Individual style and performance reloaded: The MINI John Cooper Works and the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible.

Munich. In the race for maximum driving pleasure in the premium segment of small cars, the places in the front row of the grid will continue to be firmly assigned. With fresh design accents and numerous new equipment features, the MINI John Cooper Works and the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible to substantiate the claim to a leading position in this vehicle class even when stationary. The British brand's new, reduced design language expresses the character of the two top athletes more clearly than ever before.

In addition to the round LED headlights, the clear and purist design also emphasises the now larger hexagonal radiator grille, which, together with the large side openings, ensures the air supply for the drive and brake system. Another eye-catching feature is the bumper strip, which is now painted in body colour - for example in the new Zesty Yellow variant offered exclusively for the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible. There are also modified side scuttles on the front side panels and the particularly striking diffuser in the rear apron of both models, which has also been redesigned.

Fascination for individual style is joined by unbridled enthusiasm right from the first lap. Right from the start, this is ensured above all by the spontaneous power delivery of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology, which is located under the front bonnets of both models and mobilises a maximum output of 170 kW/231 hp and a maximum torque of 320 Nm. It accelerates the MINI John Cooper Works from zero to 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds with the standard 6-speed manual transmission and even in just 6.1 seconds with the optional 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission. The MINI John Cooper Works Convertible is close on its heels. Its figures for the standard sprint are 6.6 and 6.5 seconds respectively. Those who press less vehemently on the accelerator can enjoy open-top driving pleasure after just a few metres. The electrically powered textile soft top of the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible - also available as an option as the MINI Yours soft top with woven-in Union Jack graphics - can also be opened while driving at speeds of up to 30 km/h at the touch of a button and within 18 seconds. In addition to the airstream, the characteristic sound from the two 85-millimetre stainless steel tailpipes of the sports exhaust system flows unfiltered into the interior of the open-top four-seater.

No matter whether open or closed: The model-specific chassis technology, which, like the engine, was developed and tuned with the many years of racing expertise of John Cooper Works, ensures extreme driving pleasure, especially when cornering at speed. A sporty suspension set-up is just as much part of the standard equipment of both models as the sports brake system developed in cooperation with the specialist manufacturer Brembo and the 17-inch John Cooper Works light alloy wheels. The four-piston fixed caliper brakes with internally ventilated discs on the front wheels and red brake callipers bearing the John Cooper Works logo enable powerful and precisely dosed deceleration when braking. For further optimised road contact during high lateral acceleration, 18-inch light-alloy wheels are also available as an option, including the new John Cooper Works Circuit Spoke 2-tone design.

One of the characteristic features of the John Cooper Works models is the combination of challenging performance and unrestricted suitability for everyday use. The latest version of the optionally available Adaptive Suspension provides an optimised balance between sportiness and ride comfort. It features a new frequency-selective damper technology that operates with an additional valve acting on the traction side. Within 50 to 100 milliseconds, pressure peaks within the damper are smoothed out. This leads to a particularly confident compensation of slight unevenness in the road surface. At the same time, the maximum damping force of the Adaptive Suspension is up to ten percent higher than before, so that steering precision and agility in bends are increased even further.

For tailor-made driving pleasure in everyday life and on long journeys, the new equipment packages in the areas of comfort, connectivity and driver assistance can also be provided. These include new options such as heated steering wheel, lane departure warning in the Driving Assistant and the Stop & Go function for Active Cruise Control.

The newly designed central instrument cluster with an 8.8-inch touch display in black panel design and integrated audio and favourite buttons comes as standard. The likewise new operating system facilitates intuitive control of vehicle functions, audio programme, navigation, communication and apps. Live widgets are now available for this purpose, which can be selected by means of a swiping motion on the touch display. In addition to the modern graphic display, the operating system also offers new possibilities for individualisation. Two different colour schemes are available for the displays on the central instrument and on the optionally available multifunctional instrument display on the steering column. In "Lounge" mode, the display surfaces appear in relaxing shades of blue and turquoise. Switching to "Sport" mode causes the screen backgrounds to glow in red and anthracite. If desired, the colour worlds of the displays can be linked to the standard MINI Driving Modes.

The fresh touches in the areas of controls and colouring blend harmoniously with the racing-inspired design of the cockpit of both models. John Cooper Works sports seats with integrated headrests, a Nappa sports leather steering wheel with newly designed multifunction buttons, grey contrast stitching and a John Cooper Works logo on the centre spoke, an anthracite-coloured roof lining, a stainless steel pedal gallery and a model-specific gearshift or gear selector lever create a genuine sports car flair in the interior. The John Cooper Works Trim, which is offered as an alternative to the standard equipment, provides a targeted increase in charisma and driving pleasure. This option includes exterior and interior surfaces in Piano Black high gloss, Dinamica/leather upholstery in Carbon Black for the John Cooper Works sports seats and a particularly high-quality exterior paint finish. In addition, the Adaptive Suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels are part of the John Cooper Works trim for the two top sports cars.