We’re used to seeing coupes, sedans, and the occasional wagon dressed up as Safety Cars, but the BMW Group is doing things a bit differently with this MINI. The Aceman is a purely electric subcompact crossover built in China, where its high-performance John Cooper Works version is also assembled. That spicy JCW variant has now received the Safety Car treatment for Circuit Zolder.
Located in the Heusden-Zolder municipality in Belgium, the track is where the MINI Aceman JCW will begin its duties after being modified by Absolute Motors. You’ll be able to catch the sporty electric crossover in action on June 8 during the MINI Fan & Track Day event held at the 61-year-old circuit.
Outfitted with a custom body wrap and roof-mounted lights, the flagship Aceman retains its standard hardware. It packs a front-mounted electric motor delivering 255 horsepower and 350 Newton-meters (258 lb-ft) of instant torque. That’s enough for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in a respectable 6.4 seconds.
MINI has equipped the Aceman JCW with a 54.2-kWh battery pack. It’s good for up to 221 miles (355 kilometers) of range on the WLTP cycle. A lesser-known feature of the range-topping model is a boost function that temporarily adds 27 hp for quick overtakes or a bit of extra fun.
Of course, the harder you push the pedal, the harder it is to hit that range estimate. Reaching the quoted figure on a track like Zolder will be challenging. Realistically, we don’t expect many people to take the Aceman JCW to the circuit. The John Cooper Works hot hatch is better suited for that job, though we still mourn the manual gearbox’s loss.
Meanwhile, MINI has indefinitely shelved plans to build the Aceman at its Oxford plant. Production was initially slated for 2026, but that’s no longer happening. The electric Cooper won’t be made in the UK either, at least not anytime soon. For now, Spotlight Automotive will continue to build the EV duo exclusively in China. If that doesn’t ring a bell, it’s a 50:50 joint venture between BMW Group and Great Wall Motor.
Source: MINI