NEW MINI JCW ACEMAN

No previous Mini has garnered as much attention in our hands as this JCW Aceman. Why it consistently turned (mainly female) heads and triggered kerbside conversations could partly be due to the impactful colour. Interest can certainly be attributed to the Aceman’s fresh body shape and interesting design details. The Cooper Works variant stands out for all the right reasons and is the sportiest version of an all-electric model that slots neatly between Cooper and Countryman lines.

So that you know, the test car’s colour is Chili Red with tasteful black graphics. It enters the ring weighing a substantial 1745kg but will accelerate to 100km/h in 6.4 seconds if you employ the extra urge of eLaunch mode. That time puts it on a par with a GR86 sportscar in a straight-line sprint. Even in default driving mode, power response is instant and there’s enough energy to have the front tyres scrabbling for traction in the damp. On the fly, the red Boost button to the left of the steering wheel boss gives you an extra 20kW and 10Nm for 10 seconds, making it a useful facility when overtaking. Steering is beautifully direct in keeping with the best Mini models and while the ride is jittery at times, it’s more resolved than that of the bouncy Cooper E with JCW treatment.

Like us, many buyers will find the Aceman to be right-sized at 4.08m long, the same length as our invaluable Polo GTI keeper. It’s easy to park in congested streets and great visibility and modest width mean there’s no excuse for kerbing one of the expensive two-tone alloys. Aceman only offers an acceptable 300L of luggage space but fold the rear seats down flat and you get 1000 litres. Yes, this car ought to fit into urban lives very comfortably indeed.

As you’d expect in a new Mini, the driver assistance suite and safety systems are super-comprehensive. That kerb weight cements a feeling of great security. However the tech takes time to learn and is not as intuitive as it ought to be. This could prove a barrier to enjoying the full functionality of the car if buyers don’t set aside the time to get on top of it.

Drivers and front passengers enjoy excellent JCW sports seats with full electric adjustment and massage and memory functions for the driver. Other equipment highlights include a panoramic glass roof, heated JCW steering wheel and harman/kardon sound system.