It’s only been on sale for a month, yet the new MINI John Cooper Works has already claimed the title of Best Hot Hatch 2008, awarded by Auto Express. The fastest-ever series production MINI has beaten off competition from the likes of the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Clio Renaultsport to take top spot in the annual Auto Express New Car Honours. 

An amazing 211hp, or 132hp per litre, is delivered from a heavily revised 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol power plant and forms the basis of the appeal of the new MINI John Cooper Works. Despite the newcomer’s engine being an identical unit to that featuring in the high-performance MINI CHALLENGE race car, the CO2 emission and fuel consumption figure for the MINI John Cooper Works beats the competition hands down. Capable of a combined 45.6mph, the MINI John Cooper Works has CO2 emissions of only 149g/km.

Hot hatch fans desperate to get behind the wheel of the new £20,995 MINI John Cooper Works will be delighted to learn that the car can be theirs from as little as £279 per month, through MINI Financial Services.