JCWs can't tow?
 

Motoring File has a piece today about official MINI camping stuff, including a rooftop tent ( dumb ) and a small caravan trailer ( way to go ). However, I was startled by this sentence: For cars like the John Cooper Works top sports models where a trailer coupling is not an option,


Why would a normal Clubbie be able to tow ( as shown in the piece ) but not a JCW Clubman?

I suggest you look at the license plates in the pictures, and the date of the article.

O dear me, you are right. "Never mind".

There are companies though that make those tear drop trailers...

As Heli_guy says there are many a place that make a teardrop trailer that would easily be pulled by a 2nd Gen Mini of any kind.

In fact MINI-FINI brings one to MINI's On The Dragon painted red just like the one in the pictures.

Now as for the JCW not towing a trailer. The reality is that MINI recommends only towing with a Justa (base) not with a S or JCW. Their reasoning for this is that it is unsafe for the engine. But there are a lot of S and I am sure some JCWs that have a trailer hitch on them and have had no problems in the towing department.

Why isn't is safe to tow with an S or JCW? More time spent in boost? What about diesels with turbos or even other turbo cars that tow just fine?

I don't understand why it wouldn't be safe.

I dont understand it either. I dont see why it is but I am just passing on what MINI USA has said.

The reality is that it just gives them another way to deny warranty repairs.

I say tow what you want with in reason that is.

It's pretty widely accepted that one shouldn't tow with a gasoline turbo. The reason is that EGT spikes, and can damage the turbo, burn exhaust valves, all kinds of good stuff. I don't know which manufacturers specify this, but Volkswagen does for their gasoline turbos. Diesel engines are a different story. They run so much cooler, so it's not an issue.

So towing in a S or JCW could effectively keep the exhaust valves cleaner and maybe keep the intake valves form getting gunked up with the heat? :)