The F56 JCW brought the Mini hot hatch into the 2.0-litre turbo era with more torque and maturity. Manual cars preserve the traditional enthusiast appeal, even if they can’t match the performance and economy of the 8-speed automatic.

The reborn Mini Cooper S used a supercharger and playful chassis to reinterpret the small hot hatch for the 2000s.

The automatic John Cooper Works is the quicker-accelerating F56 variant despite being slightly heavier than the manual. It’s also more economical, making it cheaper to run. Does that make it ‘better’ than the manual, though?

The 2020 JCW GP was a 300-plus horsepower, two-seat Mini special with dramatic aero and automatic-only transmission. It is one of the most extreme modern front-drive limited editions.