Electric Meets Combustion: Inside the MINI JCW x Deus One-Offs

Partnerships only work when both sides bring more than logos. MINI John Cooper Works and Deus Ex Machina showed up with craft, community, and a shared obsession for motion, then turned it into two one-off cars that feel personal. They look like they were built in the same garage, by people who make surfboards on Monday and tune suspensions on Tuesday. One is electric and sun-kissed. The other smells like warm brakes and race fuel. Together, they tell one story in two accents.

The pair starts with familiar MINI John Cooper Works bones. One is a JCW Electric rated up to 190 kilowatts or 258 horsepower. The other is a combustion JCW with 170 kilowatts or 231 horsepower. Both wear a big white “X” on the roof as a handshake between brands and a signal that this is co-creation, not a decal pack. Inside each cockpit, you get visible seams, purposeful switches, and levers that click with intent. The finish is deliberately raw. Imperfection is not a flaw here; it is proof that hands were involved.

The Skeg is the coastal twin. Its yellow and silver bodywork makes a bold first impression, but the details are what sell it. Wide fenders, an illuminated grille, and a tidy roof spoiler sharpen the stance, while translucent fiberglass panels shave roughly 15 percent of weight and help the air slip past. Out back, the Flex Tip Surf Spoiler follows airflow like a board skimming along a clean shoulder, turning design flourishes into useful downforce and stability. Tension straps run across the roof like tie-downs after a session at the beach, echoed again as accents on the dashboard and at the bottom spoke of the steering wheel. Fiberglass elements on the roof, nose, tail, and inside the cabin catch and soften light through the day, and the dashboard borrows surfboard construction to stay light and tough.

Open the door and the surf shop vibe continues. Analogue controls are simple and tactile. Fiberglass trays hold wetsuits without fuss. Lightweight racing buckets get neoprene upholstery that is flexible, water-repellent, and surprisingly comfortable. Deus Collection badges and 3D printed touches in the console are quiet nods to the collaboration. Nothing shouts. It all just works.

The Machina is the track twin. Red, white, and black paint, Deus lettering at the rear, and widened fenders give it that “we are here to go fast” posture. Four auxiliary headlights on the bonnet salute MINI’s rally roots, each pod wearing subtle Deus branding. The rear diffuser takes cues from JCW racers that have pounded the Nordschleife, and a centrally mounted exhaust doubles as sculpture and soundtrack. Up front, a bespoke grille and perforated headlight surrounds help cooling, while the familiar JCW light signature with integrated intakes anchors the face. A Can Am-style rear spoiler tops it all with old-school race drama and real aero intent.

Inside, the palette stays focused and functional. Five point harnesses lock you in. Raw aluminum floor plates feel like the Deus workshops from Sydney to Venice Beach to Canggu. Door panels are stripped and marked with bold white X motifs. A waxed fabric dash looks durable from day one and better with use. An exposed roll cage adds structure and honesty. The controls keep faith with racers: physical toggles, clearly labeled buttons, no labyrinth of menus. The hydraulic handbrake’s long lever is a direct link between your hand and the car’s balance mid-corner. This one reads like a driving manifesto, not a showpiece.

There is a deeper creative cast behind the scenes. MINI Design worked with BMW Group’s Designworks to push the brief, while Deus Co-Founder and Creative Director Carby Tuckwell and long-time collaborator Matt Willey led the graphic language. Willey’s love for historic racing liveries shows up in confident numbers and geometry, a thread that ties back to the classic Mini’s Monte Carlo Rally stories—including the number 37 that Paddy Hopkirk carried in 1964.

The collaboration does not stop at sheet metal. A MINI x Deus Ex Machina capsule apparel collection lands on September 8, 2025 at IAA in Munich, then rolls out globally online and through Deus stores. Expect high-grade materials, tailored fits, and pieces that move easily between lifestyle and legacy. The cars themselves premiere at IAA Mobility 2025 with the MINI JCW x Deus Night on September 6 at the MINI Pavilion and remain on display through September 14. The motto for the whole program—“You can be first after me”—fits the tone: confident, a little cheeky, and clearly in love with the ride.