Mini loyalists know exactly what to expect. If they want a little car with lots of personality that’s more fun at neighborhood speeds than most cars, they can get a regular Mini Cooper. If they want one that accelerates like a sports car and growls like a panther, they spring for the John Cooper Works version.
Now that the Cooper is going electric, we thought those expectations would hold. So, the all-electric 2025 Mini Cooper SE JCW edition is baffling. It won’t outrun the ordinary Cooper SE.
Both use the same single motor mounted on the front axle, making the same 218 horsepower. There are no suspension or steering upgrades for the JCW model, either. It does feature a driving mode Mini calls “GO-KART,” which sets interior lighting to “anthracite rad. In addition to the special GO-KART sound, the optimized throttle response of the accelerator pedal in this mode enhances the sporty driving experience.”
But the same mode is available in every 2025 Mini Cooper SE, JCW or otherwise.
Instead, Mini says, the JCW package exists “to give your Mini a particularly sporty look.”
Checkered Flag Theme
That, it does. JCW versions get an exclusive color combination featuring a red roof, red mirror caps, and a checkered stripe. The traditional JCW checkered flag logo sits on the faux grille. It rides on model-specific 18-inch wheels and gets red-painted brake calipers.
The grille surround and logo are finished in high-gloss black.
What Mini calls “striking diffusers at the front and rear” also set it apart, but it’s not clear they change the airflow enough to make a measurable difference in performance.
Inside, “The JCW seats combine synthetic leather with red stitching and multi-colored knitted material in the shoulder section,” Mini says.
It’s an attractive package, but without the horsepower upgrade Mini fans associate with the JCW name, we’re not sure how many buyers will take the company up on it. Mini hasn’t released pricing details.
