Mini has teamed up with lifestyle brand Deus Ex Machina to create two one off John Cooper Works models. One is petrol powered, the other is electric, and both take the idea of a hot hatch to extreme new territory.
The pair are called Machina and Skeg.
Each pays tribute to Mini’s racing and cultural heritage with oversized bodywork, stripped interiors, and wild graphics. The Machina is track inspired, while the Skeg channels surf culture. What unites them are Deus’ playful touches, including asymmetric wraps and oversized roof graphics.
The Machina wears a bold red, white, and black livery. Wide fender extensions, retro lights mounted on the bonnet, a custom grille, and a Can Am style rear wing set it apart. LED bars replace the standard headlight graphics, creating space for extra intakes. At the back, a bigger diffuser completes the race car aesthetic.
Inside, the Machina has been gutted and rebuilt for track duty. Racing buckets with five point harnesses sit beside an exposed roll cage.
Aluminum floors, a hydraulic handbrake, and a bank of toggle switches replace touchscreen menus. It is pure theatre, right down to the details.
The Skeg takes the opposite approach. Inspired by the beach, it combines silver, black, and yellow surf style graphics with raw fiberglass body panels. Oversized translucent fender extensions save weight, while a bright yellow diffuser and a huge roof mounted “Flex Tip Surf Spoiler” keep it loud.
The cabin continues the theme with semi transparent fiberglass panels, neoprene trimmed seats, and straps in place of door handles.
There are even trays for wetsuits and a surfboard strapped to the roof with bright yellow tension cords.
Despite the dramatic looks, performance remains standard.
The Machina uses the 2.0 litre turbo four cylinder from the JCW, producing 228 horsepower and 380 Nm of torque.
The Skeg is based on the JCW Electric, delivering 255 horsepower and 350 Nm. Both concepts run on the familiar JCW chassis without additional tuning.
Mini and Deus will not be putting these cars into production. Instead, they will be revealed alongside a collaborative apparel collection launching at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich on September 8.
The cars are just for show, but the clothing line will be available through Deus Ex Machina’s network.
