Mini JCW Electric ‘Skeg’ goes surfing with Deus Ex Machina
Mini has teamed up with automotive and surf lifestyle brand, Deus Ex Machina, to create a one-off, surf culture-inspired version of its John Cooper Works Electric hatchback.
Named the Skeg and finished in a heady blend of brushed silver and hi-viz yellow, the Deus Ex Machina-fied JCW Electric gets an illuminated front end, and semi-transparent fibreglass panels to reduce the base car’s 1,700 kilogram heft and improve aero.
Flared wheel arches front and rear, air-flow holes at the bottom of the front bumper, plus a rear spoiler which ‘responds to airflow much like a surfboard rides the contours of the wave’ further amplify what the Mini JCW Skeg’s desginers describe as a ‘raw, handcrafted’ aesthetic celebrating the ‘beauty of imperfection’.
The Skeg’s rough n’ ready theme continues on the stripped back interior. The Skeg’s bucket seats are finished in neoprene, there are trays for wet suits, while the rear seats have been removed and the door inserts hollowed out to shed even more weight.
An internal combustion version of the Mini JCW named the ‘Machina’ has also received the Deus Ex Machina treatment. Along with the Skeg, both feature a huge ‘X’ on their roofs as a nod to the tie-up between Mini and the Deus Ex Machina.
The Mini JCW Skeg and the Machina garnered plenty of praise from Mini chief, Stefan Richmann.
“Thanks to our collaboration with Deus Ex Machina, we are taking this philosophy to a new level and setting exciting new trends for fans and motorsport enthusiasts. The partners are united by their ‘passion for machines, innovation and creativity’ and an authentic relationship with their own community.”
Despite its striking appearance, the Skeg’s mechanicals remain unchanged – it uses the JCW Electric’s 54.2kWh battery returning 251 miles on a single charge. Power output remains the same at 255bhp.
Unfortunately, the Mini JCW Skeg and the Machina will remain one-offs to serve as “rolling expressions of a lifestyle where a love of speed meets creativity and considered design.” Boo.
