Tree Angle turns its attention to the Carbon Edition:
. . . Offering 208 horsepower courtesy of the John Cooper Works Pro Tuning kit and a valve-equipped exhaust, the 4 Door comes in 20-hp shy of the full-boat JCW model. It does, however, offer the ragin John Cooper Works look, with 17-inch JCW Track Spoke black wheels, a body kit, and a rear spoiler. Carbon-fiber mirror caps, air-intake trim, and tailpipe trim add motorsporty aesthetic drama to the Mini, while matte-black stripes and a red pinstripe offer a visual tether to the John Cooper Works model.
Inside, the Carbon Edition includes a JCW steering wheel, heated seats, and a Harman/Kardon sound system. The sport exhaust valve is Bluetooth-activated, and according to Mini, unleashes devilish backfire pops and crackling sound on the overrun. Which sounds enticingly demonic, if you happen to be one those who wish that Swinging London had offered more Satanic Majesty and less Sgt. Pepper. Regrettably, the only thing weve found thats positively Beelzebubbian about the latest performance-oriented Minis is the ride quality. But perhaps freshly Carbonized motorists will be making too much noise to notice. . . .
