A new limited-edition Cooper JCW due in Australian showrooms from April celebrates the anniversary of an iconic rally, 61 years after Mini won it.
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Mini is belatedly marking 60 years since its 1965 Monte Carlo rally win with a new special-edition Cooper JCW hot hatch, limited to 30 cars for Australia.
The 1965 Victory Edition is claimed to "celebrate 60 years of Monte Carlo victory" since it won the iconic rally event in 1965, a Mini Australia media release says, though it is not due in Australian showrooms until the second quarter of 2026 (April to June), 61 years after the race.
Of the 30 cars coming to Australia, 20 will be based on petrol-powered JCW variants, while 10 will be electric JCW versions. Pricing is expected to be confirmed closer to showroom arrivals.
Petrol models will use a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine producing 170kW and 380Nm, taking the Mini from 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.1 seconds.
The other 10 cars will use the electric JCW's 190kW front electric motor and 49.2kWh battery that deliver a quoted WLTP driving range of 371km.
The Mini 1965 Victory Edition will bring styling changes, with Chili Red paint, a white bonnet stripe that runs the length of the car, '52' side decals to reference the rally car's race number, and a commemorative '1965' badge on the rear pillar.
Buyers will get one of two 18-inch John Cooper Works wheel styles with floating centre caps, depending on the fuel type selected, with a panoramic sunroof optional.
The interior of the Victory Edition brings white '1965' lettering with a red and black background on the door sills. Each model will also have a build plate referencing the rally win, with the same lettering carried onto the six o'clock position on the steering wheel.
'1965' lettering is featured on the centre console and key fob.
In 2025, models from the John Cooper Works range represented 21 per cent of Mini sales in Australia, while electric vehicles accounted for 31 per cent of the brand's total deliveries.
The Mini 1965 Victory Edition's price will be confirmed closer to its expected April release, and is likely to be more expensive than regular petrol and electric John Cooper Works models, priced at $57,990 and $63,990 plus on-road costs, respectively.
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