The Independent believes the purpose of the MINI Coupé is to "masculinise" the MINI brand. As for the JCW version it says,
In top John Cooper Works form the Coupé seems expensive at £23,795. But it is also impressively rapid, with an insistent rush of thrust right through the engine's speed range and a deep, enthusiastic exhaust note. All that thrust is channelled to the road with good discipline and excellent traction, even on a wet road, thanks to the electronic equivalent of a limited-slip differential achieved by selective braking of a wheel likely to spin. The same system helps keep the front wheels firmly nailed to your chosen cornering line, making the Mini feel very firmly planted on the road.