01/06/2025

theSunday Special XIV ON SUNDAY JUNE 1, 2025

tion, and everything looked good on paper. But how did it perform on track? Well, let’s just say we were shaking and filled with adrenaline at the end of the session. We threw the car into tight corners at high speeds, and though we felt like we were going to go out of control and slide off the track, the car pulled us back as if it was not done with us yet. Power is nothing without proper han dling, and if you were to crash this car, well, we would say that something is wrong with you and not the car. The handling is exceptional and can get you out of tricky situations. The car just wanted more and more with every turn, and we just kept giving it what it wanted. However, there is only so much that the car can do; it also depends on how fast you can steer the car out of the corners, and that plays a major role in corner hunting. As Uncle Ben said to Peter Parker in Spider-Man , “With great power comes great responsibility.” I would have never thought that a Mini would be this fun, but this JCW variant has proved me wrong. COMFORTABLE GO-KART We know how powerful go-karts can be and how comfortable a car is, so why not combine the best of both worlds? Inside, the cabin merges motorsport-inspired design with technological sophistication. A consistent black and red colour scheme dominates, from the dashboard’s knitted surface to the JCW-specific sport seats, finished in synthetic leather with multicoloured fabric accents and red stitch ing.

This writer has a big build, so if I say this is a comfortable car to sit in, take my word for it. Everything is positioned perfectly to give you that comfort and go-kart feeling. And honestly, there is more than enough space at the rear, even with my seating position. At the centre of the dashboard is a 9.4 inch high-resolution Oled display – the Mini Interaction Unit – which doubles as both instrument cluster and infotainment system. Yes, it does come with wireless Apple CarPlay and charging. The speakers are Harman Kardon, and they deliver excep tional sound, which pumped us up even more for the track driving session. MINI CAR WITH BIG PRICE TAG Well, nice things are not always cheap, especially if it has the brand “Mini” on them. With everything that the car offers, we would say that this is an acceptable price if you have deep pockets. So if you want a go-kart that you can use as a daily car, the Mini JCW is priced at RM318,888, and an add-on extended war ranty and service package will cost you another RM12,100. SPECIFICATIONS Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol Power: 231hp Torque: 380Nm Transmission: 7-speed automatic Price (as tested): RM318,888 We like: Design, power and handling. We don’t like: No proper physical controls/buttons.

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Motorsport-inspired design with a 9.4-inch high-resolution OLED display.

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Comfortable rear seats.

Small track with tight corners.

Gear selector.

Tackling tight corners at high speeds.