2013 Mini Cooper Convertible 2dr S on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2022 Mini Cooper Hardtop and Convertible refresh adds more grille

The current Mini Cooper Hardtop and Convertible models, while still generally fun and stylish, are getting up there in years. The last total redesign came in 2014, with some minor updates to keep it fresh. For 2022, Mini is going with another refresh instead of an all-new model, and it seems to have cribbed notes from BMW's design team. There's no getting around it, the updated Mini models have a big grille. And that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, the classic pre-BMW Minis had large grilles, but it's also messy. Every version gets a thick black grille surround that extends to the base of the bumper, and it blends into the black air dam. It makes it look overly big and hard to tell where it begins and the edge of the bumper begins. The body color center section makes it look like the grille frame was just laid on top of a plain bumper, and the various openings look a little like afterthoughts. The base Mini Cooper has the simplest design, which helps things somewhat, while the S and John Cooper Works models have bigger openings and more grille mesh. Grille aside, there are other small styling changes inside and out that are much less controversial. Mini is ditching fog lights mounted low in the bumper for minimalist openings and integrated fog lights in the main headlamp housings. The fender garnishes that Mini calls "side scuttles" have been given a tweak and some thin, long turn indicators. At the back, the rear fog lights and reflectors are gone completely for a cleaner design. A new option is the Multitone Roof that features a gradient with Soul Blue, Pearly Aqua and Jet Black. The interior is similar to the current model, but the analog speedometer has been replaced by the digital cluster introduced on the Mini Cooper SE and John Cooper Works GP. Also, the center air vents are now integrated into the dash panels and the steering wheel and ambient lighting arrangement have been redesigned. Mechanically, the Mini lineup is completely unchanged with the same engine and transmission offerings as before. That does mean that manual transmissions will continue to be available. Mini has added some new standard features to the lineup, though. All models now get an 8.8-inch infotainment screen as standard, and the interface has new graphics. Apple CarPlay and satellite radio are also included, though Android Auto is still unavailable. Lane-departure warning is now standard, and adaptive cruise control now has stop-and-go functionality.

2025 Mini Cooper four-door makes more room for the people in the back

There seems to be no end to the new Minis. The new compact range has dispensed from the Munich HQ like Pez since last September. Here's another one: the 2025 Mini Cooper four-door (or five-door, depending on where you live) with the internal combustion powertrain. This is the longer and more-doored version of the two-door Cooper and Cooper S revealed in February for our market. An additional 2.8 inches of wheelbase and 6.8 inches of length makes more room for second-row passengers and cargo room. The automaker says designers made the rear "noticeably wider" inside, giving three-up accommodations more room to swing their elbows. Using European measurements, cargo capacity stands at 9.7 cubic feet with the second row up, 32.7 cubic feet with the second row down. The U.S.-market Cooper S four-door gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 201 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, same as in the two-door, those numbers 21 hp and 15 lb-ft better than the outgoing Mini's turbo 2.0-liter. This trim is going to cost $34,195 after the $995 destination fee when it reaches dealers in about three months. Come January 2025, Mini will add a Cooper C trim with four doors. It will use the same engine as the S but with a lower output, and be priced under the S.  International markets will also get a turbocharged three-cylinder engine as the entry-level motor, that mill making 154 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. The outgoing 1.5-liter three-cylinder in the base U.S.-market Mini makes 134 hp and 162 lb-ft, so buyers are in for improvements no matter what market they're in and which engines they get. The European trim step will be Essential, Classic, Favored, and JCW. Omitting the three-cylinder here, we'll enjoy Classic, Favored, and JCW in a choice of 11 body colors and three contrasting roof treatments; the Favoured theme includes the option of a multi-hued roof with a three-color gradient. If wheel sizing matches the two-door, U.S. buyers can choose from 17- and 18-inch aero wheels, but not the 16-inchers on sale elsewhere.  Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mini moving away from leather as it shifts to recycled interiors

In the midst of a far-reaching transformation, Mini announced that it will gradually phase leather upholstery out of its range in the coming years. It plans to fully adopt recycled fabrics in a bid to make its cars more eco-friendly. "We don't need leather any more in the future, because we don't believe it's sustainable. We're totally convinced that we will have modern and high-value products without leather," affirmed Oliver Heilmer, the firm's design boss, in an interview with British magazine Autocar. He didn't reveal when leather will disappear completely, however. Demand for real hides nonetheless remains relatively high; Autocar pointed out that about 54% of the new cars that Mini sells in the United Kingdom are ordered with leather upholstery, which is generally either sold at an extra cost or made standard on upmarket trim levels that come with a price premium. We've asked the company's American division to provide us with the take rate on our shores, and we'll update this story if we learn more. Mini's shift towards recycled materials is ongoing. As of writing, 100% of the fabric it uses to upholster seats is recycled, according to the same report, and 70% of the material underneath the cloth is, too. Looking ahead, it will make interior trim pieces with recycled materials. Cork was used in the Urbanaut concept, for example. Heilmer's comments add another piece to the next-generation Hardtop puzzle. Tentatively due out in 2023, so possibly as a 2024 model, it will embody the nameplate's biggest evolution since BMW rebooted it in 2000. It will likely still be offered with two or four doors, though the convertible is allegedly living on borrowed time, and both will be smaller than their respective predecessors. It will also showcase a purer approach to design. Heritage will continue to shape the exterior design. Inside, the theme will come "more from a home perspective rather than an automotive one," Heilmer noted, which partially explains why stylists want to incorporate different materials. His team is still debating whether features like the toggle switches need to come back, or if they're outdated. Most can be replaced with a menu in the infotainment system, but tapping a screen is not as satisfying and a lot more anodyne than flipping a switch. Designing a new Mini requires balancing the past and the future. "We're looking to create a timeless design.