NAIAS: Mini debuts Paceman John Cooper Works edition car

DETROIT: BRITISH CAR COMPANY Mini has premiered a John Cooper Works (JCW) edition of its Paceman car at the North American and International Auto Show (NAIAS), an update that features lowered sports suspension and 18in alloy wheels.

Unveiling the car at a press conference in Detroit, Mini board member Harald Krueger said the JCW edition of its popular Paceman car was introduced because Americans are big fans of the Mini brand, adding that the JCW is for "fans looking for even more sportiness".

The JCW Paceman has two doors and a large tailgate with a turbo charged four cylinder engine that delivers 208 horsepower. That translates into approximately zero to 60mph acceleration in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 127mph.

Compared to its earlier variant, the JCW edition of the Paceman has been given a door lock button relocated to the driver's door panel from a previous location in the centre stack. The car also features a dual exhaust system and an optional Chili Red contrasting paint scheme that is only available on the JCW variant.

Giving it a more "sporty" edge, the JCW model has 18in alloy wheels and sports suspension. In terms of economy, the manual version of the JCW is expected to offer 31 miles per gallon (mpg) on the highway, 25mpg in the city and 27mpg combined. The automatic variant is expected to offer 30mpg highway, 23mpg city, and 26mpg combined.

The JCW will be the most expensive version of the Paceman you can buy, priced from $36,200 when it hits dealerships in March. As with most announcements at the US Auto Show in Detroit, there's no mention from Mini as to UK release dates or prices.

Krueger added that Mini sold 300,000 cars worldwide last year, setting a new sales record. It sold 66,000 cars in the United States in 2012, up 15 percent from 2011. µ