When we set the Mini JCW hatchback amongst the hot hatch brigade last year it toppled the lot of them like dominos. Now it’s 155kW/260Nm powerplant finds its way into two new shells, the long wheelbase Clubman and the Mini Convertible, forming a three-pronged JCW attack. In each car you get the familiar rorty engine note, turbo urgency and one of the most capable chassis under the sun. Visually they each gain new levels of aggression in JCW trim. Driven back to back on Zwartkops racing circuit the three derivatives offer up buckets of interaction still unmatched by anything this side of a Clio RS, but with that mental boost just a throttle stab away. The Clubman feels more planted, the Convertible a bit looser, but they are equally compliant and each as fun (read lift-off oversteer) as the other on the black stuff.

PRICE | R339 950 (Clubman) R378 850 (Convertible) ENGINE | 1598cc 16v four-cylinder, 155kW @ 6000rpm, 260Nm (280Nm on overboost) @ 1850-5600rpm TRANSMISSION | Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive PERFORMANCE | 6.9sec 0-100kph, 235kph, 7.1ℓ/100km, 169g/km WEIGHT | 1280kg (Clubman) 1305kg (Convertible) ON SALE | Now