New MINI John Cooper Works Countryman

MINI has revealed a new John Cooper Works (JCW) version of its Countryman. The car is the first JCW car to have four-wheel-drive. Powered by a newly developed 1.6-litre 160kW turbocharged petrol engine, the car will be formally unveiled at next week's Geneva Motor Show.

The car also features a new six-speed automatic transmission. Standard features include an advanced aerodynamic kit, lowered sport suspension, 18-inch light alloy wheels, sports stripes and other JCW design features.

The engine reaches its maximum output of 160kW at 6,100 rpm and generates peak torque of 280Nm from 2,000 rpm. An Overboost function briefly pushes this up to 300Nm.

The Countryman accelerates from 0-100km/h in 7.0 seconds with either the manual or automatic transmission. The MINI JCW Countryman is the most powerful MINI production model ever made.

The JCW Countryman will cost around $60,000 when it goes on sale in Australia towards the end of the eyar.