By Malusi Msomi

MINI South Africa has expanded its John Cooper Works line-up with the introduction of the limited-edition Daredevil Edition, bringing exclusive styling and performance enhancements to five models across both petrol and electric powertrains.

Just 44 units will be available locally, with the range comprising the John Cooper Works Hatch, John Cooper Works Convertible, John Cooper Works Countryman, John Cooper Works Electric, and the John Cooper Works Aceman.

The Daredevil Edition is finished exclusively in Midnight Black with red exterior accents, unique JCW mirror caps, and model-specific styling upgrades designed to distinguish it from the standard range.

One of the biggest highlights is the South African debut of the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible, which is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 170kW and 380Nm. The front-wheel-drive convertible completes the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.4 seconds and has a claimed top speed of 245km/h.

The familiar John Cooper Works Hatch continues with the same 170kW and 380Nm output, while the larger John Cooper Works Countryman delivers 233kW and 400Nm through an all-wheel-drive system, making it the most powerful petrol model in the line-up.

MINI has also expanded its electric performance offering. Both the John Cooper Works Electric and John Cooper Works Aceman produce 190kW and 350Nm, with claimed driving ranges of up to 400km and 380km respectively. Both models support DC fast charging of up to 95kW, allowing a 10% to 80% recharge in around 30 minutes.

The limited-edition range arrives in South Africa during July and is priced as follows:

MINI John Cooper Works Electric – R994,200 (8 units)

MINI John Cooper Works Aceman – R1,098,700 (8 units)

MINI John Cooper Works Convertible – R976,309.80 (8 units)

MINI John Cooper Works Hatch – R907,074 (10 units)

MINI John Cooper Works Countryman – R1,126,267.80 (10 units)