THE new MINI Clubman estate has been given the John Cooper Works treatment making it the most powerful Clubman to date with 231bhp enabling a 0-62mph time of just 6.3 seconds and a top speed of 148 mph.

Full John Cooper Works specification includes upgraded suspension, braking, cooling, exterior styling and interior features.

It can be ordered now and is priced from £29,345 with the six-speed manual gearbox, and £30,945 with the eight-speed sports Steptronic transmission.

As the latest member of the John Cooper Works family the latest Clubman features all the upgrades already seen on the John Cooper Works Hatch and Convertible models.

These include the 231bhp engine with modified MINI TwinPower turbocharger. Fuel economy is rated at around 41.5mpg on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 154 g/km.

The MINI Clubman JCW comes with an upgraded interior including sports seats, an alcantara headliner and an array of standard equipment including MINI Navigation, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and cruise control with a braking function.

On the outside, the Clubman's standard LED headlamps are surrounded by a daytime driving light ring that also uses LED technology, the lower section of which is white and acts as the turn indicator. The horizontally arranged rear light units also comprise LED lamps.

The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine is fed through either a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed sports Steptronic transmission and the suspension has been upgraded to handle the power hike.

MINI says it expects more than 80 per cent of the Clubman JCWs to be specified with the popular Chilli pack which adds a host of extras including the choice of any upholstery from the range, heated seats, 19-inch alloy wheels and extra storage inside. The Chili pack is priced at £2,000.