Fashion, motorsport and surfing inspire patchwork pair
Mini has signalled its renewed interest in high-performance models with a new pair of stripped-out John Cooper Works concept cars.
Named The Skeg and The Machina, they are based on the electric and petrol Cooper JCW hatchbacks and have been developed with clothing firm Deus ex Machina. They draw on the firm’s histories in fashion and motorsport.
While neither will make production, they are the first cranked up Mini JCW models since the GP went out of production with the last-generation hatch in 2023.
The Skeg draws on surfing culture. It receives new bodywork made from fibreglass – the same material as high-quality surfboards – that is claimed to cut 15% of its 1725kg kerb weight.
New elements also give the Cooper a meaner look, including a front splitter, chunky arch extensions and a large rear spoiler.
Its interior is stripped back to the bare essentials, losing its roof lining and rear seats. The cloth door cards are replaced with singlepiece fibreglass items and the front seats are replaced with a pair of racing-style buckets.
Mini has yet to detail any increases in the car’s power or torque, but the standard electric JCW’s front-mounted motor puts out 255bhp and 258lb ft. That’s enough to get from 0-62mph in 5.9sec, and the reduction in weight yielded by The Skeg’s modifications (to around 1470kg) should bring a significant improvement on this time.
The Machina, meanwhile, is inspired by Mini’s racing heritage. The light pod mounted on the bonnet references the brand’s storied past in rallying, for example, while the rear diffuser is inspired by that fitted to Mini’s most recent Nürburgring 24 Hours racer.
There is also a larger rear spoiler that takes its cues from other makers’ radical Can-Am racers of the 1970s.
Inside, it is even more minimal than The Skeg, swapping three-point seatbelts for racing-spec harnesses and its rear seats for a strut brace, while its door cards are removed entirely.
