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After a 2 week delay that was 100% my fault, I am proud to deliver the latest episode of White Roof Radio. Getting started with news and MINIUSA on again off again manual transmission status is finally updated, for reals, to no longer offering a manual transmission on any of the models. Of course, details on getting one can be found at MotoringFile. Gabe also just wrapped up his stint with a good MINI with a terrible name. Maybe the worst named MINI in the history of MINI; The Untamed Edition. The short version you hear, for the full review, including video, can also be found at MF. By the way, Untamed is worse than Untold, don’t listen to two weeks ago db, he was wrong. Moving on, we all agree that the R53 is the G.O.A.T. Chad does school us on some gotchas that can come along with owning an old MINI. Gabe is looking really hard at getting an R53, but that could change. What do you think he should get? Special thanks to the extra technical info provided by Chad! Are you looking for the sunroof drain fix? Detroit Tuned has your covered! From the archives, when we talked to Randy Webb during Woofcast 9 when Todd learned what adiabatic expansion was. By following that link, you will find that episode 9 has been restored! And, as mentioned, you really can’t beat watching James May reassemble anything, especially a Honda Monkey. This is worth the 45 minutes. The post White Roof Radio 693: Since Todd Already Bought One first appeared on MotoringFile. The post White Roof Radio 693: Since Todd Already Bought One appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

The petrol powered MINI Cooper JCW isn’t dead yet. In fact MINI is just months away from unveiling a new ICE version of the ionic hot hatch based on a heavily revised F56 JCW. But this isn’t just a refreshed F56 JCW. While aspects of the car will be carried over, MINI will be making some big changes with the F66 2025 MINI Cooper JCW. First it’s important to give some context. Despite MINI’s talk of going electric with the all new J01 Cooper, it’s releasing one last generation of ICE (internal combustion engine) MINI Coopers early next year. The pinnacle of this new model range will be the Cooper JCW. Now let’s discuss that name. For years MINI has used the name Cooper as a way to denote trim levels across all of its products. Everything from the hatch (as it was called) to the Clubman and Countryman had the name Cooper in it. Starting with this new generation of products that practice is now dead. MINI is using the name Cooper as the model name only for its iconic small car. Thus the MINI Hardtop 2 door JCW (as it has been known in the US) will now be simply called the MINI Cooper JCW. F66 MINI Cooper JCW testing at the NurburgringThe Power Output of the 2025 MINI Cooper JCW The 2025 MINI Cooper JCW will have a slightly revised B48 engine under the hood – more specifically the B48A20O2. We say slightly because the 2025 MINI JCW will continue to have the same 228 hp (231 bhp) output as we’ve seen since 2015. More specifically the new MINI Cooper JCW will have 228 hp @ 5000 rpm. Needless to say that number will disappoint all those that expected more for this new generation JCW. Rumors had been floated of something near 260 hp and plenty had hoped for something even bigger. Why are we not seeing an improvement when the Cooper and Cooper S are getting modest power upgrades? Or the Countryman which gets even bigger power hikes? For one the Countryman’s B48 engines contain a mild hybrid power unit while the Cooper engines will not due to packaging restrictions. Otherwise we don’t have great answers other than this lack of a JCW upgrade leaves room for MINI to eventually tweak software and hardware for a light refresh in a few years. And we know the DCT transmission can handle more torque so there appears to be no component related reason holding MINI back. The 2025 F67 MINI Cooper JCW ConvertibleHowever there is one subtle improvement. Torque will increase from 236 to 258 ft lbs giving the car a touch more grunt. And it peaks lower in the rev range as well. Previously in the F56 JCW torque maxed-out at 1,450. The B48A20O2 sees this change to 1,250 rpm meaning maximum power is even more immediate. Finally the B48A20O2 is also a cleaner engine than its predecessor and should see a slight increase in MPG as well. Why no power increase? Simply put MINI is spending enormous sums of money to turn its entire range into EVs. With that massive investment as backdrop, the brand has had to be smart where it reinvents vs where it evolves its products. The good news is that the F56 is a great based in which to evolve from. It’s been the most successful new MINI yet and has an excellent track record in both reliability and performance. No the new JCW will not have a single exhaust pipe.The JCW Manual Transmission Is Dead For those reading MotoringFile this likely won’t be a total surprise as we’ve reported on this several times over the last 9 months. But it’s still a shocking development given the popularity of the option. In fact since we exclusively reported the news, the MINI USA manual take-rate has gone up to over 50%. It’s devastating move for a lot of MINI’s biggest fans as it’s a huge part of the brand’s history and slots well into the MINI’s core philosophy of creating cars that are engaging the drive. Why would MINI eliminate manuals despite the fact that the F66 is mechanically identical to the F56 and could easily carry over the current Getrag 6 speed? It’s likely about simplifying drivetrains components and cutting costs within manufacturing. And for Europe (where CO2 targets are much more stringent) the manual is slightly dirtier. The F66 gear selector moves from the console to the dash in the form of a discrete toggle switch.However in markets like US, where CO2 targets don’t have the same impact, why not continue to offer it? That’s likely down to the business case. Offering it one country means that the volumes go down dramatically which means MINI is spending more per unit and MINI would lose a chance to simplify the production process just has it’s about to get more complex with new models. In its place will be a revised 7 speed dual clutch (DCT) with JCW specific software for more aggressive programing which should decrease shift times. The revised dual clutch transmission is just like the one offered in current Cooper and Cooper S models combining two partial transmissions in a single housing. The core element of the system consists of two oil-cooled wet clutches: one of these is responsible for the even transmission ratios (2, 4, 6) while the other is for the uneven ratios (1, 3, 5, 7) and reverse. During travel, one of the two clutches is open and the other is closed. They interact when the driver shifts up or down: opening one clutch activates closure of the second at the same time. Chassis and Brake Updates This is where the F66 MINI Cooper JCW is a straight evolution from the F56 version. This starts with the braking system which will be carried over. That means we’ll see a 4-piston fixed caliper upfront with internally ventilated, drilled brake disk up front (335x30mm). In the back (where there’s less weight to worry about) MINI will continue with a single piston floating caliper and a disk that’s 259x10mm. All four calipers will be finished in the traditional Chili Red. The chassis and suspension will see subtle improvements with MINI further refining its adaptive suspension design. While we don’t yet have details we’re told this focuses on improving ride quality while not forgoing any performance. In this exclusive zoomed in photo you can see a central exhaust and single pipe that looks to be in nearly final production form.2025 MINI Cooper JCW To Feature Single Pipe Exhaust In another surprising move MINI is moving from a two pipe single exhaust to a larger single pipe exhaust. In the exclusive image below you can see a single exhaust pipe (with a stainless steel sleeve), the transversely mounted exhaust and even the aluminum shield underneath it. Look even closer and you’ll see the production version of the single LED reverse light just above the exhaust tip which (one could imagine) would look somewhat integrated with the cutout of the pipe. The current F56 Cooper S Exhaust design shows that the “dual exhaust” is nothing more than two small pipes from a single exhaust. Why a single exhaust pipe? Let’s start with the exhaust itself. One thing that most don’t know is that the MINI Cooper S and JCW have had a single muffler system since the R56. The fact that two outlets came out the back has primarily been for aesthetics. In fact there have been more than a few MINI race cars over the years that have gone with the exhaust single pipe design. Why? When asked they consistently have told us it’s both more power efficient and lighter. So in other words exactly what you want in both race cars and modern performance cars. Why wouldn’t MINI have always had a single exhaust? It comes down to marketing and the very simple concept; two exhaust pipes means more power than one in the eyes of the car buying public. In fact you’ll see this on display later this year when the quad-exhaust JCW Countryman debuts. Corresponding with the move away from manuals is a completely new gear lever design that mirrors what we’ve seen on the electric J01 and U25 MINI Countryman. What will remain are revised paddle shifters which will be standard on all JCW models. The 2025 F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible2025 MINI Cooper JCW Wheel Options Similar to the F56 we’ll see several JCW option ranging from 17” to 18” wheels. However the design of those wheels will change. Tire sizes however will remain consistent with the F56. F66 ICE MINI CooperF66 ICE MINI Cooper SF66 JCW16” 4 Square Spoke17” U-Spoke grey17” John Cooper Works Sprint Spoke black17” U-Spoke vibrant silver17” U-Spoke vibrant silver18” John Cooper Works Lap Spoke 2-tone17” U-Spoke grey 17” Parallel Spoke 2-tone18″ John Cooper Works Lap Spoke 2-tone w/Sport tires17” Parallel Spoke 2-tone18” Night Flash Spoke 2-tone18” Slide Spoke 2-tone18” Slide Spoke 2-toneThe 2024 F56 Cooper SE and the 2025 J01 Cooper SE. The F66 will adopt the styling of the J01 inside and out.Why is MINI Refreshing the F56 rather than Replacing it? If you’ve been following MotoringFile you’ll know that MINI is splitting its core model – the Cooper – into two distinct products. That means we’ll see two next generation MINI Coopers (hatches) built on opposite ends of the planet on two different platforms; one a EV (J01) and one ICE powered (F66). This move will allow MINI to offer innovative electric offerings while still selling to the traditional ICE market for as long as possible. The J01 JCW trim. While not a fully JCW production, it gives us a clue as to how the J01 and F66 JCW model will look.The F66 will see styling changes that mirror the J01 and huge tech improvements inside the cabin. But mechanically it will be mostly the same car with just the Cooper S getting a noticeable engine upgrade (more on that soon). For much more on styling and technology changes, read our full report on the F66. The 2025 F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible2025 MINI Cooper JCW Launch Timing and End of Production Produced in Oxford, the F66 will take over as the F56 ends production in February of 2024. That means we’ll see the first F66 MINI Coopers roll off the line next March as the plant begins its pivots into a new generation of MINIs. We expect the F66 MINI Cooper JCW will go into production beginning in March of 2024. The F66 MINI Cooper FamilyDrivetrainStart of ProductionEnd of ProductionF66 MINI Cooper155 HP (Petrol)03/202412/31/30F66 MINI Cooper S200 HP (Petrol)03/202412/31/30F66 MINI Cooper JCW231 HP (Petrol)03/2024*12/31/30F65 MINI Cooper 5 Door155 HP (Petrol)07/202412/31/30F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door200 HP (Petrol)07/202412/31/30F67 MINI Cooper Convertible155 HP (Petrol)11/202412/31/30F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible200 HP (Petrol)11/2024 12/31/30F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible231 HP (Petrol)03/2025*12/31/30* UnconfirmedWhat do you think? Does the F66 JCW sound interesting with its styling changes and technology upgrades? Or is it a non-starter without a manual. Let us know below in the comments. The post Exclusive: F66 2025 MINI Cooper JCW Gets Major Updates While Staying Old-School first appeared on MotoringFile. The post Exclusive: F66 2025 MINI Cooper JCW Gets Major Updates While Staying Old-School appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

Since MINI bought the John Cooper Works name from the Cooper family, the brand has been slowly evolving the look and feel of its performance sub-brand. Today that visual evolution takes a dramatic step with an entirely new logo that is being unveiled alongside the new generation of MINIs recently announced this fall. While we’ve seen the new logo (and identity) on several launch cars, MINI has yet to formally comment on the new logo and other aspects of the revised JCW identity. Today that changes as MINI is formally unveiling the logo in the most unlikely places – the season finale of the Rundstrecken-Challenge Nürburgring 2023. The new John Cooper Works logo is an expression of the boundless enthusiasm and pride we feel for John Cooper Works. John Cooper Works and motorsport play a central role in the DNA of MINI. They will continue to drive our innovative spirit and creativity in the future. Stefanie Wurst, MINI Brand Director.The fact that the logo appears as the F56 JCW 1to6 edition race car is ironic given that it’s a car that will never wear it. The change over will correspond with the new generation of MINIs including the J01 MINI Cooper EV, F66/F67/F56 MINI Cooper ICE, U25 Countryman and the J05 MINI Aceman. MotoringFile’s Take That’s a departure. Those were the first words that we uttered as we saw the new logo in a windowless room in Munich at a pre-reveal of MINI’s 4th generation models. But time has been kind to the design for us and we’re finally getting use to the rather dramatic change from the old “surf-board” logo style we’ve been used to. It’s a cleaner, more modern looking one that is also an easier read on the road. That doesn’t mean the won’t miss that old elongated badge logo that dated back to 2002. The revised version that came out on the R56 was very evolutionary and more than anything cleaned up the type of make it more legible. This new version does away with all of us in an effort to mirror MINI’s new more minimal aesthetic. To us it’s successful on both counts but we have no doubt more than a few of you will be disappointed in such a big change. Race Results Oh and about that race. Driven by Sebastian Sauerbrei (GER) and Friedhelm Thelen (GER), the MINI John Cooper Works 1to6 (complete with a 6-speed manual transmission) had a solid performance throughout the wet race and finished 53rd, out of 158 cars. In the class for production-based cars with a displacement of 1,600 to 2,000 cc and turbochargers, the black MINI John Cooper Works Edition finished 13th out of 23 cars that started. raced the MINI John Cooper Works Edition. Sebastian Sauerbrei achieved his personal best placement in a 24-hour race this year behind the wheel of this exact car. Friedhelm Thelen is a Nürburgring expert and team boss of Bulldog Racing. The MINI JCW 1to6 Race Car at the Rundstrecken-Challenge Nürburgring 2023 The post MINI Debuts New JCW logo and Brand Identity at the Nurburgring first appeared on MotoringFile. The post MINI Debuts New JCW logo and Brand Identity at the Nurburgring appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

If you’ve been following MotoringFile you’ll know that MINI is splitting its core model – the Cooper – into two very different products. The car that’s gotten all the press lately is of course the all new J01 electric MINI Cooper. Built on a bespoke electric platform, it represents the future of the brand in the eyes of BMW. But for anyone not ready to go electric MINI will offer a heavily revised F56 MINI Cooper known as the F66 family of cars. However MINI has been extremely tight-lipped on launch timing for the F66. Luckily we’ve got answers. The F66 MINI Cooper will be a heavily revised version o the F56 complete with an almost identical exterior design complete with new trim, lights and wheels among other things. Inside the F66 will take the interior from the J01 complete with circular screen, new materials and a very different layout. Details like the single exhaust are new.Produced in Oxford, the F66 will take over as the F56 ends production in February of 2024. That means we’ll see the first F66 MINI Coopers roll off the line next March as the plant begins it’s pivots into a new generation of MINIs. The F66 MINI Cooper FamilyDrivetrainStart of ProductionF66 MINI Cooper155 HP (Petrol)03/2024F66 MINI Cooper S200 HP (Petrol)03/2024F66 MINI Cooper JCW231 HP (Petrol)07/2024*F65 MINI Cooper 5 Door155 HP (Petrol)07/2024F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door200 HP (Petrol)07/2024F67 MINI Cooper Convertible155 HP (Petrol)11/2024F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible200 HP (Petrol)11/2024 F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible231 HP (Petrol)03/2025** UnconfirmedAs you can see above the changeover will happen in three phases. The first is the iconic two door Cooper which should be available at launch in Cooper and Cooper S models. We believe MINI will formally begin production of the JCW version of the F66 a little alter in July but that’s yet to be confirmed. There’s still a chance we could see that actually happen in March as well. Next will be the five door F65 MINI Cooper launch in both Cooper and Cooper S models. Finally the brand will launch its last ever ICE car, the F67 convertible in Cooper and Cooper S models. We believe the JCW F67 will either launch simultaneously or follow in March of 2025. Official Release and Ordering Dates Because MINI is aggressively becoming an electric brand, it’s appears to be much more focused on the launch of the J01 and electric Countryman for the time being. That leaves the F66 in an interesting spot given that it will likely be a volume seller in markets such as the US. While we don’t have concrete info on official release or ordering dates yet, the fact that our sources aren’t telling us anything yet would likely indicate that MINI will wait until closer to the the start of production in March 2024 to formally launch the car. For much more on the F66 family of internal combustion MINIs, head to the F66 section of MotoringFile where we details everything from the single exhaust to the revised power output. The F66 2025 MINI Cooper Gallery This is Just the Start – An Entire New MINI Family is Coming Beyond the F66 there’s much more coming form the MINI brand. The new J01 MINI Cooper electric and U25 MINI Countryman (electric) will begin production this November with the the internal combustion U25 Countryman starting in Q1 2024. Finally we’ll see the all electric MINI Aceman crossover which effectively takes the place of the beloved MINI Clubman. The Aceman will be a small crossover roughly the size of the original MINI Countryman and will be released late next year. For more coverage of the new generation MINI released recently, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post Exclusive Launch Details on the F66 (ICE) 2025 MINI Cooper first appeared on MotoringFile. The post Exclusive Launch Details on the F66 (ICE) 2025 MINI Cooper appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

The U25 electric MINI Countryman is a hugely important new offering from the brand that takes its best selling model and pairs it up with 100% electric power. It’s one of the most highly anticipated models from the brand ever yet in just a few years MINI plans to kill it. Taking its place will be something completely new and the most advanced product from the brand ever. The same sources that we’ve partnered with to decipher so many aspects the 4th generation MINIs in the last few years are now helping us uncover what’s next. The first bombshell is just how short a lifespan the U25 electric MINI Countryman will have. We can now exclusively report that the electric version of the U25 MINI Countryman will cease production in October 2028 lasting less than five years on the market. That doesn’t mean the U25 generation of the MINI Countryman will be dead in 2028. The ICE powered Countryman C, S and JCW will have (at least) a normal seven year product cycle until its production ends on December 31st, 2030. And even that’s influx. We’re hearing that that date is tentative and might be extended based on demand. But more on that at a later date. MINI Countryman – Electric ModelsDrivetrainStart of ProductionEnd of ProductionU25 MINI Countryman E Electric03/202410/2028U25 MINI Countryman SE ALL4Electric03/202410/2028MINI Countryman – ICE ModelsU25 MINI Countryman CICE (Petrol)11/202312/2030*U25 MINI Countryman DICE (Diesel)11/202312/2030*U25 MINI Countryman S ALL4ICE (Petrol)11/202312/2030*U25 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4ICE (Petrol)03/202412/2030** Tentative as demand may push this backWhy is MINI Killing Its First Electric Countryman So Early? Why is MINI killing such an important electric model early? Because it has something better coming. The U25 Countryman is based on an updated FAAR platform (FAAR WE) and it was designed as a stop-gap of sorts. It can accommodate everything from an internal combustion power-plant to a plugin hybrid (which only BMW offers on this platform) to full electric. Because of this Swiss-army knife approach there are tradeoffs. For one the electric U25 MINI Countryman can’t pack as many battery cells as dedicated skateboard chassis EV can because it has to deal with structure built for internal combustion drivetrains. And there are many other trade-offs that have to be made to allow a single platform to work for so many drivetrain options. But that reason alone isn’t why MINI won’t have a full seven year model lifecycle for the new U25 MINI Countryman electric. A clay model from the development of the J01 MINI CooperThe 2028 NE5 MINI Countryman MINI is replacing the electric version of the U25 with an all new Countryman based on an all new BMW platform designed from the ground-up to be electric. The 2028 MINI Countryman (codenamed the NE5) will be the first MINI based on BMW’s all new dedicated electric platform known as the Neue Klasse. The Neue Klasse (or NCAR as it’s known internally) will be BMW’s single platform that will underpin every future BMW and MINI across the range. Because of the highly variable nature of skateboard chassis, that means there will be foundational elements of the NCAR in everything from a MINI Countryman to a BMW X7. Given the inherent benefits of using a dedicated electric platform for future EVs, BMW and MINI are planning to aggressively move their electric offerings to the new platform. Naturally this timeline means different things for different cars depending on where they are in their lifecycle. For MINI this means an under five year lifecycle for the U25 electric Countryman. Similarly for the just announced BMW X2, we’d expect a short life-span. However for a car like the BMW X1 (which is a twin of the U25 Countryman) the timing lines-up much closer to the standard seven year lifecycle. At the time of publication, our sources are telling us to expect the NE5 MINI Countryman EV to have a lifecycle from 11/2028 to 10/2036. The U25 MINI Countryman in early design formTwo Completely Different Countryman On the Market At the Same Time The result of this strategy will see two very different Countryman on sale at the same time. Not unlike the forthcoming electric J01 and ICE F66 MINI Cooper, the U25 and NE5 will be sold alongside of each other for several years in an attempt to offer consumers a choice of powertrains as much of the world gradually goes electric. Our assumption is that the launch of the NE5 Countryman will coincide with the LCI of the U25 giving MINI a chance to create a similar design approach for both cars. That would be the same strategy as the J01 and F66 which means that the powertrain is the key buying factor vs the exterior and interior design. BMW isn’t the only brand with this strategy. Porsche is going down the same route with the ICE powered Porsche Macan and the all new Macan EV. The thought from both MINI and Porsche is simple. Hedge your bets because different markets will adopt EVs at a different pace. How long will MINI offer ICE powered models? While MINI has tentative end of production dates associated with all of its ICE offerings, there’s always a chance that could slip based on demand. Does This Mean I Shouldn’t Consider a U25 MINI Countryman Electric? Absolutely not. Five years is a longtime and if you’re always waiting for something better or new, you’ll be stuck in an endless cycle of wait or regret. Our opinion is to buy what you need, want or something that just makes you happy. And from our brief time with the U25 2025 MINI Countryman, we think a lot of buyers will be just that. The post Exclusive: MINI to Kill the New Countryman Electric Early first appeared on MotoringFile. The post Exclusive: MINI to Kill the New Countryman Electric Early appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

Since its re-introduction, wheel design has been one of the more important factors for MINI models in how they differentiate themselves but also how it allows owners to customize their cars. That’s why when a new wheel option shows up, people take note. But we don’t have a new option to talk about to today, we have nine of them in this exclusive preview. Since the J01 MINI Cooper EV was shown earlier this fall, we’ve seen hundreds of photos of what is basically the same launch specification. Unfortunately that means we haven’t officially gotten a good look at the wheel options that are coming for the J01 or the F66 – which will offer identical wheels. You read that right. Despite the radical differences beneath the skin, these two MINI Coopers will have identical wheel offerings and almost identical exterior design (look for more on the F66 soon). 18″ JCW Lap Spoke18″ JCW Lap Spoke2025 MINI Cooper Wheels First let’s look at the F66 ICE Cooper. Based on what we know we believe will be offering a subset of smaller wheels on the Cooper with at least one 18″ options. F66 ICE MINI Cooper Wheel Options17” U-Spoke grey17” U-Spoke vibrant silver17” Parallel Spoke 2-tone16” 4 Square Spoke18” Slide Spoke 2-tone The 18” Slide Spoke 2-tone in black As is typical for MINI, the Cooper S will get a largest variety of wheels starting at 17″ in size and even a few 18″. F66 ICE MINI Cooper S Wheel Options17” U-Spoke grey17” U-Spoke vibrant silver17” Parallel Spoke 2-tone18” Night Flash Spoke 2-tone18” Slide Spoke 2-toneThe F66 ICE MINI with the same 18″ JCW Lap Spoke WheelsFinally the JCW model will offer the most limited range but with a focus on 18″ wheels. From what we can tell, MINI will offer extreme sport tires on the 18″ JCW Lap Some wheels. It’s unclear if these are simply summer tires or more aggressive still. F66 ICE MINI JCW Wheel Options17” John Cooper Works Sprint Spoke black18” John Cooper Works Lap Spoke 2-tone18″ John Cooper Works Lap Spoke 2-tone with sport tiresFinally the electric J01 MINI will offer a subset of the same wheels. Our sources are unclear on how this will breakdown between the Cooper E and Cooper SE and eventual JCW versions of the J01 so there’s the full list as we know it. J01 Electric MINI Cooper E/SE Wheel Options17” U-Spoke grey17” U-Spoke vibrant silver17” Parallel Spoke 2-tone18” John Cooper Works Lap Spoke 2-tone18” Night Flash Spoke 2-tone18” Slide Spoke 2-toneThis is Just the Start – An Entire New MINI Family is Coming The new J01 MINI Cooper electric and U25 MINI Countryman (electric) will begin production this November with the the internal combustion U25 Countryman starting in Q1 2024. Then we’ll see the heavily revised F56 morph into the F66 internal combustion MINI Cooper. This will be MINI’s answer to all those who want a Cooper but aren’t ready for electric. Finally we’ll see the all electric MINI Aceman crossover which effectively takes the place of the beloved MINI Clubman. The Aceman will be a small crossover roughly the size of the original MINI Countryman and will be released late next year. For more coverage of the new generation MINI released recently, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post Exclusive Look at the 9 New 2025 MINI Cooper Wheels first appeared on MotoringFile. The post Exclusive Look at the 9 New 2025 MINI Cooper Wheels appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

The 2025 MINI Countryman will be the most technically capable MINI ever made. Whether it’s fully electric or ICE powered, the U25 is a giant step for the brand in how it adopts BMW tech. One of the biggest additions will be its autonomous driving features. The feature is called Driving Assistant Professional and it’s a massive improvement over the previous adaptive cruise. With the Driving Assistant Professional, the MINI Countryman enables partially automated Level 2 driving on highways for the first time. If you’ve been following MotoringFile all year you’ll remember us exclusively reporting on this feature last spring. However until today we didn’t have some of the final technical details. Currently MINI has only one light autonomous feature – adaptive cruise. While helpful it really does one thing – follow the car in front. MINI’s aim is to introduce this technology as an option meant primarily for highway purposes. When engaged, Driving Assistant Professional allows the driver to take their hands off the wheel at speeds of up to 37 mph (60 km/h), as long as they have their eyes on the road (as determined by an eye tracker) and are ready to intervene at any time. We’ve used this system in BMW’s extensively and it really does work as advertised – you can take your hands off the wheel entirely as long as your eyes are on the road. The car will stop, go, turn and even change lanes on command using the turn signal. The thin grey strip above “set” is one of the two LED lights that lets you know the system is active Once you reach 38 MPH the system switches modes and goes into a more simplistic autonomous setting which requires a driver’s hands to rest on the wheel. However the system works identically, following traffic, the curves of the road and will even change lanes based on the driver using the turn signal. However at these speeds the system requires hands-on the wheel or at least pressure of some kind. This feature has been optional on BMWs for years and in our experience is ideal for stop and go traffic. However MINI’s system adds a new wrinkle as it can identify gaps in traffic needed to change lanes to get to an exit. It then brings the vehicle to the optimum speed for assisted lane changes. The MINI will let know when it’s successfully on via two green lights on the steering wheel. When it can’t detect your eyes (in hands-free) or hands (at higher speeds) those green lights being to flash orange. While MINI is focused on that Level 2, hands-free mode intended mostly for traffic jams, it’s the higher speed (above 38 mph) that you’ll likely find much more useful. In this mode the system uses a combination of adaptive cruise and steering input to follow well marked highways without intervention. It uses steering and lane guidance assistant and also includes lane keeping, lane change assistant with active side collision protection and the emergency stop assistant. In our experience in BMW it’s a great feature for anyone who does long stretches highway driving. While it doesn’t take over completely and your hands have to remain on the wheel, it lessens the cognitive load on those long road-trips. Note the black area on the center of the grille of this F67 test mule. This is where the radar portion of the systems sensors reside.Autonomous Options Coming the MINI Cooper The Countryman won’t be the only MINI product with the new Level 2 Autonomous features. While we believe the entire range will eventually get the option, it’s the combustion F66 MINI Cooper that will get it at launch. Driving Assistant Professional replies several cameras and a front mounted radar in the grille. The system is actually made up of two options: Driving Assistant (5AS) and the Driving Assistant Plus (5AT). The U25 Countryman and the F66 Cooper will feature this system at launch while the electric J01 MINI Cooper and J05 MINI Aceman will eventually get them. The 2025 MINI Countryman Model Range The Countryman begins production this November in C, D and S All4 models. The electric production should begin this March alongside the new JCW Countryman. MINI Countryman – Electric ModelsDrivetrainGerman PricingUS PricingStart of ProductionU25 MINI Countryman E Electric43.500€ N/A03/2024U25 MINI Countryman SE ALL4Electric49.500€ $45,20003/2024*MINI Countryman – ICE ModelsU25 MINI Countryman CICE (Petrol)39.900€ N/A11/2023U25 MINI Countryman DICE (Diesel)42.900€ N/A11/2023U25 MINI Countryman S ALL4ICE (Petrol)45.900€ $38,90011/2023*U25 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4ICE (Petrol)56.500€ TBA03/2024** Available in the US at launchThis is Just the Start – An Entire New MINI Family is Coming The new J01 MINI Cooper electric and U25 MINI Countryman will begin production this November and will kick off the new MINI family. Then we’ll see the heavily revised F56 morph into the F66 internal combustion MINI Cooper. This will be MINI’s answer to all those who want a Cooper but aren’t ready for electric. Finally we’ll see the all electric MINI Aceman crossover which effectively takes the place of the beloved MINI Clubman. The Aceman will be a small crossover roughly the size of the original MINI Countryman and will be released late next year. For more coverage of the new generation MINI released recently, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post The 2025 MINI Countryman to Feature Level 2 Autonomous Driving first appeared on MotoringFile. The post The 2025 MINI Countryman to Feature Level 2 Autonomous Driving appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

The first real-world gallery along with an executive summary of the new 2025 MINI Countryman SE The MINI Countryman SE is a big deal for the brand. It’s on an all new platform that makes it both noticeably bigger and more powerful than ever. But wrapping your head around the size and the new styling isn’t easy (see all the negative commentary online). That’s why these photos are a big deal as they represent the first time MINI has released a full gallery of real-world shots of this all new 2025 MINI Countryman. In this article we’re not only going to show you a real-world view of the 2025 electric MINI Countryman but we’re going to take you on a quick tour of the car inside and out. For more details on the technical side of the car, head to our U25 section where you’ll read exclusive technical details among other things. Exterior – First Hands on Impressions Walking up to the all new MINI Countryman Electric for the first time you’re immediately struck by two things in quick succession. First, the size. This new Countryman now feels like a true crossover ready to fully compete in its segment. Then they it hits you – this thing has curves. Sculpture on the fenders. A vertical ridge just behind the front tire. There’s dimension to the car that we’ve never seen before in a MINI. Whether it all works for you or not, its clear MINI has The result is a Countryman that not only looks more sophisticated but also is more upright, athletic. A lot of that is missed in most still imagery but you can see some of that here. Countryman looks a bit challenging when we first saw it in the leaked photos from earlier this year. But in person things immediately start to connect. For one you get a sense of accurate scale. While it’s indeed larger, (5 inches in length) this new Countryman has proportions that work – maybe even better than the previous F60. While we’ve always loved the original R60 for its size and brashness, there was a lot going on from a styling perspective. Then there’s the F60 which looks a bit ungainly from some angles owning to proportions that always felt a touch off. This new Countryman fixes all of those issues with a new, simplistic design language that MINI calls Charismatic Minimalism. The philosophy replies on reducing the elements down to the absolutely core, creating a more minimal and sophisticated appearance. One thing that has been lost in the need for aero efficiency is the grab-style door handles. In their place are door handles that, while more aero efficient, are hard to grab and will annoy anyone not used to them. The front of the new Countryman is much more angular and upfront that we’ve seen previously. While there’s a reduction in shapes and materials upfront, it’s not as starkly minimal as the new Cooper. Instead MINI has patterns in the plastic fenders (which are still here as oppose to the new Cooper) and indents on the front splitter and rear bumper. But there’s no question this is one area that divides a lot of fans of the brand. It’s a big departure from the round designs we’ve seen from the past. Part of this departure has to do with the simplicity of the front bumper design. Interior – First Hands on Impressions Like the Cooper, the Countryman has done away with the cluster display and minimized other controls in the name of simplification. Not unlike the original MINI, the Countryman has been designed to do more with the space it has. For instance gone is the center console and shifter. In its place, just below the toggle switches is an optional Qi wireless charger for smartphones and behind that two large, integrated cupholders. You’ll be happy to know the design works well in that your phone is visible and continuously charging at the same time – all with no wires. And yes, the cupholders look big enough for most American-sized drinks. I say most because I am sad to report the ubiquitous Nalgene 32 oz water bottle will not fit in the door pocket as it does in the current F60. As a dedicated Naglene user who appreciates being hydrated, it feels like an unfortunate oversight. Like the new Cooper, MINI is offering a system that allows you to personalize your console with several options storage areas. Want more cupholders? You can add them just like you can add larger storage units as well. If that sounds familiar it’s because this new system is inspired by the original Countryman’s center rail, this new system allows for several different configurations with MINI’s upcoming accessory plans. But what makes this different than the rail system is that it’s also functional storage with no accessories at all. It’s worth noting that the two systems in the cars are not compatible due to the differences in width. One of the bigger criticisms inside has been the elimination of leather and the textiles used in place of polyurethane foam. I know it seems odd at first, but trust us, it looks and feels great in person. In fact after spending some time with the new MINIs (both have this as standard) you wonder why we’ve had black foam on cars for so long. The move from polyurethane based foam rubber outer layer to fabric makes sense for several reasons. For one it’s cooler in hot conditions which will play well in hot climates (which seems to be much of the southern US these days). Then there’s the environmental impact as it’s both made from recycled fibers and itself is easily recyclable. Finally it allows MINI to be much more bold (or not) in its interior designs. How does it feel? Very robust and clearly designed for a very long life-span. However my first thought was, how do I clean it? I asked folks from MINI that question and the answer was pretty simple – a damp cloth. Leather is also gone from the MINI range starting with this new generation. Due to the environmental impact of leather, MINI has brought several new materials to market that are aimed at either replacing the feel of leather or replacing it with entirely new textile based options. The most popular option will surely be Vescin, MINI’s leather replacement. For a deep dive on the material, read our exclusive look at Vescin. That New Circular Screen, the MINI OS9 Interface & A Projector? We’ve already done a full review of both so you’ll definitely want to check that out if you want all the details. But just like the Cooper, the new circular screen dominates the cabin in a good way, adding a clear focal point as well as being successful in combining enormous functionality into one screen. The other thing is does it clean-up the interior making the space more serene. The one thing that hasn’t been talked about much is the optional light projector behind the screen. It allows the car to extend the Experience Modes with projects light effects on the dash that, in the dark, is very striking. It may sound gimmicky but in real-life it’s a pretty compelling trick. And yes, it can also be turned off. Our Early Take This is a very different car than the original R60 MINI Countryman. Larger and more sophisticated, it’s lost some of the striking smallness of the original Countryman. But MINI’s aim was to listen to what consumers wanted and that’s clearly a larger, more capable crossover than even the F60 (much less the R60). But what do you think? Have a look at the full gallery below and let us know in the comments. The 2025 Electric MINI Countryman SE Photo Gallery The 2025 MINI Countryman Model Range MINI Countryman – Electric ModelsDrivetrainGerman PricingUS PricingStart of ProductionU25 MINI Countryman E Electric43.500€ N/A03/2024U25 MINI Countryman SE ALL4Electric49.500€ $45,20003/2024*MINI Countryman – ICE ModelsU25 MINI Countryman CICE (Petrol)39.900€ N/A11/2023U25 MINI Countryman DICE (Diesel)42.900€ N/A11/2023U25 MINI Countryman S ALL4ICE (Petrol)45.900€ $38,90011/2023*U25 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4ICE (Petrol)56.500€ TBA03/2024** Available in the US at launchThis is Just the Start – An Entire New MINI Family is Coming The new J01 MINI Cooper electric and U25 MINI Countryman (electric) will begin production this November with the the internal combustion U25 Countryman starting in Q1 2024. Then we’ll see the heavily revised F56 morph into the F66 internal combustion MINI Cooper. This will be MINI’s answer to all those who want a Cooper but aren’t ready for electric. Finally we’ll see the all electric MINI Aceman crossover which effectively takes the place of the beloved MINI Clubman. The Aceman will be a small crossover roughly the size of the original MINI Countryman and will be released late next year. For more coverage of the new generation MINI released recently, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post First Real-World Photo Gallery of the 2025 MINI Countryman SE first appeared on MotoringFile. The post First Real-World Photo Gallery of the 2025 MINI Countryman SE appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

The all new MINI Countryman is bigger and more expensive than ever. But the technical data tells a story of a car that is much more capable with more performance and surpassingly good range (on EV version). Is it enough? Let’s look at the data. The first thing that jumped out to us looking at the data is the curb weight. It’s up as we anticipated but (also as we predicted) not as much as you’d think given the size dan equipment increase. For instance the F60 2023 JCW Countryman weighs 3,688 lbs. Compare that to the all new U25 JCW Countryman at 3,825 lbs and you have only a 137 lbs difference. That’s likely due to the various weight savings measures that BMW built into the new FAAR platform including extensive use of aluminum and lighter steel. The 2025 U25 JCW CountrymanAnother area that surprised us was that the ICE powered JCW Countryman is not a mild-hybrid. The C has a 155 hp three cylinder coupled with a 19 hp electric engine. That combines to produce 167 hp with 206 lb or torque. The S (which we don’t have all the data on yet) has the same combo making 241 hp. However why does 19 hp and 155 hp not equal more than the 167 hp listed on the Countryman C? We’ll get that answer from MINI soon. Countryman ModelCountryman ECountryman SECountryman CCountryman SJCWPower204 hp313 hp167 hp241 hp313 hpTorqueTBDTBD206 lb295 lb295 lbTransmission1 Speed1 Speed7 speed DCT7 speed DCT7 speed DCTDrivetrainfront-wheelall-wheelfront-wheelall-wheelall-wheelPowertrain typeelectricelectricpetrolpetrolpetrolCylindersn/an/a344Displacementn/an/a149919981998Engine PowerN/AN/A156 hp / 4700 – 6500TBD313 hpEngine Torque N/AN/A177 hp / 4700 – 6500TBD295 lbElectric Power204 hp313 hp19 hp19 hpN/AElectric TorqueTBDTBD55 lbTBDN/AElectric Range (WLTP)287 miles270 milesN/AN/AN/A0-60 mphTBDTBD8.3TBD5.4Maximum speed105 mph112 mph132 mphTBD155 mphWLTP l/100 kmN/AN/A40.9 – 46.3TBD34 – 36.2WLTP CO2N/AN/A155 – 138TBD188 – 177Length (mm/inches)4444 / 1754444 / 1754444 / 1754444 / 1754444 / 175Width (mm/inches)1843 / 731843 / 731843 / 731843 / 731843 / 73Height (mm)TBDTBD1661 / 65TBD1665 / 66Wheelbase (mm)2069 / 812069 / 812069 / 812069 / 812069 / 81Curb weight (LBS)TBDTBD3,571 lbsTBD3,825 lbsFuel Capacity L/GallonsN/AN/A45 / 11.854 / 14.354 / 14.3Luggage capacity (liters)TBDTBD450 – 1450 LTBD505 – 1530 LWhat else do you see that surprises you? And do you have some figures that we don’t? Let us know in the comments below! The MINI Countryman EThe 2025 MINI Countryman Model Range MINI Countryman – Electric ModelsDrivetrainPricingStart of ProductionU25 MINI Countryman E Electric43.500€ 03/2024U25 MINI Countryman SE ALL4Electric49.500€ 03/2024*MINI Countryman – ICE ModelsU25 MINI Countryman CICE (Petrol)39.900€ 11/2023U25 MINI Countryman DICE (Diesel)42.900€ 11/2023U25 MINI Countryman S ALL4ICE (Petrol)45.900€ 11/2023*U25 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4ICE (Petrol)56.500€ 03/2024** Available in the US at launchFor more coverage of the new generation MINI released fall, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post 2025 MINI Countryman Technical Data Including Weight, Power & Range first appeared on MotoringFile. The post 2025 MINI Countryman Technical Data Including Weight, Power & Range appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

The all new 2025 MINI Countryman finally has US pricing, performance and range figures. As we’ve been reporting, MINIUSA is killing the base ICE model (formally known as the Cooper). Similarly we’ll only see the higher end electric Countryman SE in the US as well. But more interestingly are some of the figures also announced. The ICE powered 2024 Countryman S will start at $38,900 in the US. That will get you a fairly well equipped car but certainly not loaded. We’d expect roughly a $10k swing between this new base S model and a fully loaded version. The other news is that this new Countryman S model will have 241 hp and 295 lbs of torque from its mild hybrid 2.0 liter. That’s more than a 50 hp increase and more than the original F60 JCW model from just five years ago. The electric Countryman SE will start at $45,200. That’s JCW territory but then again it has more than JCW performance. With 313 hp and a staggering 363 lbs of torque, this Countryman can get to 60 mph in only 5.6 seconds. Perhaps more important to many potential owners will be the range. MINIUSA is estimating an EPA range of 245 miles. That’s substantially above our previous 225 mile estimate and coupled with 130 kW DC fast charging, is good news for would be owners. Order banks are now open and like previous limited edition MINIs, you can pre-order online at MINIUSA.com More info to come… The post MINIUSA Announces 2025 Countryman Pricing, Performance and Surprising Electric Range first appeared on MotoringFile. The post MINIUSA Announces 2025 Countryman Pricing, Performance and Surprising Electric Range appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

Working with its retail partners across Europe, MINI is rolling out direct sales in Europe starting with three countries; Italy, Poland and Sweden. This is the first step in MINI offering direct sales throughout Europe with the brand BMW brand to follow by 2026. What does this mean for European MINI stores? We’ve got answers. Retailers will remain personal interface to customer and earn fixed commission per car sold +++ Standard nationwide prices will increase price transparency for customers Next year the BMW Group is poised to embark on an ambitious transformation of its sales strategy, heralding a paradigm shift in sales strategy across Europe. BMW will do this in multiple stages, with the maiden chapter commencing on January 1, 2024, as the MINI brand begins direct sales in Italy, Poland, and Sweden. Subsequently, the remainder of European nations will progressively follow suit, with the BMW brand slated for its transition beginning in 2026. The new sales model promises a win-win scenario for customers, retail partners, and the BMW Group itself. It includes standardized pricing on equivalent vehicle models across the nation, ensuring an increase in pricing transparency and consistent sales and deliver experiences. Moreover, as the agency model gains momentum, the BMW Group is working to digitalize the entire purchase process, allowing customers the choice between a virtual or physical purchasing experience (or a combination of the two). This fluidity is made possible through a comprehensive, integrated IT infrastructure, further complemented by unfettered access to the familiar and tightly-knit retail network. “This transition to direct sales with retail partners is a key milestone in the realignment of our Sales division, which has been ongoing since 2020. The new sales model will enable us to communicate directly with our customers and give the BMW Group a direct customer interface. The aim of our new sales model is very clearly to increase customer satisfaction and offer the best premium customer experience in the industry.” Pieter Nota, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AGWith the new sales model firmly in place, the BMW Group will continue to rely on its existing network of retail partners, harnessing one of its intrinsic strengths – a highly functional and well-established sales structure. This novel approach was meticulously crafted through an extensive process, involving active engagement with retail partners. Pieter Nota expresses his gratitude, stating, “I would like to say a big thank-you to our retailers for their constructive cooperation and the very positive feedback they have given us by signing 100% of our MINI agency contracts. That’s clear confirmation of our plans to move forward together.” The BMW Group anticipates an enduring demand for personal customer interaction, with retail partners at the epicenter of this crucial interaction. According to BMW, the agency model allows current retailers a forward-looking foundation for their business, replete with enhanced planning certainty. Key to this is retailers being reimbursed through a calculated fixed commission for each vehicle sold. This compensation structure will extend to online transactions, ensuring that retailers are duly rewarded for vehicle deliveries. The new sales model allows them to channel their energies towards providing top-tier customer consultations and care, along with unfettered access to a much larger inventory of MINIs. Feedback from retailers has been overwhelmingly positive, as all European partners have already inked contracts for this new sales model. The best part for consumers; effective immediately, customers in Italy, Poland, and Sweden have the ability to pre-order for the new all-electric MINI Cooper and the new MINI Countryman 100% online. The post MINI Launches Direct Sales of Cars In Europe first appeared on MotoringFile. The post MINI Launches Direct Sales of Cars In Europe appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

The German version of the J01 MINI Cooper configurator is live! The site went live late yesterday giving us our first look at all of the new MINI colors, options and trim packages. What is also tells us is how MINI intends to group options into Trims and pricing of it all. It all points to a new strategy for how you’ll configure MINIs in the future. The Trim Strategy As you can see above the new J01 MINI Cooper EV will have two models at launch the Cooper E and the Cooper SE. Each will have trims Essential, Classic, Favoured and JCW. Which each of those trims you can see MINI is limiting choices like color, wheels and interior materials as well. This isn’t a new move by MINI but it’s clearly leaning into the trim being the most important decision as you begin to spec your new MINI Cooper. J01 MINI Cooper EV Pricing Now let’s talk about pricing for a moment. For those in the US looking at these numbers and doing quick calculations, you’ll likely be a bit concerned. Don’t be yet as EU pricing doesn’t translate 1:1 to US pricing as there are several things built into that price that the US doesn’t have. Also it’s important to remember that MINI has yet to formally comment on US availability for the J01 MINI Cooper. However we do know from our sources that MINI USA intends to bring the car to the US once UK production commences in 2026. The J01 MINI Cooper EV Range Varies Based on Options Until now we’ve just seen one number of range on the Cooper E and Cooper SE. Now we get to see how options impact the range. While the stock Cooper SE will get 250 miles of range. The same car in JCW trim will only see 240 due to the wider tires and extra aero package. While that’s not a massive change it’s worth understanding the impact of those options if you’re looking to maximize range. Head over to MINI.de and let us know what else you find! The J01 2025 MINI Cooper EV Configurator (German) The Entire New MINI Family Things kicked off with the new J01 MINI Cooper electric and U25 MINI Countryman (electric & ICE) publicly debuting at the Munich Motor Show last week. While MINI hasn’t confirmed production timing, our sources have confirmed that the J01 will go into production this fall in China and will be sold in Europe, Asia and South America initially. The J01 MINI Cooper electric and U25 MINI Countryman will be followed by the internal combustion U25 Countryman which will be shown later this year. Then we’ll see the heavily revised F56 morph into the F66 internal combustion MINI Cooper, built in Oxford. This will be MINI’s answer to all those who want a Cooper but aren’t ready for electric. Finally in 2024 we’ll see the all electric MINI Aceman crossover which effectively takes the place of the beloved MINI Clubman. Built initially in China, the small crossover (roughly the size of the original MINI Countryman) will expand with Oxford production in 2026. The New MINI FamilyDrivetrainPricingStart of ProductionJ01 MINI Cooper EElectric32,900€ 11/2023J01 MINI Cooper SE Electric36,900€ 11/2023U25 MINI Countryman CICE (Petrol)39.900€ 11/2023U25 MINI Countryman D ICE (Diesel)42.900€ 11/2023U25 MINI Countryman E Electric43.500€ 03/2024U25 MINI Countryman S ALL4ICE (Petrol)45.900€ 11/2023*U25 MINI Countryman SE ALL4Electric49.500€ 03/2024*U25 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4ICE (Petrol)56.500€ 03/2024*F66 MINI CooperICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024*F66 MINI Cooper SICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024*F66 MINI Cooper JCWICE (Petrol)TBD11/2024*F65 MINI Cooper 5 DoorICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024*F65 MINI Cooper S 5 DoorICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024*F67 MINI Cooper ConvertibleICE (Petrol)TBDTBD*F67 MINI Cooper S ConvertibleICE (Petrol)TBDTBD*J05 MINI AcemanElectricTBDTBDJ05 MINI Aceman SElectricTBDTBD* Available in the US at launchFor more coverage of the new generation MINI released today, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post The New J01 MINI Cooper Configurator is Live! first appeared on MotoringFile. The post The New J01 MINI Cooper Configurator is Live! appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

Our Best Look Yet At The All New 2025 MINI Cooper SE MotoringFile has exhausted every detail you can imagine on the all new 2025 MINI Cooper Se with just a couple of exceptions. The biggest of course is how it drives. We won’t know that until next year unfortunately. However the second is what is actually looks like outside of the photo studio and on public roads. We can now check that box with 70 photos of the car on the streets of Munich. Along with the massive gallery we also wanted to provide a bit of an executive summary on the new car for those who are just getting up to speed on the next generation MINI Cooper EV. Overview of the All New MINI Cooper EV The J01 2025 MINI Cooper EV (2024 in some markets) is a watershed product for the brand. It introduces a new design language for the brand and is the first ground-up electric MINI. How does it look? Having been hands-on and gotten to know the car, we’ve grown to really like it. At first glance the Blazing Blue MINI Cooper SE looked evolutionary until the proportions start to register and you notice the details. Once you give it a few seconds you begin to notice the stark simplicity of the front. Gone are the faux vents, scoops and creases. In fact there’s really not a single design element that doesn’t have purpose functionally. That in itself is a massive departure from most modern MINIs save the original R50. With the J01 we have something that feels honed and evolved with a less is more philosophy. You’ll also notice how sculpted the side of the new J01 is. This is a big change from MINI and the first time we’ve seen anything like it on the Cooper. Many of these shots give you a great look at how the J01’s sculpted sides look in daylight with real shadows. I’m sure it’s controversial but to us its photos like this that make the rear taillights make more sense. In person they feel proportional and seem to flow with the voluptuous rear fenders well. How Big is the New 2025 MINI Cooper EV In a as few words, not big at all. But there are some key differences and areas that have gown. The biggest is the wheelbase which the EV platform has allowed to lengthen. This has creating more interior space despite being essentially the same length as the F56. R56 MINI CooperF56 ICE MINI CooperJ01 2025 Electric MINI CooperLength3698 mm / 145.6 in3850 mm / 151.57 in3860 mm / 151.91 inHeight1407 mm / 55.4 in1414 mm / 55.67 in1435 mm / 56.49 inWheelbase2467 mm / 97.1 in2495 mm / 98.23 in2525 mm / 99.40Is The New MINI Cooper EV Coming to the US? Recently BMW Group made the announcement official with a promise to invest over £600 million into the MINI factories located in Oxford and Swindon. With this the Oxford plant will be gearing up to produce two new all-electric MINI models starting in 2026, the MINI Cooper 3-door and the compact crossover MINI Aceman. The will pave the way for US imports of the J01 MINI Cooper EV around 2027. That US launch could also coincide with a refresh and perhaps even a model with greater range. 2025 MINI Cooper EV Range and Performance The new MINI Cooper EV is built on a dedicated electric platform allowing it to have more space efficiency, higher range and better performance. What does better mean? As you can see below it appears to be double the range on the WLTP cycle based on the numbers provided by MINI. Real world testing might have different results but it’s a huge increase nonetheless. 2025 J01 MINI Cooper E2025 J01 MINI Cooper SE2026 J01 MINI JCW2023 F56 MINI Cooper SEHorsepower184 hp218 hp250 hp*181 hpRange (WLTP)200 miles250 milesTBA125 milesRange (EPA)150 miles (Estimated)200 miles (Estimated)TBA110 milesBattery Size40kWh54kWh54kWh*32.6 kWhAll numbers provided by MINI except * which are confirmed only through unofficial sources.The new J01 MINI is available in the Cooper E variant (with a higher output and higher range). The 135 kW/184 hp electric motor of the MINI Cooper E generates a torque of 290 Nm, accelerating the vehicle from standstill to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. There’s never been a base electric Cooper before, but that’s identical to the previous generation electric Cooper SE time and a second faster than the F56 ICE Cooper. With an output of 160 kW/218 hp, the MINI Cooper SE does 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds with a maximum torque of 330 Nm. That’s .6 seconds faster than the previous electric Cooper SE and the same time as the previous ICE powered Cooper S. The range determined according to the WLTP test cycle is up to 190 miles (305 kilometers) for the MINI Cooper E based on the high-voltage battery with 40.7 kWh of capacity. Using very rough math that would put the Cooper at an estimated 148 miles range. In the MINI Cooper SE, the calculated WLTP range increases to a maximum of 250 miles or 402 kilometers with to a battery capacity of 54.2 kWh. Again using rough math that would be roughly a 200 mile range with EPA test procedures. However it’s important to note that this is using averaged data where the EPA range is typically around 20% lower than what we see with WLTP testing. In our experience the answer lies somewhere in the middle. MINI’s new circular digital experience. Yes you can turn off the animated dog.The New MINI Digital Experience in the 2025 MINI Cooper EV At the heart of MINI’s rethought interior is a single circular OLED display that promised to radically change how you interact with a MINI. Let’s start with the specs. The circular OLED screen is 9.5” (240 mm) wide however because of the bottom cutout measures about 9” in height. While it may seem like unusual design given the rectangles we’re all used to, it feels very natural in person thanks to the way MINI has organized the information. The “Charismatic Simplicity” design language (as MINI calls it) is focused on both minimalism and a bit of MINI character. The circular OLED display seamlessly accommodates both static and dynamic elements, with a clear and intuitive hierarchy (despite the shape). The top portion is dedicated to critical driving information which is close to your direct line of sight when looking through the windshield. For those opting for the optional Head-up display, vital driving details are projected directly into the driver’s field of view. At the center of the screen lies the start menu, providing a hub for personalized content accessible through easy side-swipes. Just below, a fixed status bar houses essential menu items like “Navigation,” “Media,” “Telephony,” “All Apps,” and contextually, “Home,” all within direct reach. The tool belt can also be activated with a press of the star button on the multifunction steering wheel. The middle houses three live widgets that allows apps to run and display information. For instance you could have your paired phone to the left and your music playing to the right and the navigation app running in the center. All positions have the ability to show live updates and allow for a quick top to maximize. At the bottom are three zones. The left and right house the dual climate zones which felt very different than other similar experiences due to micro-animations. The center is what Mac users will likely refer to as the dock. Like a smartphone to allows you to place shortcuts for commonly used apps as well as open the full app view much like the home screen on an iPhone. The pixel density is so high we couldn’t even see any. But perhaps more important was the responsiveness. While this was a pre-production J01 MINI, the experience was fluid and full of micro-animations that felt immediately more modern than even the latest iDrive system in new BMWs. The experience felt almost at iOS levels of intuitive and the interactions and animations felt natural. The Revolutionary Interior of the The 2025 MINI Cooper EV MINI invited MotoringFile to be one of the first outlets in the world to experience the all new MINI family and it gave us a chance to spend a good deal of time talking to the designers and smoking it all in. This is a massive change from what we’ve known since the new MINI launched in 201. In fact it’s closer to the 1959 Mini in concept than any of the previous new MINIs of the last 20 years. But we’ll let the video do the talking for us. The 2025 MINI Cooper EV – Real-World Photo Gallery The Entire New MINI Family Things kicked off with the new J01 MINI Cooper electric and U25 MINI Countryman (electric & ICE) publicly debuting at the Munich Motor Show last week. While MINI hasn’t confirmed production timing, our sources have confirmed that the J01 will go into production this fall in China and will be sold in Europe, Asia and South America initially. The J01 MINI Cooper electric and U25 MINI Countryman will be followed by the internal combustion U25 Countryman which will be shown later this year. Then we’ll see the heavily revised F56 morph into the F66 internal combustion MINI Cooper, built in Oxford. This will be MINI’s answer to all those who want a Cooper but aren’t ready for electric. Finally in 2024 we’ll see the all electric MINI Aceman crossover which effectively takes the place of the beloved MINI Clubman. Built initially in China, the small crossover (roughly the size of the original MINI Countryman) will expand with Oxford production in 2026. The New MINI FamilyDrivetrainPricingStart of ProductionJ01 MINI Cooper EElectric32,900€ 11/2023J01 MINI Cooper SE Electric36,900€ 11/2024U25 MINI Countryman CICE (Petrol)39.900€ 11/2023U25 MINI Countryman D ICE (Diesel)42.900€ 11/2023U25 MINI Countryman E Electric43.500€ 03/2024U25 MINI Countryman S ALL4ICE (Petrol)45.900€ 11/2023*U25 MINI Countryman SE ALL4Electric49.500€ 03/2024*U25 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4ICE (Petrol)56.500€ 03/2024*F66 MINI CooperICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024*F66 MINI Cooper SICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024*F66 MINI Cooper JCWICE (Petrol)TBD11/2024*F65 MINI Cooper 5 DoorICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024*F65 MINI Cooper S 5 DoorICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024*F67 MINI Cooper ConvertibleICE (Petrol)TBDTBD*F67 MINI Cooper S ConvertibleICE (Petrol)TBDTBD*J05 MINI AcemanElectricTBDTBDJ05 MINI Aceman SElectricTBDTBD* Available in the US at launch For more coverage of the new generation MINI, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post 2025 MINI Cooper EV – First Real World Photo Gallery first appeared on MotoringFile. The post 2025 MINI Cooper EV – First Real World Photo Gallery appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

MINI’s next generation MINI Cooper EV and Countryman EV just got a lot more compelling. The BMW Group (BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce) have announced a switch to the North American Charging Standard (NACS) and that Tesla is opening its massive Supercharge network to the brands. In the coming months Tesla and the BMW Group will be working to bring a seamless charging experience to customers. The goal will be allow BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce drivers to identify and access Supercharger stations through their vehicle’s integrated interface, while simplifying payment processing through the dedicated applications of each respective automotive brand. In practice that should mean a MINI driver will see Tesla Superchargers as charging options and will be billed through the MINI app itself. “With six fully electric BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce models now available in the U.S. market, and more to come, it is our top priority to ensure that our drivers have easy access to reliable, fast charging. This agreement is the latest in our longstanding and continued effort to expand charging options for our customers as we continue on the road to electrification.” Sebastian Mackensen, President & CEO, BMW of North AmericaFurthermore, the BMW Group (including MINI) has committed to integrating the North American Charging Standard (NACS) into its electric vehicle offerings across the United States and Canada, with implementation scheduled for 2025. This is a huge move for the brand and will ease one of biggest issues with the electric ownership experience we’ve had over the years. Interestingly BMW had recently announced a massive joint venture that would bring a staggering 30,000 additional chargers to the US. At the time we thought it was interesting that BMW called out the program would be utilizing either the Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS). Now we know why they were rather vague. Even still it’s crucial to note that this agreement functions independently from this recent partnership with General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz Group, and Stellantis NV. While this joint venture will greatly help existing and future EVs from BMWs, MINIs and Rolls Royce, it’s clearly part of a multi-prong strategy to eliminate barriers to EV ownership. a Game Changer for The MINI Cooper EV We have to admit a bit of jealously as we saw other automakers announce their plans to adopt the NACS charging standard that Tesla is known for. The primary reason of course is the pervasiveness of the network itself. In fact one could easily argue that Tesla’s greatest success hasn’t been its cars but the strategy behind its expansive charging network. Tesla currently has over 30,000 charging stations in the United States including over 20,000 Superchargers and over 10,000 Destination Chargers. By 2025 you can surely expect that to grow – specifically with more high speed Superchargers in the mix. One thing to keep in mind with this program however. It’s unclear just how many of Tesla’s charging stations will be available for use by other automakers like BMW and MINI. While Ford, GM, Rivian, and now Mercedes-Benz owners have access now, only about 70% of the Tesla network is available to them. So the details of this agreement will matter and at this time we don’t have all of them. Still this is a huge development for future electric MINI Cooper and Countryman owners. In our time with various electric MINIs and BMWs, the charging network has always been the real achilles heel. Yes the range of a MINI Cooper SE and BMW i3 does create some anxiety. But it’s the sparseness and the unreliability of the current charging network that is the bigger issue. This move will help considerably. The post Breaking: MINI to Adopt Tesla Charging Standard and Supercharger Network in North America first appeared on MotoringFile. The post Breaking: MINI to Adopt Tesla Charging Standard and Supercharger Network in North America appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

If you’ve been reading MotoringFile you’ll know that MINI is releasing two new MINI Cooper models next year; the J01 electric and F66 internal combustion. However one of those isn’t new at all. The new (ICE) F66 MINI is actually a heavily refreshed version of the F56 that debuted in 2013. However the term heavily refreshed couldn’t be more true as MINI has gone to great lengths to make this last ICE powered MINI feel completely new. Based in spy photos we can see that the new ICE powered F66 MINI Cooper will have nearly an identical interior as the J01 MINI Cooper. That means we’ll see the same design ethos and aesthetic carried over from the circular display, to the dash projector to the textile material throughout the cabin. These photos confirm the new circular display and other elements destined for the F66 family of MINIsHaving spent time with this interior on the J01, we know it’s extremely minimal with an entirely new design language. For MINI fans it will be a huge departure from MINI’s retro-futuristic design it’s had since 2001. Simple and round is the theme with the interior dominated by a round 9.5″ OLED display in the center of the dash and bold new materials throughout the cabin. Like in the J01 MINI Cooper electric and new U25 Countryman, the F66 interior starts with eliminating much of what we’ve come to expect inside of a car. Gone is leather, polyurethane dashboards and even that familiar rectangular screen in the center. In their places are more environmentally friendly materials and simpler forms that feel more connected to the classic 1959 Mini than the 2023 MINI this car replaces. While we don’t have confirmation of the entire design, we can clearly see elements of the J01 that have made it to the F66. The circular screen, new seats and even the rear view mirror all are straight out of the J01 MINI Cooper electric. The new MINI seats – completely devoid of leather.Seen in recent photos is the clear outline of MINI’s new one-piece seats with optional electric adjustment. Again with a focus on simplicity, MINI has eliminated the thigh bolster from the latest generation of sport seats and designed a bottom cushion that extends further outward reducing the need for additional support. I’m 6’2? and have relied on that thigh bolster in every MINI and BMW that offers it. And yet I see how MINI has shaped this new seat to limit the need. No it’s not as supportive but it’s noticeably better than the R50 for R56 seats which also didn’t offer a thigh-bolster. Also new is a complete lack of leather. Why? You can read our deep dive on the reasons and MINI’s replacement Vescin here. But no matter how you feel about the lack of leather, the feel of its replacement will likely be impressive. We were shocked at the quality – especially the steering wheel as it felt like Nappa leather found on the optional MINI Yours steering wheel. We expect the new F66 MINI Cooper to take the steering wheel directly from the J01 MINI Cooper EVThe New Vegan Friendly Steering Wheel That’s Secretly A Two-Spoke The new MINI steering wheel, like most elements here, will spread across the entire MINI family as more models are introduced. As the center part of the driving experience MINI has clearly gone to great lengths to hone the look and (crucially) the feel. In hand it feels fantastic with excellent material quality and great feel. Normally this wouldn’t be big news but this is MINI’s first fully vegan friendly model. One other interesting design note – it may not look it, but MINI has brought back the two-spoke steering wheel is the new MINI family. The center spoke is actually just a piece of fabric that visually connects the rim to the center of the wheel. It may sound like a recipe for disaster in terms of wear and tear but this is very thick and robust fabric that we’re told passed all of BMW’s rigorous durability tests perfectly. The J01 interior – the F66 should see most if not all of this design.2025 MINI Cooper – Mix Of Digital & Physical Controls Knowing that the circular display is at the heart of the F66, we can assume that the heating and cooling controls have been moved into the center screen as MINI has gone to great lengths to eliminate physical controls in the line-up. While that is is generally a recipe for disaster for in-car experience, we get a sense in talking to the designers that MINI has learned from the mistakes of brands like VW and even parent company BMW. Our own early hands-on time has corroborated this. The J01 MINI Cooper and its minimal, dash mounted gear lever But MINI’s rethink of heating and cooling doesn’t end there. Even the vents have been radically simplified with a design that is both minimal and blends them into the dash. In fact the center venting system is almost completely hidden just below the circular OLED display. But crucially the controls for all the vents (even the hidden ones) are intuitive and designed with a very tactile and satisfying feel based on our hands-on experience with the J01. One thing MINI will be keeping physical is the gear lever. But just what exact design that takes on is yet to be seen. It could borrow the J01’s design which is a small toggle just below the screen or it could be an evolution of the F56’s center mounted lever. If we had to guess we’d imagine MINI would push to create consistency with the J01 and its ultra minimal approach. What’s still unclear is how MINI will handle the gear lever in the 2025 ICE MINI CooperThe New MINI Digital Experience & Circular Display Let’s start with the specs. The circular OLED screen is 9.5” (240 mm) wide however because of the bottom cutout measures about 9” in height. While it may seem like unusual design given the rectangles we’re all used to, it feels very natural in person thanks to the way MINI has organized the information. The “Charismatic Simplicity” design language (as MINI calls it) is focused on both minimalism and a bit of MINI character. The circular OLED display seamlessly accommodates both static and dynamic elements, with a clear and intuitive hierarchy (despite the shape). The top portion is dedicated to critical driving information which is close to your direct line of sight when looking through the windshield. While we didn’t drive the car we did sit in it for quite awhile and it felt like something we’d get use to within a drive or two. For those opting for the optional Head-up display, vital driving details are projected directly into the driver’s field of view. The pixel density is so high we couldn’t even see any. But perhaps more important was the responsiveness. While this was a pre-production J01 MINI, the experience was fluid and full of micro-animations that felt immediately more modern than even the latest iDrive system in new BMWs. The experience felt almost at iOS levels of intuitive and the interactions and animations felt natural. MINI’s Secret Weapon – An All-New Technology Stack Knowing that the F66 is borrowing the experience from the J01 MINI Cooper and U25 Countryman, we can expect a massive change in technology behind the scenes on the F66 that future-proofs the experience itself. That future-proofing starts with Android Open Source Project (AOSP) software stack which does several things for MINI. For one it allows MINI to leverage the massive scale of the Android App store which MINI will create their own subset of. But more importantly it allows MINI to leverage the army of Android engineers worldwide meaning that the platform MINI will rely on for future innovation is open and has a bright future. But don’t mistake the software stack as influencing the user experience. That’s 100% MINI’s own thinking and execution built on top of what is invisible but powerful technology. It’s also important to remember we’re not talking about Android Auto here. That is what is known as projection software. AOSP is the the open source layer MINI’s system is built on. Wireless Android Auto and CarPlay will run on top of it as projection layers should owners prefer that experience. For a more detailed view of the new MINI Digital experience, read our full review. The J01 MINI Cooper ElectricAn Exclusive Look at the Entire New MINI Models Most models will receive a notable power increase with the exception of the Euro Countryman JCW and the F66 JCW. Also note that the US will not be getting the Countryman C and will only receive the S and JCW. The New MINI Countryman FamilyDrivetrainPricingStart of ProductionU25 MINI Countryman C (1)167 HP (Petrol)39.900€11/2023U25 MINI Countryman D (1)TBA42.900€11/2023U25 MINI Countryman S ALL4 214 HP (Petrol)45.900€11/2023U25 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4312 hp (2)56.500€03/2024The New MINI Cooper FamilyDrivetrainPricingStart of ProductionF66 MINI Cooper155 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F66 MINI Cooper S200 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F66 MINI Cooper JCW231 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024F65 MINI Cooper 5 DoorICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door200 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F67 MINI Cooper ConvertibleICE (Petrol)TBD11/2024 (est)F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible200 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024 (est)F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible231 HP (Petrol)TBD03/2025 (est)1. Not available in the US. 2. US HP figure – the EU will get 300 hp.The U25 MINI Countryman ElectricFor more coverage of the new generation MINI, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post F66 (ICE) 2025 MINI Cooper to Feature All New Interior Design first appeared on MotoringFile. The post F66 (ICE) 2025 MINI Cooper to Feature All New Interior Design appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

MINI is Killing the Manual But There’s a Chance to Buy One before They’re Gone for Good. What was once unthinkable has finally happened. MINI has announced that the manual is ending production. Earlier this year we reported that MINI had made the decision to end manual production in when the F56 makes way for the refreshed F66 ICE MINI Cooper, Cooper S and JCW models. When is it happening and how can you still order one? We’ve got answers. Why Is MINI Killing the Manual? The Answer Will Surprise you. First let’s give you some context. It’s as shocking as it is inevitable. Shocking because of the manual’s continued popularity in markets like the US. Since the announcement on MotoringFile, manual take rates of the F56 JCW hardtop is at 52%. Clearly on some models (and with some buyers) it’s a very popular choice. It’s also a huge part of the brand’s history and slots well into the MINI’s core philosophy of creating cars that are engaging the drive. Why would MINI eliminate manuals despite the fact that the F66 (the replacement of for the F56) is mechanically identical and could theoretically carry over the current Getrag 6 speed? It’s about simplifying drivetrains components, cutting costs within manufacturing and for Europe (where CO2 targets are much more stringent) making MINIs pollute less. Well sort of. The manual isn’t necessarily dirtier than the auto. However the way cars are tested for CO2 emissions makes the manual particularly vulnerable. Automakers can tightly control C02 emissions with an auto because there’s so much control to be had with software. The very nature of a manual is that the driver has control and thus there are more variables at play during testing – almost a limitless number. Some of those variables produce higher C02 emissions in testing – despite the fact that a manual is often not any more dirty than an automatic MINI. This is forcing European automakers hands and causing many to eliminate the option. However in markets like US, where CO2 targets don’t have the same impact, why not continue to offer it? That’s likely down to the business case. Offering it one country means that the volumes go down dramatically which means MINI is spending more per unit and MINI would lose a chance to simplify the production process just has it’s about to get more complex with new models. But more than that the amount of time and money that would be spent to test, validate and federalize a manual option for one market simply doesn’t make sense at the prices that MINIs are sold for. How You Can Still Buy a MINI Manual Transmission MINI The MINI 1to6 Edition is billed last the last manual transmission MINI for several markets. But the reality is that many markets globally will retain the ability to order a manual on the F55, F56 and F57 until production end in February of 2024. That gives manual fans a chance to specify and order the exact manual transmission MINI they want. If you considering ordering a manual MINI, here’s how to get one. Don’t wait until the last minute. There’s already a high demand and that will likely get higher. If you have a good relationship with a MINI dealer, you can typically order a month out of next month’s production. But in this case we’d strongly recommend ordering your car in late December or early January at the latest. Verifying you have a production slot with your sales representative is critical as once it’s gone, you’ll have no recourse. If the 1to6 Edition is to your liking then you should get on with ordering one right now. In many markets globally they’re sold out and others (like the US) the supply seems to dwindling. Oh and if you’re curious, here’s what we would order. The post How to Get One of the Last Manual Transmission MINI Coopers first appeared on MotoringFile. The post How to Get One of the Last Manual Transmission MINI Coopers appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

After a number of ups and downs over the last weekend of races, Clay Williams scored enough points to secure the coveted Driver’s Championship in the fiercely competitive Touring Car (TC) class of the 2023 SRO TC America series. This milestone victory marked the first Driver’s Championship for the 21-year-old from Oakley, California. The MINI JCW Team, run by LAP Motorsports, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., was also honored with the title of Crew of the Year by the series’ esteemed cadre of participants and competitors. Williams amassed an impressive tally of five first-place finishes, five second-place finishes, and one third-place finish, contributing to 11 out of the team’s remarkable 21 podium appearances across this season in both the TC and Touring Car A (TCA) classes. Williams left an indelible mark by achieving an impressive four consecutive victories, securing the 1st in four consecutive races. The MINI JCW Team, under the leadership of Luis Perocarpi and Rob Ridgely at LAP Motorsports, was also awarded Crew of the Year by the series’ distinguished participants and competitors. This remarkable recognition from their fellow competitors is a testament to their outstanding performance, made even more extraordinary by the fact that the team operates with just three full-time crew members. Throughout the season, these dedicated crew members received invaluable support from over 20 skilled MINI dealer technicians, who worked hand-in-hand with the team during practice, qualifying, and race days as part of the MINI Technician Race Crew Program. Their contributions ranged from intricate engine replacements to bodywork, all executed right in the paddock, amidst the hustle and bustle of on-track sessions. SRO America Indy 8 Hour 2023I am simply overwhelmed by the pride I feel for this exceptional team, following yet another immensely successful season. Our consistent performance, unparalleled in the paddock, stands as a testament to Clay’s flawless driving and the exceptional caliber of our crew, as recognized by our fellow competitors. Luis Perocarpi, team owner at LAP MotorsportsClay Williams was not the lone star on the MINI JCW Team to grace the podium this season. Williams’ close friend and teammate, 20-year-old Cristian Perocarpi, achieved an impressive seven podium finishes in the #37 MINI JCW PRO, including a noteworthy second-place finish at both Circuit of the Americas and Road America. Team veteran P.J. Groenke also made his mark, clinching three podium finishes in the #62 MINI JCW in the TCA class. His remarkable journey included his maiden career win at Virginia International Raceway and third-place finishes at NOLA Motorsports Park and Road America. To make the season even more memorable, Williams, Perocarpi, and Groenke were joined by a stellar cast of drivers, including Bruce Myrehn, Landon Lewis, and MINI Canada’s Alain Lauziere, who all competed fiercely in the TCA class. The MINI JCW Race Team concluded the SRO TC America Series as the runner-up in both the Manufacturer’s Championship and Team Championship, just missing out on a triple crown of championships for 2023. SRO America Indy 8 Hour 2023SRO America Indy 8 Hour 2023SRO America Indy 8 Hour 2023SRO America Indy 8 Hour 2023SRO America Indy 8 Hour 2023SRO America Indy 8 Hour 2023SRO America Indy 8 Hour 2023The post Clay Williams Wins the SRO TC Driver’s Championship for the JCW Race Team first appeared on MotoringFile. The post Clay Williams Wins the SRO TC Driver’s Championship for the JCW Race Team appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

Our MINI Countryman Cooper S Untamed edition has left the building. It’s been our daily driver for the past 12 months and has been the epitome of a loyal friend. But how does it compare with what else is out there from the brand and the forthcoming U25 Countryman? We took to the streets of Chicago for a one-take video review to tell you exactly what I’ve been thinking over the past 14,000 miles. Let’s get past the very “on the nose” name Untamed for a moment and talk about this Countryman. This might be the best looking MINI Countryman we’ve ever seen that doesn’t have the JCW letters on it. Starting with an all-new color, Momentum Grey, MINI has crafted a unique, aggressive, yet sophisticated look. Color-coded logos, unique side graphics, wheels and side scuttles all add details that make this car special. Inside it’s all about those gorgeous lounge leather seats which are finished in Highland Green lounge leather and a new textile that almost looks like wool. Add to this unique trim and you have an interior that might just be the star of the show here. But how does it drive and what is it like to live with for 12 months? And just how reliable are these new MINIs? Find out in the video above. The post Video Review: 2023 MINI Countryman Untamed: the Good, The Weird & The Surprises first appeared on MotoringFile. The post Video Review: 2023 MINI Countryman Untamed: the Good, The Weird & The Surprises appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

MINI is following BMW’s lead and will be offering larger, more aggressive JCW brakes on most MINI models starting next year. What are the differences and which models will get the option? We have exclusive information from sources that answers these questions and gives us insight into what other JCW options we’ll see across the range. Over the last several years BMW M has seen huge successes from offering various M derived options in non-M cars. That model will be mirrored by MINI and their re-branded performance arm JCW starting with the 4th generation MINI family. We’ll see things like JCW body-kits, seats, steering wheel and brakes offered as factory options on the EV J01 MINI Cooper EV, EV/ICE U25 Countryman and the ICE F66 MINI Cooper family. The current generation after sales version of the JCW brakes. We expect this new generation to be a similar four piston set-up in the front.JCW Brakes – Technical Specs The current JCW after sales brake kit for the F56 is made up of a 4-piston fixed caliper in chili red with John Cooper Works branding and an internally ventilated, drilled brake disk up front (335x30mm). In the back (where there’s less weight to worry about) MINI has a single piston floating caliper in chili red and a disk that’s 259x10mm. The size will increase and likely be very similar to the massive brakes offered on the current JCW Countryman and Clubman. Rear sizing might also increase slightly on the EV models as the weight distribution will likely be closer to 50/50. Perhaps just as importantly they will feature more aggressive pads which help the car have a more firm bite and less fade on track. On the current range of JCW products, the brakes create a much more controlled experience on the track or in spirited driving. In fact the brakes on the current Clubman and Countryman (and GP) are substantially larger than stock and drastically change the experience in even day to day driving. The option will be internally known as 3C1 and will require JCW wheels to accommodate the larger calipers. JCW wheels and brakes can be seen on the text mule.F66 MINI Cooper – JCW Wheels, Seats and Other Options While we expect these options on the J01 MINI Cooper EV and the U25 Countryman, we have more details on the ICE powered F66 MINI family. The JCW brakes will also be offered next to JCW seats (option 4FN) JCW trim (7KQ) and a JCW steering wheel (2XK). JCW will also offer several wheels and tire package that will be branded JCW as well. Here’s the full list of all JCW options we should see at launch: CodeName1KL17” John Cooper Works Sprint Spoke black1KP18” John Cooper Works Lap Spoke 2-tone1KQ18″ John Cooper Works lap spoke 2-tone with sport tires2XKJohn Cooper Works sport steering wheel4FNJohn Cooper Works sport seats7KQJohn Cooper Works TrimExclusive: 2025 MINI Cooper and Countryman Production & Release Dates There will still be a lot to choose from across the internal combustion range from MINI – as long as you like 2.0 liter engines. Most models will receive a notable power increase with the exception of the Euro Countryman JCW and the F66 JCW. Also note that the US will not be getting the Countryman C and will only receive the S and JCW. The New MINI Cooper EVDrivetrainPricingStart of ProductionJ01 MINI Cooper E (1)184 hp (EV)32,900€ 11/2023J01 MINI Cooper SE 218 hp (EV)36,900€ 11/2024The New MINI Countryman (EV & ICE)U25 MINI Countryman C (1)167 HP (Petrol)39.900€ 11/2023U25 MINI Countryman D (1)TBA (Diesel)42.900€ 11/2023U25 MINI Countryman E 204 hp (EV)43.500€ 03/2024U25 MINI Countryman S ALL4214 hp (Petrol)45.900€ 11/2023*U25 MINI Countryman SE ALL4313 HP (EV)49.500€ 03/2024*U25 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4313 HP (Petrol) 256.500€ 03/2024*The Heavily Revised MINI Cooper ICEF66 MINI Cooper155 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024*F66 MINI Cooper S200 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024*F66 MINI Cooper JCW231 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024*F65 MINI Cooper 5 Door155 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024*F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door200 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024*F67 MINI Cooper Convertible155 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024 (est)F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible200 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024 (est)F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible231 HP (Petrol)TBD03/2025 (est)The MINI Aceman Crossover EVJ05 MINI Aceman C167 HP (Petrol)TBDTBDJ05 MINI Aceman SElectricTBDTBD1. Not available in the US. 2. US HP figure – the EU will get 295 hp.For more coverage of the new generation MINI, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post Exclusive: JCW Brakes & other JCW Options to Be Available From the Factory first appeared on MotoringFile. The post Exclusive: JCW Brakes & other JCW Options to Be Available From the Factory appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

Single pipe. One pack. Solo stove. Whatever you want to call it MINI is doing something very different with the exhaust of the MINI Cooper S and JCW models for last generation of internal combustion cars. The move has been seen on testing prototypes and now our sources are confirming the design change. The car pictured above and below is a F67 JCW convertible however we’ve seen the single exhaust on both the F66 Cooper S and JCW test mules over the last year. At first it was rather crude and appeared to be temporary. However as the test mules have progressed, we’ve seen clear signs production intend design elements. In the exclusive image below you can clear see the single exhaust pipe and even some final production trim. Note the stainless steel sleeve on the outside, the transversely mounted exhaust and even the aluminum shield underneath it. Look even closer and you’ll see the production version of the single LED reverse light just above the exhaust tip which (one could imagine) would look somewhat integrated with the cutout of the pipe. In this exclusive zoomed in photo you can see a central exhaust and single pipe that looks to be in nearly final production form. The current F56 Cooper S Exhaust design shows that the “dual exhaust” is nothing more than two small pipes from a single exhaust. Why a single exhaust pipe? Let’s start with the exhaust itself. One thing that most don’t know is that the MINI Cooper S and JCW have had a single muffler system since the R56. The fact that two outlets came out the back has primarily been for aesthetics. In fact there have been more than a few MINI race cars over there years that have gone with the exhaust single pipe design. Why? When asked they consistently say it’s both more power efficient and lighter. So in other exactly what you want in both race cars and modern performance cars. Why wouldn’t MINI have always had a single exhaust? It comes down to marketing and the very simple concept that two exhaust pipes means more power than one in the eyes of the car buying public. In fact you’ll see this on display later this year when the quad-exhaust JCW Countryman debuts. Bulldog Racing’s 2022 24 Hours of Nurburgring race car was one of many racing MINIs that had a single pipe.With MINI aggressively moving into electrification we also wonder if downplaying the exhaust in the smaller MINIs is almost a purposeful design decision as well? It would actually have some historical precedent as European automakers actually hid exhaust outlets on many of its V8 models in the late 90s and early 00s due to concerns of looking too aggressive. The larger, most luxurious Audis, Mercedes and BMWs all did this at one point or another. This hidden exhaust is something we’ve also seen on recent F66 MINI Cooper prototypes as well. The MINI JCW Team and its single exhaust at Road AmericaSingle or not, the next generation F66 MINI Cooper is coming very soon. Heavily based on the F56, the F66 generation will see the same engines (albeit only 2.0L four cylinders) and most of the same mechanical. However there will be a move to restyle the car closer to the J01 electric MINI Cooper and add that cars radically new circular display and interior layout. As you can see with our exclusive look below, MINI will continue to offer a wide variety of ICE models alongside it’s all new J01 electric MINI Cooper and U25 electric (and ICE) Countryman. Most models will receive a notable power increase with the exception of the Euro Countryman JCW and the F66 JCW. Also note that the US will not be getting the Countryman C and will only receive the S and JCW. The New MINI Countryman FamilyDrivetrainPricingStart of ProductionU25 MINI Countryman C (1)167 HP (Petrol)39.900€11/2023U25 MINI Countryman D (1)TBA42.900€11/2023U25 MINI Countryman S ALL4 214 HP (Petrol)45.900€11/2023U25 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4312 hp (2)56.500€03/2024The New MINI Cooper FamilyDrivetrainPricingStart of ProductionF66 MINI Cooper155 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F66 MINI Cooper S200 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F66 MINI Cooper JCW231 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024F65 MINI Cooper 5 DoorICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door200 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F67 MINI Cooper ConvertibleICE (Petrol)TBD11/2024 (est)F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible200 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024 (est)F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible231 HP (Petrol)TBD03/2025 (est)1. Not available in the US. 2. US HP figure – the EU will get 300 hp.For more coverage of the new generation MINI, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post Exclusive: 2025 MINI Cooper S & JCW To Feature Single Pipe Exhaust first appeared on MotoringFile. The post Exclusive: 2025 MINI Cooper S & JCW To Feature Single Pipe Exhaust appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

MINI USA and the MINI John Cooper Works Team are gearing up for the last race weekend of the 2023 SRO TC America season at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. They’ve got a shot at snagging championships in all three categories – Driver, Manufacturer’s, and Team Championships. This opportunity comes after a successful weekend at Sebring International Raceway, where the team scored three podium finishes in the final race weekend before the championship showdown. SRO America Road America 2023Clay Williams will be behind the wheel of the #60 MINI JCW PRO, and he could clinch this season’s Driver Championship by simply finishing better than P4 in each of the races this weekend. Williams’ teammate Cristian Perocarpi will be handling the #37 MINI JCW PRO, with his sights set on outpacing Jeff Ricca in the #78 Genracer/Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N in both races. Winning these races will not only help MINI USA secure the Manufacturer’s Championship but also bag the Team Championship for the MINI JCW Race Team and LAP Motorsports. Williams can also lend a hand in securing these two championship titles by beating Ricca in both races. Adding to the excitement, P.J. Groenke will join Williams and Perocarpi this weekend driving the #62 MINI JCW, alongside Bruce Myrehn in the #63 MINI JCW, both in the Touring Car A (TCA) class. Luis Perocarpi, the team owner at LAP Motorsports, chimed in, “Our team has been giving it their all this season, racing hard every weekend, and now we’re poised to sweep the championship categories at our home track and bring home some championship hardware. It’s going to be a nail-biter, and our team is all set to give it their best until the checkered flag drops.” SRO America COTA 2023LAP Motorsports, based in Brownsburg, Ind., which runs the MINI JCW Team, will have some extra muscle this weekend with three skilled MINI Dealer technicians joining the crew. They’ll be lending a hand during practice, qualifying, and race days as part of the MINI Technician Race Crew Program. These technicians hail from dealers across the U.S., including Century MINI and MINI of Buffalo. Their expertise is crucial as they bring their day-to-day MINI know-how to the track. Last season, the team finished as the runner-up for the Manufacturer’s Championship in both the Touring Car (TC) and Touring Car A (TCA) classes. Clay Williams, the driver of the #60 MINI JCW Pro, also secured a 2nd place finish in the 2022 Driver’s Championship in the TC class. Race 2 | Indianapolis | TC America 2023 Race 2 | Indianapolis | TC America 2023 The post The MINI JCW Team Races for Three Titles This Weekend at Indy (Livestream) first appeared on MotoringFile. The post The MINI JCW Team Races for Three Titles This Weekend at Indy (Livestream) appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

The 2025 MINI Cooper S is getting more power and in the process encroaching on the range topping MINI Cooper JCW. Despite MINI carrying over the 2.0 B48 four cylinder, the engine has been revised to produce more power which will likely produce near JCW levels of performance. While MINI is substantially upping the power in its all electric J01 MINI Cooper range, the ICE models will also get power upgrades. Starting with the Cooper, MINI will substantially upgrade the power from 134hp to 155hp. However it’s the Cooper S that might be the sweet spot. The 2025 MINI Cooper S will have an even 200hp coupled exclusively to MINI’s revised dual clutch transmission. With a likely increase in torque, this will move the Cooper S closer to the (unchanged) 231 hp from the JCW. Interestingly MINI is upping the power in the Countryman S to 214hp with the same B48 four cylinder. It would seem that a simple difference in programming could push the new 2025 MINI Cooper S even further upwards with that 214hp tune. The Manual Is Dead Pour one out for the manual transmission as MINI has killed one of our favorite options. In its place MINI will be offering a revised version of the familiar seven-speed dual clutch transmission across all MINI Cooper models. The revised dual clutch transmission is just like the one offered in current Cooper and Cooper S models combining two partial transmissions in a single housing to create smooth and quick shifts. Also gone is the traditional gear selector we’ve become used to. MINI is moving all controls for the F66 (like all of its new models) too the dash just below the the large OLED screen. Exclusive: 2025 MINI Cooper and Countryman Production & Release Dates And as you can see below in our exclusive look at the next generation MINI Cooper models, there will still be a lot to choose from across the internal combustion range from MINI – as long as you like 2.0 liter engines. Most models will receive a notable power increase with the exception of the Euro Countryman JCW and the F66 JCW. Also note that the US will not be getting the Countryman C and will only receive the S and JCW. The New MINI Countryman FamilyDrivetrainPricingStart of ProductionU25 MINI Countryman C (1)167 HP (Petrol)39.900€11/2023U25 MINI Countryman D (1)TBA42.900€11/2023U25 MINI Countryman S ALL4 214 HP (Petrol)45.900€11/2023U25 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4312 hp (2)56.500€03/2024The New MINI Cooper FamilyDrivetrainPricingStart of ProductionF66 MINI Cooper155 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F66 MINI Cooper S200 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F66 MINI Cooper JCW231 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024F65 MINI Cooper 5 DoorICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door200 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F67 MINI Cooper ConvertibleICE (Petrol)TBD11/2024 (est)F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible200 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024 (est)F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible231 HP (Petrol)TBD03/2025 (est)1. Not available in the US. 2. US HP figure – the EU will get 300 hp.For more coverage of the new generation MINI, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post 2025 MINI Cooper S (ICE) to Get Power Upgrade first appeared on MotoringFile. The post 2025 MINI Cooper S (ICE) to Get Power Upgrade appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

MINI USA sales are continuing their big increase in sales for 2023. The brand saw a 10.1% increase in sales in Q3 of 2023. That equates to 7,900 cars sold compared to 7,198 cars sold in Q3 of 2022. But looking at the entire year things are even more impressive. With products that are the better part of a decade old, you’d be right to assume MINI Sales in the US would be lagging as the market looks to what’s coming. Yet that’s not at all what we’re seeing. For 2023 MINI USA has thus far seen a 18.7% increase with 22,769 vehicles sold compared to 19,185. Leading the way was a massive increase in Countryman sales with a 71.8% increase in sales for the quarter. That’s help offset the 285 decrease in the two door hardtop and 10% drop in Clubman sales. The post MINI USA Sales Up 10% for Q3 Lead by the Countryman first appeared on MotoringFile. The post MINI USA Sales Up 10% for Q3 Lead by the Countryman appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

The costs of offering both an all new electric model range next to revised ICE models means MINI is having to make some compromises. Thanks to our sources we can now confirm one area of compromise is the number of engines available within the MINI line-up. More specifically the Cooper’s 3 cylinder petrol powered engine is being killed in an effort to simplify the line-up and reduce costs. This doesn’t mean there won’t be a standard Cooper. What it means is that MINI will only offer the 2.0L B48 engine in all of its petrol powered models moving forward. This will allow for greater economies of scale as it readies the B48 to become Euro 7 compliant for 2025. More Power for the Cooper The good news is that this will mean more power. The 134 hp F56 Cooper will be heavily revised (as the F66) for 2024 and will get 155 hp. Torque figures are unknown at this time but expect that to rise as well. The downside will likely be more weight as the 1.5 liter 3 cylinder enjoyed a small but important weight advantage over the 2.0 liter 4 cylinder MINIs. Exclusive: 2025 MINI Cooper Convertible Production & Release Dates And as you can see below in our exclusive look at the next generation MINI Cooper models, there will still be a lot to choose from across the internal combustion range from MINI – as long as you like 2.0 liter engines. Most models will receive a notable power on the Cooper S but should remain the same as the F56 generation on the Cooper and JCW – at least for launch. The New MINI FamilyDrivetrainPricingStart of ProductionF66 MINI Cooper155 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F66 MINI Cooper S200 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F66 MINI Cooper JCW231 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024F65 MINI Cooper 5 DoorICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door200 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F67 MINI Cooper ConvertibleICE (Petrol)TBD11/2024 (est)F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible200 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024 (est)F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible231 HP (Petrol)TBD03/2025 (est)For more coverage of the new generation MINI, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post 2025 MINI Cooper’s Three Cylinder Engine is Dead first appeared on MotoringFile. The post 2025 MINI Cooper’s Three Cylinder Engine is Dead appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article

We have a first look at the new internal combustion (ICE) 2025 MINI Cooper Convertible and things are already looking very familiar. Code-named the F67, the new MINI Cooper Convertible will feature a raft of design and technology changes to bring it closer to the J01 electric MINI Cooper that debuted earlier this month. With one or two important exceptions. First off let’s set some context. There will be no electric MINI Cooper Convertible in this next generation. While MINI is going big on electric cars, it’s focused solely on three models for the time being, the J01 Cooper, J05 Paceman and the U25 Countryman. On the internal combustion side of things, the brand will be heavily revising the F56 platform (including the F57 Convertible and F55 five door) with the styling and tech from the J01. Crucially it will leverage a revised drivetrain of the F56 designed to meet Euro7 emission regulations. This is great news (as long as you don’t want a manual) for those who aren’t ready for electric cars. This means the F56 will be heavily revised as the F66 and (you guessed it) the F57 convertible will become the F67. What does heavily revised really mean? MINI will be refreshing the exterior design to better match the recently debuted J01 electric MINI Cooper. That means we’ll see revised lights front and rear and even a fractionally shortened front overhang on the F66. The F67 Will Retain the Current Vertical Taillights The big exemption of all of this change are the taillights. As we’ve recently reported (and these first images confirm), the F67 will retain the vertical rear taillights of the current F57 convertible. For those who dislike the new triangular taillights this will be a sigh of relief. Why? According to sources the answer is fairly simple. MINI wasn’t able to fit the mechanical of the new lights in the rear tailgate of the existing tailgate of the convertible. Remember this isn’t an all new car but instead a heavily refreshed version of the F57 and thus wasn’t designed to accommodate the new all LED lights. What These Photos Show Us There will be no changes to the top mechanism or design. However there are plenty of other design changes. Outside of the rear taillights, the key theme appears to be creating design consistency with the future of the brand – the all electric J01 MINI Cooper. The goal is clearly to unify the design language across all models allowing consumers to have a choice that feels strictly about the drivetrain and nothing else. Looking beyond the camouflage, we can clearly tell this is a JCW Convertible due to the red brake calipers and the open air ducts on both sides of the front bumper. We also see that the F67 (and other ICE) will share wheels with the electric J01 MINI Cooper. We can also see the distinct shape of MINI’s new circular OLED display through the windshield. Yes the revised F66, F67 and F65 will get the new infotainment system along with a full interior refresh aligning much (but not all) the interior to the J01 electric MINI Cooper. A Single Pipe Exhaust? We’ve now seen a single exhaust pipe on both recent JCW prototypes. Could we see this actually come to market? We’re beginning to think so given a couple clues. For one we’ve seen this across multiple prototypes which typically a sign of production intent. Second the rear bumper outline around the exhaust looks final – despite the camo. The neatly integrated reverse light is a good example of why this looks final. Typically isn’t something typically done just for a prototype. Finally we wonder if MINI is making a point in moving from a double to single exhaust to visually minimize the emissions output from the car itself. To that point we’ve seen Cooper prototypes that have completely hidden exhausts. F67 2025 MINI Cooper Convertible Won’t Get a Manual Transmission For those reading MotoringFile this likely won’t be a total surprise as MINI had signaled they were done with the manual when the last F56 is built in March 2024. That’s now been confirmed by MINI – the manual is dead as of February 2024 production. In its place will be a revised 7 speed dual clutch (DCT) with JCW specific software for more aggressive programing which should decrease shift times. The revised dual clutch transmission is just like the one offered in current Cooper and Cooper S models combining two partial transmissions in a single housing. The core element of the system consists of two oil-cooled wet clutches: one of these is responsible for the even transmission ratios (2, 4, 6) while the other is for the uneven ratios (1, 3, 5, 7) and reverse. During travel, one of the two clutches is open and the other is closed. They interact when the driver shifts up or down: opening one clutch activates closure of the second at the same time. Exclusive: 2025 MINI Cooper Convertible Production & Release Dates And as you can see below in our exclusive look at the next generation MINI Cooper models, there will still be a lot to choose from across the internal combustion range from MINI. Engines will receive a notable power on the Cooper S but should remain the same as the F56 generation on the Cooper and JCW – at least for launch. The New MINI FamilyDrivetrainPricingStart of ProductionF66 MINI Cooper155 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F66 MINI Cooper S200 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F66 MINI Cooper JCW231 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024F65 MINI Cooper 5 DoorICE (Petrol)TBD07/2024F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door200 HP (Petrol)TBD07/2024F67 MINI Cooper ConvertibleICE (Petrol)TBD11/2024 (est)F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible200 HP (Petrol)TBD11/2024 (est)F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible231 HP (Petrol)TBD03/2025 (est)2025 MINI Cooper Convertible Photo Gallery For more coverage of the new generation MINI, check out the following articles and videos. MINI Cooper EV: Premier | MINI Cooper EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Cooper EV: Video Review MINI Countryman EV: Premier | MINI Countryman EV: Hands-On Review | MINI Countryman EV: Video Review New MINI Family: 1st Look Video | MINI Circular Display & MINI OS9 Hands-On Review The post First Look at the 2025 MINI Cooper Convertible first appeared on MotoringFile. The post First Look at the 2025 MINI Cooper Convertible appeared first on MotoringFile. View the full article