If you’re still unfamiliar with the John Cooper Works (JCW) branding, either you’re not a MINI fan at all or you’ve been living under a rock for the past several years. JCW is the official tuning arm for the MINI brand and not only produces its own range of upgraded cars but is also responsible for the brand’s motorsports efforts.

Today MINI has announced a new JCW range of factory-fitted accessories available as a kit. While JCW kits have been offered on the MINI Cooper hard-top for some time already, soon they will also be available on the MINI Cooper Convertible.

The full kit includes a John Cooper Works aero kit (also available separately), which gives the vehicles their aggressive appearance and lends the front, rear and flanks of the Cooper and Cooper Convertible a much sportier look.

Up front is a deep lower chin spoiler with a lower grille opening and functional brake ducts. Other items include new side skirts and custom rear bumper modeled off the design of the unit on the MINI Challenge race cars.

There are also 17-inch light alloy wheels, which were previously only available on the actual JCW-tuned cars, more lenient traction control and electronic differential settings and upgraded brakes.

Inside, the cars get custom door sills, a leather steering wheel with contrasting red stitching and a gearshift knob with red shift pattern lettering and a leather shift boot with more red stitching for manual models.

The latest 2011 model year JCW kit is due to be available from the second quarter of 2011 as a factory option.