2008 Mini Cooper Base Convertible 2-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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2015 Mini Cooper stuns crowd, itself [w/videos]

Remember the Mini Rocketman concept from 2011? While we were really, really hoping for a production version - a properly mini Mini - that never happened. And it won't. But what we are getting is a whole lot of that showcar's styling cues applied to the third-generation Mini Cooper hardtop, a model making its debut here at the LA Auto Show. And while from most angles, the new Mini is as cute as ever, we just can't quite warm up to that face - or that huge front overhang. The car simply looks like a frightened goldfish (that yellow paint isn't helping, either).
The car simply looks like a frightened goldfish (that yellow paint isn't helping, either).
It should probably be pretty nice to drive, though, with the base Cooper using a new turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine good for 134 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. Friskier Cooper S models get a healthy power increase, their 2.0-liter turbo engines putting out a full 189 hp and 207 lb-ft, with both engines are mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

Mini Cooper E Classic adds a less expensive trim, at least in Europe

One forgets how many variations there are on the Mini Cooper until Mini rolls out a new generation and they all come quickly. With this fifth-generation Cooper forking into an EV lineup, and Mini introducing ICE and EV ranges separately, every other month it's, "Oh look, another one!" This time it's details on a new trim of the Cooper E that Mini debuted in Munich last September. We also have photos of the Euro-spec version now, which were missing from the debut. Called Classic, it's the entry-level version of the battery-electric two-door hardtop hatchback that, in the UK, comes below the Exclusive and Sport trims. Our trim step for the previous-gen electric Cooper is Classic, Signature, and Iconic. A commenter chided us on a previous post for waiting until the end to mention U.S. availability, so let's get this out of the way now: We don't know if the Cooper E is coming to America. We know we'll get the SE, same as before. We'd support the decision to bring the E here; with the right color combo and wheels, here's your Alec Issigonis special — on the outside, at least — for maybe a couple grand less than the Cooper SE. However, based on the European configurators, we don't see much point.      Every Cooper E gets a 40.7-kWh battery powering an e-motor on the front axle making 181 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque, able to go an estimated 190 WLTP miles on a charge. That's 34 horses and 29 pound-feet down on the SE, which isn't so bad. Driving distance is the attention-getter, the E losing 60 miles of estimated range from the SE's 250 WLTP miles.        We all know "Classic" means pared spec, but the Classic is so close to the trim above that it's hard to tell what's been changed beyond the standard wheel and a few options. In the UK, saving GBP2,200 ($2,769 U.S.) to get the Classic instead of the Exclusive trim above means getting a 16-inch standard wheel and a cloth interior trimmed in synthetic leather. The Exclusive starts with a 17-inch wheel and offers two 18-inchers, the Classic is a 16- or 17-inch wheel only. And the Exclusive interior fits mainly synthetic leather seats with cloth uppers. Either cabin comes in a choice of two colors, either black or gray, the Classic with a perforated houndstooth pattern on the seats. On the other hand, the Sunny Side Yellow paint on the hero car above is only available on the Classic. The list of standard features between the two is identical.

2025 Mini Cooper interior reveals minimalist retro design, massive circular screen

Mini just dropped a teaser for its 2025 Cooper, and it’s all about the new interior. And while Mini might be calling this a teaser, itÂ’s essentially a full, visual reveal of the new CooperÂ’s insides. The changes and updates are everywhere, as this new Mini shares practically nothing with the outgoing model. Its new centerpiece is a massive, circular display that appears to be showing off new infotainment system software. All of your vital information is housed within this huge screen. We can see the gear selection, electric range, power meter, navigation hub and media player all in the middle and top half of the screen. On the bottom corners are temperature control dials, and in the bottom middle is a row of shortcut icons that will presumably pull up larger menus of those items. The traditional instrument cluster is gone, but Mini has integrated a pop-up glass HUD display in its place, so youÂ’ll thankfully still have a lot of the important items right in front of your face. Just below the center screen is what Mini calls the “toggle bar.” It houses switches and knobs for things like selecting a gear, turning the car on and off and the various drive modes. Quick toggles for the defrosters and the hazards sit here, too. Interestingly, the steering wheel has more buttons than the center console, and the steering wheel itself is a new design. YouÂ’ll notice the strap-like third bottom “spoke” of the wheel and the ultra-chunky top part of the wheel — Mini says itÂ’s smaller in diameter than the current wheel, too. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Minimalism dominates the rest of the interior. The dashboard is simple with a basic upswept look, but itÂ’s augmented with fancy lights and animations that play through the fabric. Mini designed a horizontal air vent that integrates beautifully with the new dash, too. As for the doors, the materials look upscale and the armrest looks comfortable. We canÂ’t see the whole center console, but a pair of USB Type-C charge ports are positioned up front with a wireless phone charger right there, too. A pair of cupholders sit aft of this, and thereÂ’s no BMW iDrive knob to be seen.  As you can see from the video (above) where the original Mini interior morphs into the new one, the designersÂ’ inspiration for the 2025 model is fairly clear. Pare back, and bring the retro vibes in a digital way.