a tad more aggressive than stock to really get the most out of mighty Mini. Nobody needs to be reminded what great little track cars these supercharged cars can be for those willing to invest a bit.
There’s that potential, but for those who deem this Mini a bit too nice for a circuit it surely isn’t far from a show car either. The PH listings are nothing if not detailed, so those eager to bid can read about and see blemishes to the wheels, mirror and windscreen. There’s nothing major, put simply; it scrubs up well and could easily look even better still. Or left as is and enjoyed as a rorty and raucous retro hot hatch. It’s perhaps hard to think of Minis like this as classics now, but the first supercharged Cooper S came out 22 years ago. By any metric, they’re getting on a bit, but ageing fantastically.
Bidding on the Mini JCW will kick off tomorrow morning, with the auction running for a week. It’s expected to make between £4,000 and £5,000, which doesn’t seem a great deal given what’s being asked for, say, the very best Clios of the time. There’s no way this era is getting any cheaper, put it that way. Moreover, it’s selling without reserve, so if the bids reach less than the guide price then it sells regardless - whatever the amount. So there could be a real bargain in the offing. But there’s surely going to be far too much interest for that…
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