DRIVEN: F56 MINI JCW Automatic - Maximum Fun, Or Maximum Gimmick?
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- Опубликовано: 6 окт 2021
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In this video, I finally get to drive the F56 third generation BMW MINI JCW - and see if it can deliver the fun of its forebears, in a more grown-up package.
#MINI #JCW #F56
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Thank you for posting a Mini review! I had been meaning to figure out a way to message you asking if you could make content on Mini’s. Also I was going to ask your feedback on possibly a Mini for yourself. I can’t recall which video you were talking about getting another car for yourself. ( I am sure you are often talking about “the next car” )
Keep up the excellent work over there, cheers!
I’ve got the standard (5 door) Cooper 3 cylinder turbo. Which I had remapped by superchips to just short of 200bhp. It’s a bit soft when you push it and the brakes need better grab but it’s an absolute hoot (manual box) and cost me 8k with just 20k miles on it!! Best first car for a petrolhead?!? (I’m 44 though, but that’s what I think)
Is the MX5 much more fun than the Mini?
Can’t wait for this to show up on the used market in a few years as ‘Great example never been ragged’
One careful owner
I've gotta say... Your narrative writing skills have really moved up several levels this last few episodes. They are are right up there with the better automotive culture journalists... I really mean that, it's Chris Harris level of story telling, even if the execution isn't as refined (which why would it be?) as yet, while painting pictures of regular people's relationships, with regular people's machines.
Seriously, the individual tales of the individual cars, would make for a great coffee table book... Just as they are. It's a rare skill, especially in the RUclips video world of tire smoke and glamourous dream machines. It's why I enjoy your work so much.
That opening sequence, about how the spec was chosen and what the owner uses it for, was a proper wordsmith's demonstration.
Very kind words, thankyou
We’ll said, I’d have to agree. He deserves to be much further up the automotive journalism ladder than he is but I think his honesty UNFORTUNATELY holds him back
@@williamhackett5713 Probably, although I like to think it just means I'll be around longer
Yea I agree man. I hate this car, but I watched the video because I love his commentary. What a cool dude
@@JayEmmOnCars Top gear ? 🤪
Literally bought my very first Mini 3 weeks ago - went straight in for a GP3 - absolutely love it 😊
The Turbo generations R56 and F56 are quick cars but the first gen R53’s definitely have the most character, especially that supercharger whine.
I’m with you - The first generation cars are brilliant. I have just a regular first gen cooper and its great.
Awesome cars, I’ve had a checkmate for a few years now and although it’s extremely uncomfortable, it’s absolutely brilliant fun to drive
@@apachehelicopter5001 Are you still running runflats?
@@MrManBuzz I am, I recently bought four new Michelin RF’s. Without a spare wheel I deemed it necessary.
@@adogmcdizzle You really shouldn't bother, I just threw a can of tyreweld on one side of the compartment in the boot and a cigarette lighter inflator in the other. Ditching the run flats is one of the best first mods you can do to these cars.
I’ve got a 2017 cooper S manual,it’s a great gearbox the best I’ve had in any car and I’ve had a lot of sporty manual cars was really surprised.Handling is great and it goes really well can’t complain really.
I bought an F56 JCW just under a year ago. It was 5 months old ex demonstrator and around £8k less than a brand new one of the same spec. It has also now increased in value by around £2k in the time I’ve had it. I’d never owned a mini previously but fancied owning one for quite some time. Never thought I’d go for an auto in a Mini but after test driving one It changed my mind. I love every time I get to drive the car, it’s just so much fun though during my ownership I have been mainly working from home. I also only live about 20 mins drive from my place of work which includes a nice B Road. I do feel that if I was working 5 days a week and on a longer commute then I may find the firm ride and road noise annoying however . . . As we use my wife’s car as the family car (happens to be a new Countryman) and mine is driven for the occasional commute and mainly pleasure , it absolutely does what I want it to do 😊
I'm thinking about replacing my R53 with one of these. These were around £25K brand new 4 years ago. If you want a used 2019 model today in 2023 it'll cost you... £25K. I've convinced myself to keep my cash, second hand car market is just screwed!!!
Quality content like this is why I haven’t bothered doing a review of my JCW (now sold, 1 year old, 8k miles, for not much less than I paid for it, crazy times). Good stuff James.
A couple good sets of pads I’ve always had a good time with were EBC Yellowstuff or Mintex M1144 worth a try, don’t break the bank and long lasting too!
"I am down with the kids" - makes reference to a 14 year old meme.
Nice video. I’ve owned a 2006 S convertible, 2012 S hardtop, and a 2014 S countryman. Always been a fan of these cars. Great fun.
Pagid pads are what you want. They do offer different compounds.
I wouldn't recommend ECB I've only been disappointed when using them in the past.
I had a 2016 Mini JCW manual in that exact colour scheme with the Pro tuned kit with Pro exhaust and carbon scoop surround which I bought at 3 years old with 50k miles on it after the guy who owned it commuted weekly from Glasgow to London it was an awesome car which I had for 4 years but I moved with the times and bought a Jaguar i-Pace. It really is an awesome car which I felt in my late 50's I felt I had grown out of it.
I have a 2018 LCI F56 (Same as this just 18 plate) but mine is one of the few without the PPF exhausts, so mine pops and bangs a fair amount as stock! Mines also manual which I think suits this car much better. Can’t beat going down a twisty B road in it!
I can feel how sorted that chassis is through my phone watching it go through those bends at speed
Fun little car. Nice video. Really good pacing. Keep up the good work.
Good review
Cool end sequence too, good energy
You need to go for Ferodo DS1.1 pads, DBA 2pc rotors, Goodridge SS brake lines and SRF fluid. I am tracking mine on the Ring regularly and never never came short of braking performance
"The Mini's grown up but it still plays in a band". Great line, I'm using that. 😎😎
This JCW has an OPF/GPF/PPF hence being somewhat muted. My 67 plate auto JCW is the last of the pre-LCI cars and doesn’t have one - so it snarls between shifts and pops/crackles in sport mode. I’ve also fitted a JCW Pro exhaust so it is even more vocal with the valve open - love every minute of it.
Backbox completely separated from the centre section on my R50 Cooper - Sounded incredible - better than many a new sports car I would care to name.
Ehhh, I have an R53 so exhaust note wise they're pretty much identical minus the pops and bangs. The Tritec engine is pretty fart canny, and that's coming from someone with a pretty loud exhaust on mine.
Very Good & thxs.. Those roads look great.. where were you?
The shirt as 1950s wallpaper. Lovely.
Thanks J!
I have owned pretty much all the new generation mini jcws. Currently.have a mulgari icon 2 f56 in blue and silver. Previously had a R58 and R59 jcw and a pre-LCI clubman. Absolutely loved the R58, proper gocsrt feel, help the corners and was rapid with a remap, really regret selling it. Hated the clubman and kept it 8 months, just too big and felt too slow, then the 306hp variant came out. Love my f56, it's an auto box but still great to drive. Hanckering after another r58 jcw alongside it though
I swear by Pagid Yellow. Very consistent throughout temp range, they even work alright on a cold morning.
I’ve used Mintex 1155 on my fast road/occasional trackday Subaru. Knockhill is unforgiving on brakes as they really don’t get time to cool down. Only downside with the 1155’s is they eat a set of discs in 10-15k miles. No only changing discs every second set of pads here, but they are a fraction of the cost of the DS2500s
Glad to see a JCW on the channel - Just sold my F56 LCI - it was my daily for 12,000 miles and I loved it. The torque steer could’ve been the 280bhp in this particular car (I confess to not being an expert) as I can’t recall experiencing it with the standard 230bhp (228bhp and 230ps 🤷🏻♂️) in mine.
As for the marketing stuff - they actually haven’t gotten rid of that go kart feel screen - it’s been turned off in that car’s settings, you can turn it back on you’ll be thrilled to know 😂
Agree on the torque steer, mine has almost none also, so must be the tyre/suspension/power combo that's causing it
b48 with upgraded pistons and rods would all be worth the extra cost if you are looking at new vs new. take a gp3 b48 motor and its capable of 400-500whp
Had a 2015 cooper s f55 with 7k in options that previous owner specced ,great little car ,found gearbox a bit stiff and the runflats ruined the ride but overall a cracking motor
As someone who dailys a manual one of these I can confirm for the daily they are amazing, I do have a 2018 though so I get pop n bangs lol
I wonder how many percent of your viewers got that crysis reference. Ah well, it got a chuckle out of me at least.
The modern Bmw minis can be quite fast on momentum tracks, courtesy of their somewhat low weight I would think. Saw a couple that looked similar to this one doing very resoectable times on nurburgring while I was there a few years ago.
I have f56 jcw, great car but replacing the standard runflat tyres is a must. I put v105 on it, night and day.
100% agree them Pirelli runflats are useless. I bought a set of Michelin PS4s for mine. Apart from the upgrade in tyres my car is completely stock, and they transformed the car.
The Missus bought a new one in March, specced 17s because it came with PZero non-runflats instead of Cinturatos on the 18s.
The "brace" on the GP3 isn't there for show, its to stop large things you're carrying in the back from whacking into the back of the seats
I'm going to disagree with you I bought a 2005 supercharged R53 mini cooper s 3 years ago as my daily run around. It's got 107k on the clock and all I have spent on it in those 3 years is £300 for a new alternator it's a go kart and corners easily as well as my 997 Carrera S. So whilst the interior is a bit plastic for the price I paid for it, less than £2000 it's probably the best car for the price I have ever had, it's in almost mint condition and people who don't know cars think I must have paid about £10k for it at least. Nothing about it is falling apart.
I drove a 2016 Cooper-S a few months ago around some country lanes, the brakes on that were crap too!
Please provide suggestions to improve front and rear suspensions on American version 2014 Mini Cooper Roadster Turbo to get a quieter.smoother ride.
Ordered a new one of these to add to the collection. I have a modded R53 first generation Cooper S, looking forward to driving them back to back.
Add to the finance
I'm not sure why people are moaning about the manual available in these. I quite like it, snickety and feels like you're changing gear rather than fishing a teabag out of your morning brew.
Glad you like it! It would be interesting to see a back to back with a standard JCW
That’s the OPF/PPF model and it’s very muted, you’re right!
NICE FREAKING CAR wow....awesome upgrades to that thing...50k setup prolly
Mintex Racing always have my vote. Good variety, M1144 or M1155 would probably be best for a road legal track car
Ebc blue stiff try them works amazing
Owning an R50 Cooper, I understand completely when you say the 1st gen wasn't built too well. Regardless, I still love it to death.
My brother had an old cooper s that had a supercharger
That was sweet
*notes number plate to avoid "super low mileage advert"*
akebono brakes are the
Anser for what you are
Looking for, the pads have
No dust and very good padel
Feel it's a japanese company and there Breaks are on the mclaren P1.
I had a real Cooper a very long time ago, when I could still see and hear. I have driven the new latest Cooper and all the magic has gone. The new minis are almost in the category of "white goods".
Ebc make great pads despite issues in the past
+1 for ebc
Big fan Sir !!
nice review as always, unmodified with normal springs seem to be extremely well suited to the road
Certainly not UK roads. Very crashy ride.
@@neil5242 My wife's on regular springs works rather well, which version do you have or that you have tried?
@@kazino21 I had the standard (non-adaptive) suspension.
They are stiff but the suspension is very much built to a cost and struggle on UK roads (shit quality surfaces) and with runflats the ride is unforgivable
I drove a r56 with some ohlins on and my god it transformed it
@@jameshogg601 nice, would love to have a go in one to feel the difference
I have the 2019 highly speced JCW auto and absolutely love it, the only thing I don't like now and again is the feeling of having just a mini, an example is I dragged my luggage to the mini at the Southampton cruise terminal yesterday where most other people had big 4X4s or other big flashy cars, I was a little embarrassed to be seen shoe horning our luggage into it but once on the road all that was behind me as were those big boring cars.
Surely it's infinitely better than stuffing your luggage in a Quashqai or a Juke?
@@tinomts Fair point.
Would you recommend spending the extra to get one of these mini jcw’s over the Ford Focus st mk 3?
Thinking of doing similar mods to the mini as this car, apart from removing the rear seats
I will be daily driving the car, and also want something to put a smile on my face around B roads!
Also as long as the world doesn’t go mad again hopefully get across to the ring next year
They are both 2 very different cars, but the Focus will most likely be a nicer daily, but just won't have the fun of the MINI. I daily a JCW and it's so good to drive but the firm suspension and louder road noise might make it less appealing to some people
@@l3linkTreel3enster cheers for the reply mate I’m looking for more of the fun factor, I can put up with it for a year or 2!
Leaning towards the mini myself!
If your near East Sussex come and try my stage 2 f56 jcw will be surprised
Should get some Dynomat lightweight soundproofing (if they still sell it?) It's literally a roll of sticky backed soundproofing that the car stereo crowd used to use back in the 90s to reduce vibrations and increase stereo volume.
Kinda defeats the point of the weight reduction though
@@JayEmmOnCars I was referring to the owners issues after removing the rear seats. The stuff I'm talking about is similar to what you see in the boots of cars from the factory (that's usually been sprayed over at the factory) about a cm or two thick. You only use little bits (maybe the size of a A4 sheet of paper) to stop the resonance of the panel and it's super light.
Ok, but what about this vs something like a hyundai i30n.
If I had to choose a hot hatch it would need to be on the smaller end like a Fiesta ST or a Swift Sport, so the Mini JCW should fit- however it just does absolutely nothing for me 😕
I'm the opposite, the fiesta st does nothing for me! I have a 2016 cooper s and think the quality and tech is a good step up from the ford
@@bencritchley2005 different strokes for different folks I guess!
@@bencritchley2005 on the driving front the ford is so much more engaging.
My partner has had two of these.
A 17 plate Manual that was a fully optioned demo, including the JCW Pro Exhaust, which was hilariously ASBO. But it got nicked 3 months into ownership, after a couple of cars between, she got a brand new one for a decent PCP deal in March, another JCW, this time an Auto on the 17s.
The new car is a million times better, the manual gearbox in these is very crap and the ride, handling and NVH on the 18s with the factory fit run flat cinturatos was awful.
One thing of note, I've seen a lot of reviewers moaning about the box on both the GP3 and the M135i being slow, but it seems to be great in hers, both up and down the box.
Even managed 53mpg on a trip to Caffeine and Machine a few weeks back.
Needs a DCT.
Can't wait for the 987.2 Cayman review!
MINI's suffer badly from crap owners. My R56S (N14) has 200,000km with zero issues. GF's R56D has 510,000km with zero issues and is still on the original clutch! Maintain them properly and they're a great car, neglect them and they go pop. I wish all my cars had MINI build quality.
Yes they're road noisy and yes they walk around on the road. Mine is like an excited puppy going for a walk. Great fun thing.
True but more reliable cars can have crap owners and won’t break as often.
@@Cornwall1888 Yes but who would want to drive a Camry?
@@CathodeRayNipplez If you had a Camry in the UK then amusingly would be quite a rare car.
@@adogmcdizzle Lucky you! What is the most common UK car 'driven' by those who really should catch the bus?
@@CathodeRayNipplez A Vauxhall Agila probably…
Heavy on the Gimmick, and lean no fat low sugar on the improvements.....
MINI is the only new 2 door hot hatch available here in Au. Has no competition.
the GR is 2 door and new and better
@@mathewsinger4214 Where can you buy a new GR in Au?
@@mathewsinger4214 AU also received a shipment of the 3dr Audi S1's (very close to the original Audi S1 Quattro 3-dr). Plus going for a song these days.
@@Mexxx65 All the new S1's I'm seeing online are 5 door... Where do I find this 3dr variant? When did they come in?
I liked Minis better when they actually were miniature. Oh well. Nice shirt, this one.
Is the auto in minis a dual clutch or torque converter?
Torque converter here I believe
Torque Converter in the JCW and a DCT in everything else (post facelift). Reason why it's a torque converter in the JCW is because the DCT can't handle the extra torque the JCW puts out, as well as being able to tune the gearbox to the engine.
Is this the face-lift? Think it has a DCT if it is
DCT is on the Cooper S.
The JCW has never had it as the DCT can’t handle the JCW torque.
@@biosbank1 oh that's interesting to know! Thanks
What if you came to the US and started a British B roads in America project. Build us a network of B roads. Pls. I beg you.
We have 2 F56 MINIs in the family- I like them, but they do have some unexpected problems:
- my biggest complaint is the manual gear box; I hate automatic... but this manual is very weird mostly because the gears are WAY too long- and because of that the revs don't match at all when you shift UP.. you have to wait more than a second with the stick in neutral for the revs to come to the level of the next gear... and I really don't know why the gears are that big- besides on a motorway I only really need the first 3 gears and I have 6 of them... 2nd gear goes to over 90kmh..
- the second really unexpected drawback is the steering- turning the wheel feels very mushy and it also changes when the car heats up, it is surprisingly hard to drive in a straight line...
- an then there was this huge, mostly silent recall for many MINIs that had bad bearing shells- on my previously owned example it was so bad they had to change the entire engine... and after that the clutch was way heavier- so I expect there was another weak part from new..
I’ve been contemplating a Jcw with the manual and the issue you describe is rev hang. A lot of new manual cars have it instead of doing a hard fuel cut. Apparently it’s better for emissions. Could probably get it tuned out but I’m not 100% sure on this car
GP1 is where its at... build quality is excellent snd the sound is great as others have said. My mum (!) Has had one from new and it always brings a smile when i drive it. Supercharged all the way for me, but then i had an XKR so a little biased😁
I know someone whose grandma used this as a daily driver
She's the grandmother I always wished I had lmao.
Just FYI that IS a dual clutch.
R56 gang
Pagid rsl pads
Prefer the JCW in manual and if BMW had design the gearbox with straight cut gears then you have gotten better performance like the classic mini.
Incredibly loud car...
*laughs in kit car*
Rattles don't count lol
👍👍👍👍👍👍
I like Mini however I never have decided to buy one. My Father had two Austin Mini's back in the 1970s and one rusted through and the other caught on fire.
These are BMW. Comparing an Austin Mini to a modern one is like comparing a Skoda to a Peugeot.
Apples and oranges
Silliest comment of the day
Awesome review but your on the wrong side of the road :) lol
You’re comparing a mini to a Porsche !😮
Cars 2 years old and the Engine lights on 😳
That’s standard..it goes off as soon as the car starts.
@@biosbank1 Yeah I was under the impression the car was actually being driven at the time. I could be wrong though. Just checked and not driving so yeah thats normal 😅
After the R56 the mini just got fat
Who was that skipped lol
R53 any day over this.
i sweep brake pads my dude
Owned one for 2 years. Nice car but crashy ride.
I didn’t know it was even legal for track rat cars to be automatics
Have you watched any F1 lately?
@@roninsc entirely different ballgame
@@Fee.1 auto trans are in real race cars…
@@roninsc you understand racing and tracking are different activities yes?
@@Fee.1 I understand that auto trans today out perform manuals.
My dad has a 2008 R53 suoercharged Auto. Shame it’s auto
I hate the retro feel it s typical mini it s always trying to hard but he always ends up saying he likes them alot every generation so far lol drive that in a manual who knows you might even luv it oh by the way mintex pads an drilled rotors from lohen old boy an thank god for minis there still the best bang for your buck the most smiles for miles go minies
Drove a few of these at my old work. Wasn’t very impressed. Found the same that it wonders off and all over the place. Also drove a mk7.5 golf GTI which I’d around the same power and found it so much better
Chav wagon! 🤣🤣
Had a 2016 JCW and now have a mk8 fiesta ST with the Diff and Mountune M235 ! It blows the Mini to Kingdom come and cheaper to run as well!!!
Used to watch this channel but found it so tedious, this video just makes me realise I was correct 🥱
Having just enjoyed the annual Goodwood spank-me-sideways Mini orgy ("Ooh-er, Missus"😲) , I'm not sure many of these overlarge, over-sophisticated BMWs will be screeching round there with similar gusto forty years from now.
So... Each to their own, but to answer the thumbnail question: 'maximum gimmick', methinks.
You’ll never be James may mate
Yes, every fridge-shaped car is not aerodynamic 😀
10 year old minis falling apart? Are they basically BMW's? Aren't BMW supposed to be a premium brand with good quality? How can this be?
You can't do a real review on a modified car, changing the springs without doing the struts Is just wrong and will made the ride shit on any car.
There : F56 MINI JCW (maximum fun), automatic (maximum gimmick).
Such a clichéd presenting style, like watching an old rerun of top gear