Mini steps up the pace

The manual Mini JCW Paceman sprints to 100km/h in 6.9s. Photo / Supplied

Just as the Mini Paceman heads for Kiwi shores, the firm's go-fast team has announced the spec of its tuned version - the JCW Paceman.

JCW, or John Cooper Works, Minis are known for their sportier take on the British favourite, and the Paceman version boasts 160kW of power and 280Nm of torque from its twin-scroll turbo 1600cc engine.

The stock JCW Paceman runs a six-speed manual although there's an automatic version for those who don't fancy "proper" gearboxes.

In manual form, it will sprint to 100km/h in 6.9s and has a top speed of 225km/h.