MINI is to show the sporty potential of electric power with a special model that is to be the new safety car for this year's Formula E race series.

The MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW is based on the zero emission electric model MINI released last year.

The car will make its debut in Rome on April 10 where it will be seen at the second event of the Formula E 2021 season.

With radical styling and lightweight design the Pacesetter has a 0 to 62 acceleration time of 6.7 seconds - more than half a second quicker than the standard MINI Electric.

It uses the same powertrain as the MINI Electric which produces 135kW but has more mid-range torque which enables it to sprint from 0 to 37mph in 3.6 seconds compared to the 3.9 seconds of the standard car.

Bernd Korber, head of MINI, said: "We have already shown how well driving fun and electric mobility go together with the MINI Electric.

"However, the MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW goes at least a step further and blends the performance character of the John Cooper Works brand with electric mobility."

And although the Pacesetter is designed solely for its race track role, Korber dropped a strong hint a production variant may be in the wings.

"This extreme version of the MINI Electric has been developed as the Safety Car in the Formula E, so is clearly not intended for use on public roads," he added. "But it does reveal one of the directions we could take with the electrification of the JCW brand. For me, the message is clear: electrification and John Cooper Works are a good fit."