Ok, by now you’ve probably got the idea that the JCW’s is a track wizard, but what’s it like to live with? Well, it’s really just like any other Mini, huge fun, only with an additional big dollop of excitement.

Even the car’s signature tune is a sound of wonderment because of the well designed JCW exhaust system. Downshift hard or accelerate to change-up speeds and you’ll be rewarded with glorious blip blips from the fat twin tailpipes.

It’s hard to resist driving the JCW swiftly, although heavy footing the happy pedal will cost you at the pumps! Driven wisely, all Mini’s return good mileage figures to their owners, but how does it go, you have to pay to play!

Mind you, having said that, there can’t be too many vehicles on the road which can deliver an adrenaline rush like the JCW can without being a tad on the thirsty side. In fact, I’ve driven a lot of high-powered V6-V8 sports cars which can’t match the excitement of the Mini JCW.

The interior is pretty much Cooper S, although you do get a few tell-tale trim pieces. The same could be said for the exterior because the JCW only differs to the S in its slightly de-designed front spoiler, decals, painted wheel arches, and of course, those two fat tailpipes!

This is probably a good thing because if everyone could recognize a JCW at a glance, you’d probably have a police cruiser shadowing you everywhere you went.

Now we come to price, and I’m afraid that I’m going to have to repeat something which I have already said, “You have to pay to play”. The JCW starts out at $38,390, and my tester, with a few options managed to reach $42,020.

That might sound like a huge pile of folding stuff for a vehicle which can easily fit in your garage, along with all the kids’ bikes and the lawnmower. However, this is a serious piece of kit. Yes, it might look a little like an ordinary Mini Cooper, but trust me, the JCW is anything but. This car is a guilty secret. It’s like the girl that your mum warned you about as a kid, it could get you into trouble!

Then again, so could a lot of things!

As I’ve said before, I’ve always loved the Mini, and now, I’m passionately in love with the JCW. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gone to pop in Marc’s CD and enjoy his 70’s hit, I love to Boogie!

Note: Marc Bolan, who has often been credited with starting the whole Glam-rock era, died on the night of September 16, 1977, after an evening meal with his girlfriend, Gloria Jones. She was behind the wheel of Marc’s Mini when shortly after 4am the vehicle left the road as it crossed a hump-back bridge and collided with a large Sycamore tree. Marc’s side of the vehicle took the full impact and he died instantly. Among the mourners at his funeral were Rod Stewart, Elton John and David Bowie, and flowers and wreaths were sent from Keith Moon, Gary Glitter and Cliff Richard. The world lost a true rock icon that night and several famous musicians have since declared him to have been a major influence in their careers.