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This week we test the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman! Join Jon as he goes with us through the storied history of this car, along with its many distinctive design features. Does getting the Countryman mean you actually get a more practical car despite it being a MINI? We get to watch Jon work that boot! But let's not forget, this is a JCW, so just how does it handle the roads? Watch the full video to see Jon grapple with the car's turbo lag!

The Mini Countryman is basically a 5 door hatchback that unlike its namesake is actually popular with urban motoring instead of acutally being used in the countryside. Its tall and largish profile (especially for a Mini) means that it has been embraced as a lifestyle vehicle and as a good vehicle for soccer mums and the sort. But whatever the reason people have for buying the Countryman, they can now buy the Countryman in the uprated John Cooper Works variant. This 2013 model is set for its official preview at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show and it is due to be on sale by fall/winter of this year. This performance variant brings it closer in terms of spirit to the WRC Mini Countryman. Or so I'd like to think. Because if I didn't think so I'd just think that the 2012 Mini Countryman John Cooper Works edition is a tarted up, slightly obese vehicle that thinks that it is a mini-sized vehicle. So like any John Cooper Works (JCW) Mini, it will have all the go-fast bits that you'd expect. Exernally it gets a more aggressive bodykit, JCW badging, sports suspension and larger 18inch alloy wheels. Brakes, exhaust sytem and the 1.6liter engine gets the usual upgrading too. The turbocharged engine now makes 215hp and 280Nm torque with 300Nm available on overboost for short periods of time. Performance figures for the 2013 Countryman JCW are 0-100km/h in 7seconds and a top speed of 225km/h. As it has a reasonably small 1.6liter engine, the Countryman JCW consume 7.2ltr/100km in manual and 8.0ltr/100km in automatic. The Mini Countryman is basically an effort for BMW Mini to bring the Mini concept to those who have families and need the extra space