This issue's cover car is one seriously hot R56 that’s had some serious work carried out, and this 280hp wide-arch JCW is one spicy hatch. The engine’s been fitted with forged internals and equipped with a hybrid turbo, and this track-biased road build is a proper piece of kit. Keeping things hardcore, we’ve got an ex-MINI Challenge R53 that’s been given a new lease of life, and if you’ve ever wondered what a WRC R56 might have looked like, then wonder no more, as one owner decided to build himself just that. This full-on rally-inspired JCW absolutely looks the part and doesn’t disappoint when it comes to specs, either. Sticking with rapid R56s, how about a pair of father- and son-owned and modded machines? One mixes business with pleasure, serving as both a daily and an occasional track toy, while the other is a fully focused build designed to monster any circuit you throw at it, and they’re both exceptional cars. And finally, on the features front, we have some fun with a striking R56 Cooper S that’s got a style all of its own and is serving up some seriously sweet vibes. In addition to all of that, we’ve got the first in our new Buying and Tuning Guide series, and we’re kicking things off with an R53 JCW GP guide, plus there’s a tech guide to cylinder heads, and loads more!

This issue's cover car is one seriously hot R56 that’s had some serious work carried out, and this 280hp wide-arch JCW is one spicy hatch. The engine’s been fitted with forged internals and equipped with a hybrid turbo, and this track-biased road build is a proper piece of kit. Keeping things hardcore, we’ve got....