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Mini has just announced that it will be bringing a new John Cooper Works model to the Geneva Motor Show in March 2012, this time the JCW badge will adorn the back of the Countryman.
In these official images you can see a prototype undergoing final evaluation in Austria before it has its big day next year. Mini is remaining tight lipped about exact details regarding engine power but speculation is that it will receive a significant power boost over the Countryman S, with power jumping from 135kW up to around 165.
There’s no word on how much torque to expect, or how fast it will be, but thanks to this rather large power increase, we expect it will probably be able to do 0-100km/h in around seven seconds.
On the suspension side of things, it will use sport suspension derived from the Countryman S and should sit around ten millimetres lower than the S. The diameter of the front anti-roll bar has also been increased up to 23mm, while the rear is up to 17.
JCW has also upgraded the rear brakes, with the disc’s diameter increasing from 280mm to 296mm.
The prototype is wearing minimal camouflage and it is clear to see that it receives the same muscular treatment as other JCW models, including a new grille, bumpers, dual exhausts and a diffuser.
The Countryman JCW should go into production soon after its debut in Geneva and will be produced in Graz, Austria. You can expect it to hit European showrooms by the middle of next year, so we should see it in SA before the end of 2012.
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