“Confident driving on unknown roads”. This message popped into the Mini JCW Aceman’s head-up-display during my test.
It’s nearly beautiful, almost like a haiku or sonnet. At the time I was left wondering whether the Mini was giving me a compliment or being a bit pass agg. Perhaps it’s a sort of polite Britishness coming from its Oxford routes, or it’s got a bit lost in translation from where it’s built, a mere 5000 miles east of Cowley in Zhangjiagang, China.
Mini loves a pack. You’ll need to spring for at least Level 1 to get heated seats and a head-up display. Murray ScullionDigital editor
Either way, it seems oddly polite for such a little tearaway. The JCW Mini Aceman utilises the same powertrain as the Mini JCW Electric.
Which means a single-motor, FWD and 255bhp. 0-62mph is dealt with in 6.4 secs, making it around half a second slower than the aforementioned Mini, but nearly a second quicker than the next quickest Aceman.
Painted brake calipers, red, white and black (like a chequered flag) JCW logos, gloss black side skirts, diffusers, 19-inch wheels and a rear spoiler are tell-tale signs this is a JCW product.
But then again, you can make a regular Mini Aceman look like this too with a JCW styling pack.
Telling a Mini with a JCW styling pack and a proper Mini JCW is very hard.Murray ScullionDigital editor
Inside, save for the sports seats and red and black detailing it’s very similar to the regular Aceman.
You still sit high up and you still get a captain’s chair (very upright with a large, firm armrest). Its 24cm circular infotainment screen is bright, clear, easy to use and has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. But it houses nearly everything, including the heating controls.
It's a lot more design-led and fun than with many of its rivals.Murray ScullionDigital editor
A Smart #1 with a motor on each axle does 0-62mph in under four seconds. But it’s just a bit like, so what? You’d do it once then never bother again because it isn’t actually that rewarding to drive. Whereas the Aceman is a proper bit of kit.
New for JCW is a boost function. It’s a fun little padel on the left-hand side of the steering wheel. You need to be in John Cooper Works mode (née Go-Kart mode) and it unleashes an additional 27bhp for 10 seconds.
For actual fun I’d choose a rambunctious front-wheel drive Mini over a four-wheel-drive twin-motor something-or-other any time. Murray ScullionDigital editor
This is the only way to deploy the car’s full 255bhp. You get a fun little countdown clock and I did notice a bit more oomph when using it, especially from low speeds. Confusingly you can just spam the rocker switch and get the countdown forever.
So I think you could utilise the car’s full power all of the time but it would be tiresome doing so. It’s not like it’s slow without it. Speed dulls after 60mph but you certainly wouldn’t wince at overtaking moves at motorway speeds.
Squat, somewhat inelastic, a bit gauche. Its athletic gate is super grippy on the right, smooth roads, but if you find some imperfections that grip is replaced by good old fashioned torque steer.
I actually found this kind of endearing in a kind of #throwwbackthursday kind of way but I wonder if this would grate in actual ownership. The steering just off the straight isn’t too jumpy, inherited from its slower Aceman brethren, meaning it’s good for motorway work. But once you’re past that initial movement and feed in a bit of lock it can become a bit unsteady.
Braking is strong, easy to modulate and consistent. Although the brake pedal can be a bit soft.Murray ScullionDigital editor
Ride? This is perhaps where it gets most interesting. The heavier big battery Aceman actually rides better than the model with the small battery. And this JCW Aceman isn’t actually night and day worse riding than the standard Aceman. Although that perhaps says more about that car’s harsh ride than it does about this car’s.
Both Mini JCW and Aceman JCW get a new suspension setup including more negatively cambered front wheels. It’s very aggressive. Too aggressive in the three-door for my liking.
But in the Aceman, with its longer suspension travel, actually works this setup a bit better. The three-door can be a real challenge to keep on the straight and narrow, such is its hunger for almost actively seeking ruts and bumps and consequently chomping right through them. The Aceman just seems to be less drawn to the crappy bits of roads. And then is less tied-down when entering them.
A 49.2kWh (net) battery and 3.8mpkWh combine for a WLTP range of 214 miles. Max charging is 95kW for DC and 11kW for AC.
Not that impressive at all really. DC charging time from 0-80% is 31 minutes and AC from 0-100% is five hours and 30 minutes. Its rivals offer more range and faster charging.
I averaged just over 3.0mpkWh. On short hops around town it will likely get close to the WLTP.Murray ScullionDigital editor
I had it explained to me that the Mini’s little cryptic message on the head-up display only appears when you’re pushing on. Something to do with the lane-keeping assist and if you ignore it too much when cornering over white lines.
Like me, this Mini is good at ignoring some things. So if I was to return the favour I would write ‘not enough battery, likely only to be useful as a second car’ in its HUD.
A niche choice. Not bad, just niche.Murray ScullionDigital editor
The 200-ish mile range and lack of fast charging (or 22kw charging) is something you can’t ignore. It relegates this SUV to second-car use only, which is a dangerous place to be in for something so tall and family-shaped.
A three-door Mini you can kind of forgive and get your head around as a second, fun car…but an SUV? It’s a stretch.
Which is a shame, as this JCW perhaps makes more sense than the three door. Ultimately the Aceman JCW is probably 75-80% of the fun as the three-door JCW, while also being larger, more practical and about 50% more comfortable in the real-world. But it isn’t quite special enough to be a weekend car.
Murray has been a journalist for more than a decade. During that time he’s written for magazines, newspapers and websites, but he now finds himself as Autocar’s digital editor.
He leads the output of the website and contributes to all other digital aspects, including the social media channels, podcasts and videos. During his time he has reviewed cars ranging from £50 - £500,000, including Austin Allegros and Ferrari 812 Superfasts. He has also interviewed F1 megastars, knows his PCPs from his HPs and has written, researched and experimented with behavioural surplus and driverless technology.
Murray graduated from the University of Derby with a BA in Journalism in 2014 and has previously written for Classic Car Weekly, Modern Classics Magazine, buyacar.co.uk, parkers.co.uk and CAR Magazine, as well as carmagazine.co.uk.
