As many you have probably seen on the configurator, you can get a new JCW package on the MCS. It includes the body kit along with the challenge spoke rims.

this is my question- can anyone tell me if this has to be ordered on the mini or can it be a dealer option?

 

It can be a dealer option but it will be way more expensive (I also think you get JCW door sills and red stitching on the steering wheel, shift **** and hand brake leather, along with the JCW shift **** which you won't get with the dealer option because I think all they can do is Aerokit + Wheels + Door Sills ($4800))

 

Ughh marketing . The door sills are not a separate part. They are physically part of the JCW side skirt.

 

I don't really care if someone puts the JCW aero kit on an S (although I don't exactly like it either), but the fact that the S's will actually say JCW on them now just because of an "appearance package" makes me a little angry. It's just plain wrong!

 

None of us are trying to be a JCW and if what onefish says is true then even if you got the JCW aero kit on a Justa it would still say JCW, and it's not like the aero kit comes with the exterior badging or ANY of the performance upgrades of the JCW.

I got it not to pretend to be a JCW, I got it because I liked the aesthetics that came with it, body kit, R112 wheels, red stitching on the steering wheel, when talking to my MA about floor mats he said something about getting the JCW floor mats and I said no, give me the Cooper S

I got my MINI to have a fun, sporty daily driver that got great gas mileage, that's where the S works for me.

 

There are days I wish I just had a Cooper S... I loved my old Cooper S (until it decided to leave this world in a blaze of glory...)

The JCW makes me nervous. I hit a racoon last summer and it threw off my alignment and did $500 damage to the bumper. I feel like I am driving this fragile goddess of a car now. I scrutinize the road for even the tiniest potholes!

But... I do love the power.

Incidently... I think when you buy either the aeorokit through the dealership or else the engine tuning kit (in Canada at least) you DO infact get a JCW boot badge for your car. The kits have registration numbers to my knowledge.

 

From what I've read on here, I thought the tuning kit got a badge, but it went on the opposite side? There was something that separated the too I'm pretty sure.


Curious about your blaze of glory.. lol

 

Blaze of glory: 11 months into ownership of my LB/W 09 R56 car burn't to death in a parking lot. Car was parked. I was in the mall. Mysterious...

I think you are right about the badge thing by the way... my front badge was on the bottom grille, (drivers side) then when I had to get my bumper fixed I was badgeless for awhile... (racoon swallowed it?). I ordered another badge and didn't know how to put it on the bottom part, so I put it on the top grille.

Incidently I just removed it yesterday. The red paint on it came off when I washed it... cheap...

 

MINI does not do a good job setting the JCW brand apart from a Cooper or Cooper S. I have no issue with any one putting JCW parts on their car. That is why MINI makes and then sells them. Its adds a little prestige/bling to the car. There is a big difference from having JCW parts and having a factory JCW. Most of the factory JCW goodness lies under the hood anyway.

As for the badges... with the stage 1 tuning kit a JCW badge is placed on the passenger side of the front upper grill. The rear gets a JCW badge on the opposite side of the Cooper S badge.

Get the JCW package. I think it makes the car look great. The factory bumpers look really boring.

 

This is the precise reason I ordered the JCW package. The 2011 refresh is a step in the right direction (IMO) but I still prefer the JCW aero kit. Love those challenge spoke wheels too.

 

The package is an incredible value, considering what they would run before they "packaged" it. I plan on getting it on my order, then getting the JCW tuning kit - the way they use to do it.