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Imagine if you had a secret switch that turned every setting in your MINI to the max. That’s exactly what MINI has done with Boost Mode – a special mode offered on the new MINI Countryman JCW. In testing the new MINI Countryman JCW we had a chance to use MINI’s new Boost Mode and what we found was a shortcut to maximum attack.
Boost Mode is a bit of a cheat code for MINI drivers. In short it activates of all max performance setting for a total of 10 seconds. In our brief testing we found it to be the ideal weapon for overtaking on back roads or powering out of tight corners. It also can work as a type of launch mode for optimal acceleration.
In our experience it found it perfect for putting the car on its toes and prepping it for maximum attack. And it’s a great shortcut. To replicate it you’d have to do the following: Select GoKart Mode with the center toggle and then go to the mode’s secondary menu to pick all of the sportiest individual settings.
One thing it doesn’t do is add more power. Unlike similar functionality in other cars, Boost Mode doesn’t activate any additional power or torque.
Boost Mode available exclusively on the new U25 MINI Countryman JCW.
The post Boost Mode On the MINI Countryman JCW – a Cheat Code for Maximum Attack appeared first on MotoringFile.
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Today MINI is launching the all new MINI Countryman in its home market of the UK and simultaneously releasing the best photos yet of the new crossover. In fact this set of photos is so good we had to pause all other stories we’re working on and just show you how great the new Countryman looks on British B roads.
Some quick background. In the UK the Countryman is launching as both internal combustion and fully electric. As with the rest of the world the plugin hybrid is gone from the market and in its place a full electric model range. BMW’s thinking is that this gives a broader choice to the consumer and focuses MINI more on where its headed which of course is full electrified.
In the UK the petrol powered 170 hp Countryman C starts at £29,335. This is joined by the 218 hp Countryman S £34,725 and the 300 hp JCW at £41,520. The EV range was simpler. The 204 hp Countryman E (range 277-286) starts at £42,080 and the 313 hp Countryman SE (range 256-262) starts at £49,680.
You can read our full review of the MINI Countryman JCW and watch the video review below. We’ll have our review of the electric Countryman SE next week.
2024 MINI Countryman Photo Gallery
The post The 2024 MNI Countryman Launches in the UK Along with Its Best Photos Yet appeared first on MotoringFile.
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Last fall we wrote about how it appeared MINI’s 3 cylinder engine was soon to be eliminated from the line-up. Since then we’ve seen that same engine launch with the Cooper C and Countryman C in the UK and Europe. However our sources were clear – the 3 cylinder was being eliminated in some markets. We now know where and why. And perhaps more importantly what it could mean for an entire new world of upgrades.
Where & Why the B38 3 Cylinder Is Being Eliminated
The B38 3 Cylinder engine is being eliminated from the North America. Sources are also telling we’ll see it eliminated countries with similar emissions regulations such as South Korea and a few others that (oddly) seem more aligned with the EU.
Why has MINI made this change? It’s unclear but we can guess that it has something to do with the complexity and cost associated with getting so many engines and configurations engineered and approved for different markets.
How This Could Completely MINI Cooper Change Performance Upgrades
The result are two very different versions of the MINI Cooper C. The UK and EU’s 3 Cylinder version of the Cooper C will get 115kW (154) while the four cylinder US version will see 120kW (161 hp)
But the big difference isn’t the extra 7 hp. It’s the fact that under the hood of the US spec MINI Cooper is the same exact B48 engine that powers the 204 hp Cooper S – down to the engine code. That could open up a completely new world of tuning the base MINI Cooper to a much higher power output. And that could be a complete game change in the world of MINI tuning.
We’ll be following this closely as the same arrangement will apply to the F65 five door and F67 Convertible Cooper as they are go into production later this year in July and November.
The post The MINI Cooper 3 Cylinder Engine is Dead in the US appeared first on MotoringFile.
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The new petrol F66 MINI Cooper is not a simple refresh of its F56 predecessor. It’s an entire rethink of the F56 that just happens to be on the same chassis. But what exactly are those differences and how important are they? We’ve been hands-on with the F66 MINI Cooper several times and have come away some of surprising answers.
Looking below you can immediately see some of the small nuances changes that MINI has made. Every dimension has changed and in some surprising ways. The front and rear overhang has been reduced slightly making the entire car shorter. But the width has grown noticeably and the track (both front and back) has gotten wider as well.
The F56 Cooper has a width of 75.9″ vs the F66 which is wider at 77.6″. That 1.3″ difference may not sound like much but BMW and MINI don’t typically increase the width of a car solely because of aesthetics. And this isn’t just about wider wheels and tires (which have gone from 205 to 215 on the Cooper S). This change is also due to MINI changing the mechanical bits creating a wider track. This has also has an aesthetic benefit of allowing a more concave wheel design – a critique especially of the previous JCW.
Then there are the little things like the boot or trunk. Yes even the boot has been altered – growing in volume slightly. That really underscores just how thorough this redesign was.
Looking at the image above you can also clearly see how MINI has pushed forward and changed the angle of the headlights as well. This works in conjunction with the new hood and simpler face of the car to create a more upright silhouette. We’ve previously talked about this in our first hands-on video review of the F66 but have never had a visual that demonstrates it so clearly.
In fact the only visible parts of the car that have been carried over are the doors, the roof and the glass.
Model F56 Cooper F56 Cooper S F66 Cooper C F66 Cooper S Length (mm/in) 3863mm / 152.8 in 3863mm / 152.8 in 3876mm / 152.6 in 3876mm / 152.6 in Height (mm/in) 1414mm / 55.66 in 1414mm / 55.66 in 1432mm / 56.4 in 1432mm / 56.4 in Wheelbase (mm/in) 2495mm / 98.23 in 2495mm / 98.23 in 2495mm / 98.23 in 2495mm / 98.23 in Curb weight (kg/lbs) 1256kg / 2,769 lbs 1289kg / 2,841 lbs 1260kg / 2,778 lbs 1285kg / 2,832 lbs All weights are taken from the cars equipped with an automatic. A Small Weight Change
One of the biggest critiques of modern MINI is that they appear to be getting larger and heavier with every generation. That’s actually not historically true. The R50 (manual) had a DIN weight of 2,535 lbs which then decreased to 2,513 with the R56 Cooper (manual). While that weight finally did go up with the noticeably larger F56, it wasn’t as much as most assumed. The F56’s DIN weight is 2,701 lbs in manual form and 2,756 with the DCT. Given that the F66 will only be available with the DCT, let’s compare those two numbers.
The F56 Cooper DCT weights in at 2,756 lbs. The new F66 Cooper DCT has a curb weight of 2,778 lbs, a 22 lbs difference. Given the added emissions and safety additions (and not to mention the new tech), a 22 lbs increase feels like a win in a world of 6,000 SUVs.
The Interior of the F66 MINI Cooper
While the exterior changes on the F66 may be surprising given its F56 origins, the interior is downright shocking. MINI has turned the F56 into a completely new car with all the design language, materials and technology found in the J01 MINI Cooper. The biggest change is the minimal design and large, circular display that dominates the experience. We’ve details that display, its operating system and its many functions on MotoringFile for months now. In fact you can see our full demo of the new system below.
The new display and its software is a focal point for the entire driving experience housing almost all functionality save for a row of switches, buttons and toggles just below it.
Stationary the new MINI OS9 interface had felt intuitive in our previous experiences. But as we know, on the road things can be a bit different. In our experience we found a relatively learning curve before we felt fully acclimated with the new system. Within the first hour we had quickly become accustom to the new interaction language and overall placement of functionality.
But is this better than MINI’s previous system? In our experience with the same system in the new Countryman, absolutely. The augmented navigation in particular was a standout. it overlays mapping graphics on a live video feed in the top of the circular display helping to literally paint directions on the road in front of you. And the data within the mapping app itself felt almost as reliable and quick as Google Maps or Apple Maps.
The F66 MINI Cooper 
The F56 MINI Cooper Leather vs Vescin
When talking about there interior, the headline for many is that this new MINI is completely leather free. Why? There’s a big environmental impact due to the production of leather in the quantities that companies like MINI need. So much so that MINI has made the bold decision to eliminate leather from its coming starting with the all new J01 MINI Cooper electric
What’s wrong with leather? It’s complicated but suffice to say it’s not the most natural and environmentally safe thing to produce. It’s also not aligned with MINI’s brand image of being environmentally conscious and animal friendly. But how do you replace something as iconic as leather seats? In short you find a more environmentally friendly alternative that’s actually better to touch and lasts longer.
BMW and MINI are so confident in products like Vescin (BMW’s version I called Sensafin – an improved version of Sensatec) they they’re already being used in several cars with MSRPs well over $100,000.
What’s it like in person? Getting into the new F66 MINI Cooper, it’s clear that Vescin is a step-up from what we’ve known as Leatherette. The off-white perforated seats in the F66 MINI Cooper we experienced were softer to the touch than leatherette and felt much more supple. But how do they compare with leather? In short very well. Compared with the standard Chesterfield or Cross Punch leather seating, Vescin feels softer and more premium. It’s not on par with the feel and softness of MINI’s Lounge Leather but then again that’s $2500 option on the Signature Trim.
The Electric J01 MINI Cooper vs the Petrol F66 MINI Cooper
To confuse things even more there’s an entirely other new MINI Cooper (the J01) that’s all electric. Why is has MINI created a (relatively) new petrol MINI Cooper when they have an all new electric version? The short answer is that MINI is putting enormous investment in electrifying the product line-up with the J01 MINI Cooper, J05 MINI Aceman and U25 Countryman (available as both ICE and EV). This enormous investment prompted a decision; completely drop the ICE powered Cooper, spend billions creating a new one or thoroughly rework the current F56 adding performance, technology and a new design inside and out. In the end there was only one choice. The F66 is that answer.
You can read and watch our comparison of the two here.
F66 MINI Cooper Launch Details
The F66 MINI Cooper is now in production and should reach UK and EU dealers in late March. The rest of the world should see cars in mid to late April. The US will likely see an on-sale date in early May.
Now it’s your turn. What do you think of the massive changes between these two cars? Did MINI go far enough inn revising the F56 or did they go too far in trying to follow the all new electric J01 MINI Cooper?
The post The F56 MINI Cooper vs the F66 MINI Cooper – The Surprising Differences appeared first on MotoringFile.
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We’ve had a lot of questions from readers around every aspect of the new F66 MINI Cooper. Seemingly everyone is wanting to know more about colors, options, wheels and especially trim packages. So we wanted to put together our own ordering guide that can be your cheat code when ordering a new 2025 F66 MINI Cooper.
MINI Cooper Availability and Ordering Process for the US
With the new styles MINI USA is offering a white variety of design elements. This along with MINI USA’s trims means ordering a new F66 MINI Cooper is a bit more confusing than before. However if you remember the basics it’s fairly straight forward. The first step of course is the model. The Cooper and Cooper S have been announced and we’ll see official news on the JCW this fall.
It’s also important to note that the US has a slightly different production schedule that the rest of the world for the F66. The Cooper S has already begun production and will arrive at dealers in late April for May sales. However US bound Coopers won’t start production until July which means those cars wont reach US shores until August.
MINI USA’s F66 MINI Cooper Styles
This is where things get a bit confusing. In addition to Trims (which MINI USA has offered for years) we now have “styles”. These styles are just the start as we may see one or two added and maybe even a name change.
In the mean time we have classic and favoured. The differences can be summed up simply – one is dark and one is light. One has matte black trim inside and out while one has a light gold color (MINI calls this Vibrant) trim inside and out.
These changes are summed up above. For those looking for even more variation – we’re told there’s a lot coming in the future including some wild dashboard designs.
Sport Seats vs JCW Seats
MINI has completely rethought the design of their seats to accomplish several goals; save weight, reduce complexity and allow the seats to fit more body types more comfortably. While reducing some of the elements in the seats, they’ve also added a few; massage and ventilation options are now available. They’ve also made electric seats optional on all models – even the Cooper. Finally MINI has fully eliminated leather and have moved to a proprietary material called Vescin. In total that represents a massive shift in what MINI has offered since it’s relaunch in 2001.
Across all new MINI models there will be two different seats. But unlike the previous MINI seats in the F Series cars, they share almost same overall design. However there are a couple of differences. The standard sport seats have slightly flatter bolsters on both the lower cushion and seat back. These renders don’t show the differences but they are there (albeit subtle ones). The JCW sport seats also have an integrated headrests similar to the current F Series JCW seats. However crucially both do not offer extendable thigh-bolsters as previously in the optional sport seats.
On paper that sounds like an unfortunate cost cutting move that would make the new seats less supportive. In our brief time we can tell you that doesn’t appear to be the case. The new seat cushion is longer and while doesn’t quite reach the length the extendable bolsters do, they’ll likely be close enough for most. In addition the electric seats we tested have the ability to move the thigh bolster upward which is intended to take the place of the manual extending bolster. And in our testing it all works pretty well. Despite being 6? 2? I was immediately felt comfortable and felt plenty of thigh support. Compare that to the R50 or R56 seats and these are noticeably longer and out of the box more comfortable.
F66 MINI Cooper Standard Features
MINI USA has made some big change in the amount of standard features on the Cooper. Notably many of what you see below are not standard in most markets. This points to MINI USA pushing for higher value for the base car Cooper and Cooper S. Here’s a list of interior standard features and functionality:
• 90% Recycle Textile Dash and Door Topper.
• 9.4 inch Round OLED Screen
• Panoramic Moonroof (vents and opens as before)
• Large Wireless Charging Tray
• Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
• Heated Front Seats
• Heated Steering Wheel
• Vibrant Silver Accents
• Vescin Leather-Free Upholstery
• MINI Navigation
• MINI Head-up Display
• Experience Modes
• Dynamic Cruise
F66 MINI Cooper Exterior Colors
MINI USA will be offering more colors as the year progresses with colors like Slate Blue coming online in July). At launch the F66 will be available with four classic and four new colors:
• Melting Silver III C6B
• Midnight Black C4R
• Nanuq White C6A
• British Racing Green IV C3B
• Chili Red II C74
• Ocean Wave Green C6M
• Blazing Blue C6K
• Sunny Side Yellow C6N
F66 MINI Cooper Wheel Options
MINI USA will offer five MINI Cooper wheels at launch. Gone are the 16″ wheel options as MINI has made 17″ the standard wheel across both the Cooper and Cooper S. Additionally there are two 18″ wheel options that will be optional on both models. This list will grow when the JCW variant arrives later this year.
F66 MINI Cooper Trim Levels
Once you’ve made a call on the style you’ll want to choose a trim level. Like before this couples options together in a good, better, best format that MINI USA has used for a few years now.
Signature Trim Signature Plus Trim Iconic Trim Heated Steering Wheel Heated Steering Wheel Heated Steering Wheel Heated Front Seats Heated Front Seats Heated Front Seats MINI Head-Up Display MINI Head-Up Display MINI Head-Up Display Panoramic Moonroof Panoramic Moonroof Panoramic Moonroof Dual Zone Climate Control Dual Zone Climate Control Dual Zone Climate Control LED Headlights LED Headlights LED Headlights Parking Assistant Parking Assistant Parking Assistant 17“ Wheels 17“ Wheels 17“ Wheels Classic Style Classic or Favoured Style Classic or Favoured Style Remote Engine Start Remote Engine Start Alarm System Alarm System Comfort Access Comfort Access Active Driving Assistant Active Driving Assistant Comfort Package Comfort Package Plus Power Front Seats Interior Camera ACC Stop&Go Harman Kardon F66 MINI Cooper Options and Pricing
The F66 is ushering in a new era of options for MINI. Remote engine start is not only available for instance, it’s standard on the Cooper S. Active Driving Assistant is also now standard on the Cooper S and Dynamic Cruise is standard across the range.
Outside of the Trims there are few options and almost none in the Cooper. Dynamic Dampers ($500), interior camera ($250), ACC Stop & Go + Active Driving Assistant ($600), Harman Kardon ($850) and roof rails ($250) are only available on the Cooper S for instance.
USA Specific MINI Cooper Performance Figures
In the US power and torque can be measured slightly differently and thus we sometimes see variations of European figures. Interestingly that’s only the case with one model. The Cooper produces 156 hp the same as the UK and Europe. The Cooper S however is rated at 201 hp with is a 3 hp decrease from those UK and EU figures. However that’s very likely the result of measurement protocols and not output changes. The torque remains the same at 221 ft lbs. That takes the Cooper S to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds – JCW territory from a few years ago.
F66 MINI Cooper US Pricing Details
With a substantial upgrade in standard equipment, prices have risen a bit. The F56 Cooper had an MSRP of $25,800. That’s going up to $28,950. The Cooper S rises from $30,900 to $32,200.
F66 MINI Cooper Photo Gallery
The post MotoringFile’s 2025 F66 MINI Cooper Ordering Guide for The US appeared first on MotoringFile.
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There were so many things we experienced and uncovered in our time with the new MINI Countryman JCW that we just didn’t have room for in our official video review. So we thought we’d make an entirely different review of nothing but the small clips we took on our phone as got to know this new MINI.
First up is the behind the scenes of our full Countryman JCW review. This is all the footage we took with our phones of all the cool things we discovered and experiences in our time with the U25 JCW. In this video you’ll find the new start interaction, augmented reality navigation, autonomous driving features, seat massaging, experience mode settings, a lack of exhaust sound, cool camera tricks and on the fly driving impressions.
Make sure to watch our full video and read our written review for the full story.
The post Our Favorite Hidden Features of the new MINI Countriman JCW appeared first on MotoringFile.
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The all new 313 hp MINI Countryman JCW is here and it’s big deal. Literally it’s the longest, tallest, widest and heaviest MINI ever sold. So how can it possible live up to the MINI name? As it turns out quite well. In fact in our time with the new Countryman JCW we came away shocked and just how poised and engaging this car is compared to its predecessor.
After a long day of tackling mountain roads, narrow backroads and sweeping coastal highways we learned a lot about this new Countryman. And if you’ve read our full written review, you’ll know were had a lot to say. But in this video you’ll see me in immediate reaction mode as I assess what I’ve been driving and how it feels compared to previous Countryman JCW and even how it fits within the historical MINI ranges of cars.
So follow along with me as I empty my my thought into the camera after a long day with the new Countryman JCW. And comment below, we’d love to hear what you think.
The post Video Review: We Test The New MINI Countryman JCW On Portugal’s Backroads & Mountain Passes appeared first on MotoringFile.
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We head to the mountains and coastal roads of Portugal to see if The New, more powerful, Larger Countryman can live up to the JCW name.
Hustling a 3,800 crossover through mountain roads on the west coast of Portugal shouldn’t be this much fun. Stringing together corners and pounding the BMW M2 derived brakes, I simply could not believe the steps MINI had taken with this car. Forgot about it being down on torque, weighing too much, losing a gear and being too big. The new MINI Countryman JCW is the most capable, refined product that the brand has ever created.
MINI fans can breathe sigh of relief. The new MINI Countryman JCW is good. Really good in fact. And that bodes well for the entire new Countryman range. But it’s also different. And not all in ways that, on the face of it, sound entirely promising.
The New Countryman JCW is the Biggest MINI Ever
It’s big. For a MINI. But according to MINI designers and engineers that’s because it needed to be based on consumer feedback. MINI has been watching long time costumers reluctantly leave the brand as they have families, dogs or just need more space. The solution to this was to carefully grow the Countryman taking the majority of the BMW X1’s chassis and the rear portion of the European BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. The result is an increase in size that’s likely noticeable to MINI fans but lost on most consumers. We’re talking about five inches in length and two inches in height. Not something you’d likely notice unless you see the two side by side or know the previous Countryman well.
R60 Countryman JCW (’10-’16) F60 Countryman JCW (’17-’23) U25 Countryman JCW (’24-’30+) Length 4097 mm / 161.3 in 4298 mm / 169.2 in 4429 mm / 174.37 in Height 1562 mm / 61.5 in 1557 mm / 61.3 in 1613 mm / 63.5 in Wheelbase 2596 mm / 102.2 in 2670 mm / 105.1 in 2670 mm / 105.11 in Weight 3,307 lbs 3,688 lbs 3,825 lbs So what does this new size get you? There’s more legroom in the front and back along with more luggage capacity. In short things are more comfortable and inside – exactly the attributes that people buy crossovers. But this is a MINI and any increase in size is inherently noticeable by previous owners. It’s here where we felt a sense of relief. There’s certainly a change but the overwhelming feeling we had was that this new U25 Countryman has been pushed gently outward creating a more spacious interior without sacrificing too much in the way of smallness – at least in its segment.
The Countryman JCW’s Revolutionary New Interior & Technology
Part of this is due to the entirely reimagined interior. MINI has minimized and reduced as much as possible to make the new Countryman interior feel modern and uncluttered. The star of the show is the circular display that introduces an entirely new operating system (MINI OS9) to the brand. It’s a focal point for the entire driving experience housing almost all functionality save for a row of switches, buttons and toggles just below it.
There’s a new (and slightly improved) heads up display (standard in the US) helping to put some of that information in front of the driver’s view. But in my experience it’s the center display that dominates your experience making the HUD not necessarily a mandatory option.
Stationary the new MINI OS9 interface had felt intuitive in our previous experiences. But as we know, on the road things can be a bit different. In our experience we found a relatively learning curve before we felt fully acclimated with the new system. Within the first hour we had quickly become accustom to the new interaction language and overall placement of functionality.
One feature that became indispensable is the handy shortcuts drawer that you pull-up from the bottom of the screen. It’s completely configurable and an easy way to get to functionality that might otherwise be several taps away. Seat massage is a good example as we found it unnecessarily buried in a settings menu and a perfect candidate for a shortcut.
MINI’s new augmented reality navigation One thing we were particularly excited to test was MINI’s new mapping software. It looked fantastic, but could it actually perform at the level of what we have on our smartphones? We tested MINI’s mapping software alongside both CarPlay and Google Maps and somewhat shockingly preferred it. Not only does it fill the entire screen (something neither CarPlay or Android Auto do in their current iteration) but its speed and the quality of data felt on par with Apple Maps or Google Maps.
The standout feature however was MINI’s new augmented reality option within the navigation system. The augmented reality view overlays mapping graphics on a live video feed in the top of the circular display helping to literally paint directions on the road in front of you. On the bottom is a top-down map view which is perfectly synced with the video and gives you a full picture of where you are as you get clarity on when and where to turn. It worked flawlessly for us and felt like a game changer for urban environments.
The New Countryman JCW – A Touch Slower But Much More Satisfying
Countryman has grown in every dimension over the previous generations.Yet the new U25 Countryman JCW never feels much bigger than its predecessor and in fact it feels more engaging all around. So what’s the magic? Turns out it’s just smart engineering. MINI has rethought the suspension tuning, dropped the run-flats, quickened the steering rack (it’s now 13.6 :1) and created more aggressive throttle mapping. This has made the new Countryman JCW both quicker to respond to inputs while delivering more feedback as a result.
In the US the Countryman JCW delivers 313 hp and 295 ft lbs of torque. That horsepower figure goes down to 300 hp in the EU due to emissions regulations. Torque on the other hand is down 36 ft lbs everywhere due to the new 7 speed Getrag dual clutch transmission’s torque limitation vs the previous 8 speed Aisin torque converter auto. The means the new Countryman JCW is technically slower 0-60 with a time of 5.4 seconds (compared to 4.9 for its predecessor). Weight and less torque will do that. But it’s also worth noting that 0-60 times can be funny things. We’ve seen 0-60 times as low as 4.4 seconds for the previous F60 variant so there’s a good chance that this new Countryman JCW’s figures are just as conservative.
Helping the overall performance is a new “Boost” feature that activates the of all max performance setting for 10 sections. It’s functionality designed to help in overtaking or at the track. The function allows for quick activation of these settings that would typically include manually setting the car into Sport Mode with the center toggle, switching to Go Kart Mode, going onto Go-kart mode’s secondary menu and picking all of the sportiest sportiest individual settings. The result is a MINI that feels on its toes ready to pounce. However it’s worth noting that his is not a launch mode – something MINI isn’t offering on the new Countryman JCW.
Then there’s the suspension itself. The MINI Countryman JCW comes standard with an adaptive suspension – that’s not new. What is new is where it comes from – BMW M. More specifically it’s a unique MINI tuned version of BMW M adaptive suspension found on the BMW X1 M35i and X2 M35i. MINI says that this new system is a step on from what we saw in the previous F60 JCW by including updated frequency-selective dampers and sport steering.
In practice what we found was a suspension that delivered on both comfort and performance more effectively than any MINI before. There’s a compliance in the Countryman JCW’s suspension that subdued the typical brittleness of the MINI ride while filtering in more feedback than its predecessor the F60 Countryman. The sum of this was confidence. By the end of my time in the new Countryman JCW I was pushing the car hard with total confidence in its capabilities and (more importantly) how it would react to inputs. That aspect of the new JCW isn’t necessarily new – its predecessor was similarly predictive in corners. The F60 would gradually exhibit oversteer at the limit and a touch of lift-off rotation when called on. But it’s the way this new U25 Countryman JCW delivered at the limit felt more refined and ultimately more confidence inspiring.
And it gets better. If you opt for the optional 20″ wheels, you get a set of the car are a set of vented 380 mm front rotors with a four piston caliper taken (almost directly) from the F87 BMW M2. The only difference being the caliper design which offered six pistons on the M2. This is up from the non-vented 360 mm discs on the LCI versions of the F60 JCW, F54 JCW and the most recent JCW GP. They were excellent in both stopping power and pedal feel and sustained constant abuse on mountain roads without a hint of fade.
Reflecting on the performance improvements it’s clear to see that MINI engineers worked hard to create a better connection with the road and the car. Straight line speed is one thing but where MINIs really excel is in the corners. And for the first time the Countryman JCW feels appropriately MINI like. The quicker steering rack and higher-level of feedback are immediately noticeable behind the wheel. For someone like myself who has put over 30,000 miles on the F60 JCW Countryman over the last few years this new car feels like a revelation. While we still need to test the two back to back, on the mountain roads of Portugal this new Countryman JCW was poised and engaging in ways we’ve ever felt in a Countryman before.
Let that sink in for a moment. The new Countryman is larger, heavier, slightly slower and yet more engaging than before. This is a huge surprise to us and speaks to the amount of work that has been happening behind the scenes over the last few years at MINI. It also bodes very well for the rest of the Countryman range which we’ll drive soon.
One area we must mention is sound – or lack there of. EU noise and emissions regulations forced MINIs hand and mandated particulate filters in the exhaust that deaden the sound and kill any pops or gurgles JCWs have been known for previously. Oddly that’s only on the outside. Inside MINI has used all of its Active Sound magic to re-create the drama of the past – exclusively through speakers. It’s executed so well that I simply couldn’t believe the sounds I was hearing were almost entirely created synthetically.
To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel about it all yet. On one hand the sound is a source of feedback and it is directly tied to the engine RPM, shift points and perfectly mimics what you’d hope to hear from the outside. On the other it’s ornamentation that feels disingenuous. If I had to choose I’d likely opt to keep it on (it can easily be turned off in the settings) if only for the drama it adds to a daily commute.
Value for The Money
There’s so much here that’s new that it’s hard to compare apples to apples with the previous Countryman JCW. The previous F60 Countryman JCW retailed for $43,800 while the new one is now at $46,900. $3,000 feels easily explainable given the increases in standard equipment and tech but an increase is still an increase and we’d be remiss not to lament the steady rise of prices across the entire automotive world.
Still for under $50,000 the new Countryman JCW feels like a fair value for money given all that it delivers. Knowing that MINI quality has never been higher and the fundamentals of the drivetrain (engine, gearbox and all wheel drive system) are evolutions it would be safe to assume this new MINI will be as trouble free as the recent F60 Countryman was. All a stark contrast to earlier generation MINIs of course.
Our Key Take Aways on the New Countryman JCW
Where does that leave us. The all new Countryman is a bigger, more comfortable car. It packs features and tech that we could’ve only dreamt in a MINI just a few years ago. But if you’re a JCW fan, that might sound oddly disappointing. Yet here’s the surprising thing. The new Countryman JCW is the most capable (and crucially) most engaging Countryman JCW we’ve ever driven.
The synthetic nature of the sound is a bit disappointing but it’s a by product of the time we’re living in. And let’s be honest – much of the driving dynamics of all new cars are fairly synthetic these days. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t real enjoyment and engagement to be had and the Countryman JCW delivers here. Even more than the previous version – and that’s despite the 137 lbs weight gain.
Make no mistake at 3,825 lbs, this is nothing like a MINI Cooper in terms of driving dynamics. Yet for a small crossover this is a rapid, engaging driving experience that lives up to the brand name.
In our time with the new Countryman JCW, we came away with the distinct impression that it has a sharper turn-in and more feedback through the wheel than its lighter predecessor. All while being noticeably better damped, more comfortable and offering more room for passengers and cargo.
It’s down on power to 300 hp in the EU – which is the car we’re testing here – and down on torque by 36 ft lbs globally. It’s even lost a gear. Yet MINI has created a product that is unquestionably better in almost every metric that matters to the vast majority of potential owners. And a key one for us – engagement.
Like the best JCW products, it blends every day livability with performance seamlessly. But unlike any Countryman JCW before it, it does so with feedback and poise that we’ve never had before.
MotoringFile Countryman JCW Gallery
Official Countryman JCW Gallery
U25 MINI Countryman JCW Detailed Specifications
Countryman Model Countryman E (EV) Countryman SE (EV) Countryman C (ICE) Countryman S (ICE) Countryman JCW (ICE) Power 204 hp 313 hp 167 hp 221 hp (241 hp US) 300 hp (313 hp US) Torque TBD TBD 206 lb 295 lb 295 lb Transmission 1 Speed 1 Speed 7 speed DCT 7 speed DCT 7 speed DCT Drivetrain front-wheel all-wheel front-wheel all-wheel all-wheel Powertrain type electric electric petrol petrol petrol Cylinders n/a n/a 3 4 4 Displacement n/a n/a 1499 1998 1998 Electric Power 204 hp 313 hp 19 hp 19 hp (NA – US) N/A Electric Torque TBD TBD 55 lb TBD N/A Electric Range (WLTP) 287 miles 270 miles N/A N/A N/A 0-60 mph TBD TBD 8.3 TBD 5.4 Maximum speed 105 mph 112 mph 132 mph TBD 155 mph WLTP l/100 km N/A N/A 40.9 – 46.3 TBD 34 – 36.2 WLTP CO2 N/A N/A 155 – 138 TBD 188 – 177 Length (mm/inches) 4444 / 175 4444 / 175 4444 / 175 4444 / 175 4444 / 175 Width (mm/inches) 1843 / 73 1843 / 73 1843 / 73 1843 / 73 1843 / 73 Height (mm) TBD TBD 1661 / 65 TBD 1665 / 66 Wheelbase (mm) 2069 / 81 2069 / 81 2069 / 81 2069 / 81 2069 / 81 Curb weight (LBS) TBD TBD 3,571 lbs TBD 3,825 lbs Fuel Capacity L/Gallons N/A N/A 45 / 11.8 54 / 14.3 54 / 14.3 Luggage capacity (liters) TBD TBD 450 – 1450 L 505 – 1530 L 505 – 1530 L The post Review: The New 313 HP MINI Countryman JCW – MINI’s Most Powerful Car Ever appeared first on MotoringFile.
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How Important is the US Market for MINI and Will We See More New Models? We went to the source A sat down for an interview with BMW Board Member Jochen Goller to get answers.
With MINI USA sales down substantially from their high of 66,502 in 2013, some industry experts have questioned BMW’s long term commitment for MINI in the US market. MINI USA and its dealers will readily tell you that they’re not chasing volume sales these days and are focused more on selling profitably (which appears to be successful). But we wanted to go straight to the top and get answers from one of the people responsible for it all.
Jochen Goller has been with the BMW Group since 1999 and has spent more than ten years with the company in the UK and China in various, also cross-brand functions. He oversaw the MINI brand globally from 2013 to 2015 and has been successfully managing the activities in the China region since. But most importantly (for us) he was promoted to the BMW Board overseeing sales of all BMW Group brands including MINI. In other words if you wanted to understand BMW’s plans for the MINI brand (present and future), there might be no one better to speak with.
Our time with Mr. Goller was brief, so after some pleasantries (and a personal invite to MTTS) we wanted to start straight away with the question many of you have been asking.
MotoringFile: With sales consistently down from the 2013 high, is MINI committed to the US market?
Jochen Goller: “We will not give up on the US. It’s a critical market for us”.
MF: Fair enough. But can MINI grow in the market now that range has shrunk (Clubman product ceased earlier this month) and there’s no formal plan yet for the J01 MINI Cooper or the J05 MINI Aceman?
JG: We want to see success in US but have to work on the right strategy. We have to get it right. We want to see growth and that has to be done by offering both ICE and EV MINIs. Maybe until the tipping point for EVs. At the moment we’re moving towards that window early 2030s
The electric J01 MINI Cooper will begin production in China but will expand to the UK in 2026. MF: With production expanding to the Oxford plant in 2026, will we see the J01 Cooper and J05 Aceman come to the North American market?
JG: For now it is too early to say.
MF: Is there a time frame when we should expect an announcement?
JG: I would say later this year we might have more for you.
MF: Moving on to a MINI that we know is coming to the US market – let’s talk about the new petrol F66 MINI Cooper. Was this MINI designed primarily for the US market due to slow EV adoption?
JG: No there are many markets that are adopting EVs at different paces and we wanted to offer MINIs no matter what your preference is. For instance Norway has a new car EV market share of 95% while in Poland that’s only 5%. So we currently see the same disparity in Europe as well.
The BMW Vision Neue Klasse – a preview of the all electric 3 Series that will be based on the Neue Klasse EV architecture MF: Let’s talk about the future of MINI production globally. Given that the BMW Neue Klasse EV platform is intended to underpin most cars sold by BMW Group, could it allow MINIs to be produced in other BMW plants globally such as Spartanburg in the US?
JG: Each plant will continue to be focused on platforms or variations of platforms. For example Spartanburg is specifically designed to handle large SAVs (BMW speak for crossovers) while Leipzig builds the new Countryman next its siblings the BMW X1 and X2. This focus on common platforms allows us to advantage each plant’s unique aspects and the local manufacturing supply chain.
The 2016 MINI Clubman Scrambler Concept. MF: One final question for you – and this one is a very different topic. In the US there’s a real movement towards off-road packages in everything from Suburus to Porsches. We also see this in the aftermarket on all cars including MINIs. Will we see anything offered officially by MINI in this area?
JG: This is also a segment we have observed. We always look at customer segmentation and we too see the rise of off road capabilities offered by other manufacturers. We see this globally and refer to the trend as the escapism concept. Customers want to leave the road and have the option do light off roading and have outdoor experiences. We’re currently looking into this area and the market potential.
And we that our time was up. While short we came away very optimistic about BMW’s continued investment in the MINI brand for the US market and its desire to bring all its new products to North America – including the J01 MINI Cooper EV and J05 Aceman EV. Mr. Goller was genuinely interested in our thoughts and feedback after the Q&A session. While his answers may read fairly short, you could tell that there was much more to say on many of the topics, he just wasn’t giving any of that up quite yet.
Above all we appreciated Mr. Goller’s enthusiasm for the brand. It’s clear that MINI, while a small sales volume compared to BMW, was important to him given his previous time at the helm of the brand. And don’t be surprised to see Mr. Goller behind the wheel of a MINI at MTTS this summer. While no promises were made, he was quick to write down the dates and seemed genuinely excited about the prospect of attending.
The post Interview: BMW Board Member Jochen Goller Doubles Down on MINI in The US Market with Hints at Future Products appeared first on MotoringFile.
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Today we Go hands-on with the 2025 F66 MINI Cooper S – MINI’s last ever petrol powered Cooper. Is it a Worthy Successor to the F56?
When you first look at the F66 in person it’s almost like you’ve entered an alternative universe. At least that’s how it feels to a MINI fan who’s lived with its predecessor, the F56, for the last decade. Yes this is still an F56 based car but for all intents and purposes it feels entirely new. Come with us as we go hands-on with the F66 MINI Cooper inside and out.
First let’s start with why this new MINI Cooper isn’t entirely new. MINI is putting enormous investment in electrifying the product line-up with the J01 MINI Cooper, J05 MINI Aceman and U25 Countryman (available as both ICE and EV). This enormous investment prompted a decision; completely drop the ICE powered Cooper, spend billions creating a new one or thoroughly rework the current F56 adding performance, technology and a new design inside and out. In the end there was only one choice. The F66 is that answer.
Even though MINI made the decision to heavily revise the F56 rather than to create an entirely new car, there’s almost nothing that the designers left untouched. The exterior design is evolved to match the J01 MINI Cooper with the goal to make them look identical to the casual observer. MINI’s hope is that a potential buyer would be choosing ICE versus EV without styling differences to muddy the waters.
This will extend to almost every aspect of the cars. As you can see the F66 has (almost) identical wheels, mirrors and even lighting (including those controversial taillights). But interestingly no exterior parts are shared between the two cars no matter how similar they look.
MINI designers have applied the minimal design language we’ve seen on the J01 MINI Cooper by eliminating all non-functional vents, scoops and design elements. This has resulted in the F66 looking more elegant and minimal than it’s predecessor and (in our opinion) closer to the original aesthetic of the classic Mini.
But that’s our opinion. What’s yours? Let us know in the comments below.
The post Video: hands-on With The New 2025 F66 MINI Cooper S appeared first on MotoringFile.
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For years MINI’s performance sub brand JCW has gone solo in designing and engineering its cars and the performance parts that power them. While they appear to follow in the footsteps of the BMW M division, there has rarely been anything performance related shared between the two. With the all new U25 Countryman JCW, that changes in an important way.
The MINI Countryman JCW has two different brakes offerings. The standard set are similar in size to the F60 Countryman and F54 Clubman’s brakes in size and spec. Given our experience with both those cars we can attest to the performance on the street and track of this setup. However if you order the 20″ wheels on the Countryman you get a big upgrade in stopping power with discs and rotors noticeably different than before. And that’s where BMW M comes in.
The F87 BMW M2 The U25 MINI Countryman optional brakes come directly from the F87 BMW M2 Competition. More specifically the front brakes including the rotors, pads and parts of the caliper design all from the previous generation M2.
There are a couple of small differences worth nothing. The Countryman carries over its four-pot rotor design (albeit larger than before) rather than adopting the six-pot set-up from the M2. Additionally because the front wheel drive bias and the weight distribution of the Countryman, there’s no real need for the larger rear brakes from the M2.
What does it mean to have brakes from the M2? Everything is bigger and more track ready. The rotors themselves are vented and 380 mm, up from the non-vented 360 mm discs on the LCI versions of the F60 JCW, F54 JCW and the most recent JCW GP. The calipers are four pot like before but offer a larger swept area for more stopping power.
The entire set-up should allow for not just for better stopping performance but more feel and a greater resistance to fade thanks to better heat dissipation. This is especially critical at the track where constant hard braking can elevate temperatures and reduce stopping power.
The BMW M2 sourced brakes will be exclusively bundled with the 20″ John Cooper Works Flag Spoke option. Prices and availability will vary depending on market but they should be readily available at the launch of the Countryman JCW.
The Other BMW M Connection
While sharing of a BMW M braking system is a first for MINI, there has been some less overt parts sharing in the past. The biggest is what’s under the hood of the Countryman JCW.
The 312 hp version of the B48 that powers Countryman JCW was developed by BMW and is not in any way a true BMW M engine. However there was collaboration in the design of this version of the B48 with the M Division in areas like thermal management and overall tuning due to it being offered in several BMW M Performance models like the X1 and X2 M35i. MINI has leveraged this design and engineering in its version of the B48 in F60 Countryman JCW, F54 Clubman JCW and the new U25 Countryman JCW.
The post The MINI Countryman JCW Has a Secret Taken Directly From The BMW M2 appeared first on MotoringFile.
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The electric J01 MINI Cooper is a watershed moment for the brand. It’s the first ever dedicated electric vehicle from MINI and one that ushers in an entirely new era of design and technology for the brand. While we’ve seen a lot of the higher-end Cooper SE, we haven’t gotten a look at the base Cooper E. Until now.
We’re looking at the all new MINI Cooper E with the Classic Trim finished in vibrant Sunny Side Yellow. In this trim level, the surfaces of the cockpit are covered with two-tone black and blue knit material. The seats are finished in Vescin and are available in gray or black with a perforated houndstooth pattern.
Cooper E Performance
As the entry point for the range, the Cooper E has a smaller 40.7 kWh (compared to the in the Cooper SE’s 54.2 kWh) which delivers 305 kilometers (190 miles) in the WLTP test cycle. This is down from the 402 km (250 miles) in the SE. Both offer the same charging speed – 28 minutes of charging with a DC output of up to 75 kW is enough to charge the MINI Cooper E battery from 10 to 80 percent.
The 135 kW/184 hp electric drive can access the maximum torque of 290 Nm at any time allowing for 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. That’s off but not by much from the Cooper SE’s 6.7 seconds.
For an exhaustive view of the specifications of the Cooper E and how it compares with the J01 Cooper SE and the previous F56 Cooper SE, check out our exclusive look at specifications below.
Models J01 Cooper E J01 Cooper SE F56 Cooper SE J05 Aceman SE Power 184 hp 218 hp 181 hp 218 hp Torque 214 lb-ft 243 lb-ft 199 lb-ft 243 lb-ft Transmission 1 speed 1 speed 1 speed 1 speed 0-100 kp/h or 0-60 mph 7.3 sec (0-62 mph) 6.7 sec (0-62 mph) 7.2 sec (0-60 mph) TBA Range 190 miles 250 miles 140 miles TBA Battery Size 40.7 kWh 54.2 kWh 32.6 kWh 54.2 kWh Length (mm/inches) 3858 mm / 151.8 in 3858 mm / 151.8 in 3850 mm / 151.5 in 4079 mm / 161 in Width w/o Mirros (mm/inches) 1756 mm / 69 in 1756 mm / 69 in 1727 mm / 68 in 1754 mm / 69 in Height (mm) 1460 mm / 57 in 1460 mm / 57 in 1432 mm / 56.4 in 1514 mm / 59.6 in Wheelbase (mm) 2526 mm / 99 in 2526 mm / 99 in 2495 mm / 98.2 in 2606 mm / 102.6 in Curb weight (kg/lbs) 1540 kg / 3395 lbs 1605 kg / 3,538 lbs 1440 kg / 3175 lbs 1710 kg / 3,770 lbs Weight distribution (Front/Rear) F 58% / R 42% F 57% / R 43% F 54% / R 46% TBD Front Overhang 746 mm / 29.3 in 746 mm / 29.3 in 757 mm / 29.8 756 mm / 29.8 in Rear Overhang 586 mm / 23 in 586 mm / 23 in 681 mm / 26.8 in 717 mm / 28.2 in Luggage capacity (seats up/seats down 210 / 800 L 210 / 800 L 211 / 941 L 450 / 1450 L The Cooper E starts at €32,900 in Germany or £30,000 in the UK. The first reviews should hit in April with sales beginning in May.
The post First Look: the Electric J01 MINI Cooper E With Photo Gallery appeared first on MotoringFile.
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The new MINIs have been announced and even priced but if you’re in the US there’s still no way to configure them. How long do we have to wait and what models will be in the new configurator? We’ve got all the details.
MINIUSA will be launching its all new configurator in mid-March. The new experience will include the new F66 MINI Cooper, Cooper S, U25 Countryman Cooper S and Countryman JCW at launch.The Countryman SE, four door Cooper, Convertible Cooper and Cooper JCW following later in the year.
F66 MINI Cooper US Market Details
With a substantial upgrade in standard equipment, prices have risen a bit. The F56 Cooper had an MSRP of $25,800. That’s going up to $28,950. The Cooper S rises from $30,900 to $32,200. Standard equipment details will come soon but from what we hear there will be more performance and tech (heads up display for example) for that base price. Details to come.
USA Specific MINI Cooper Performance Figure
In the US power and torque can be measured slightly differently and thus we sometimes see variations of European figures. Interestingly that’s only the case with one model. The Cooper produces 156 hp the same as the UK and Europe. The Cooper S however is rated at 201 hp with is a 3 hp decrease from those UK and EU figures. However that’s very likely the result of measurement protocols and not output changes. The torque remains the same at 221 ft lbs. That takes the Cooper S to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds – JCW territory from a few years ago.
MINI USA Launch Dates For The F66 MINI Cooper
While both the Cooper and Cooper S begin production in March, the US won’t see the cars as quickly as the UK and Europe. For the US we expect the Cooper S to begin sales in late April or early May. For the Cooper the US should get deliveries from July production onward. That would mean dealers could see them in mid to late August.
The 2025 MINI Countryman US Market Details
The internal combustion (ICE) powered 2025 Countryman S will start at $38,900 in the US. That will get you a fairly well equipped car but certainly not loaded. MINI will not use all of the trim names and levels we’ve seen in the UK and Europe but instead create their own that will be similar to what we see in the We’d expect roughly a $10k swing between this new base S model and a fully loaded version.
This new Countryman S model will have 241 hp and 295 lbs of torque 2.0 liter. That’s more than a 50 hp increase and more than the original F60 JCW model from just five years ago.
One interesting note, the US will not incorporate a mild hybrid system into this engine due to cost and weight trade-offs. Since there’s less stringent efficiency standards in the US there’s really no need to.
The 2025 MINI Countryman SE
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 quoting a 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.
But it’s still not the final EPA figures so keep that in mind – those will come in early January. This 245 mile number is what MINI USA is estimating by looking at performance in the EU and doing their own calculations.
The 2025 MINI Countryman JCW
This new halo model will have an output of 312 hp in the US with 295 ft lbs of torque. That number, 36 ft lbs lower than the previous generation) has been reduced due to the limitation of the new DCT. However with the improved power and power delivery, acceleration is still just over 5 seconds to 60 mph.
The JCW will begin production in March and will arrive to dealers in the US around the May timeframe.
The post Exclusive Details and Timing on the New MINI USA Configurator appeared first on MotoringFile.
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Today, Formula E unveiled the NXT Gen Cup, an electric MINI based racing series that will travel the world to support Formula E. The series will include male and female drivers with an aims to foster the growth of emerging talent in an innovative electric format. Perhaps more importantly the car car will be based entirely on MINI Cooper SE.
The NXT Gen Cup is set to headline all four European race events of Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, spanning Misano, Monaco, Berlin, and concluding in London for the season finale.
Subject to final FIA approval, the NXT Gen Cup’s first appearance in the Formula E paddock will kick off in Misano, Italy, on the 13th and 14th April marking the start of the World Championship’s European tour and the first time it has raced at the World Circuit.
The MINI Cooper SE Race Car
While we don’t have confirmation, we expect this race car will be based on the F56 Cooper SE given the timing and specs that we’ve seen. The cars will be designed and engineered by Lestrup Racing Team. Weighing in at 1150kg, the Cooper SE will have 180bhp and pack an additional 60bhp during push-to-pass moments. This extra power comes from a 30kWh battery and an 800 V system.
Other notable features include regenerative braking, adjustable ?hlins shock absorbers, and Hankook Semi-slick all-weather tires. With 20 race cars meticulously constructed for the series, each driver will equal equipment creating a level playing field and close racing. Charging operations will be managed in collaboration with ABB E-Mobility, the Official charging partner of the NXT Gen Cup.
The post Formula E Unveiling Electric MINI Racing Series appeared first on MotoringFile.
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After years of waiting we finally got hands-on with both the electric J01 and the petrol F66 MINI Coopers. Two cars with striking similarities on the surface and seismic differences lurking beneath. One that’s reinventing the entire concept of a MINI being driven by one key stat. The other, an older car thoroughly reengineered to carry the internal combustion torch to the end. Which is more impressive in person and are they really as visually identical as MINI tells us? Let’s find out.
The J01 MINI Cooper and a ground-up EV which means it’s all new and designed with a skateboard chassis as a starting point. This has allowed the J01 to have subtle yet at times substantial differences in shape. At first glance it looks relatively similar to the F56 (and its successor the F66) in shape. Yet getting these two next to each other makes it clear just how much MINI has rethought the Cooper with the J01. That rethink is partially about moving into a new design direction MINI calls this charismatic simplicity. But perhaps an even bigger reason was that MINI was after a dramatic improvement in one key stat – drag co-efficient.
The first thing that starring us in the face was the altered geometry of the J01. The cowl (where the windshield meets the bonnet) is further forward allowing the windshield to be more angled. This was critical in allowing the J01 to have a dramatic increase in aero efficiency. This was a big part of how MINI was able to reduce the drag co-effecient from 0.34 on the F56 down to only 0.26. For an upright small car that number is rather astounding.
The more you look the more you see changes driven by the wind. If you could look from directly above the J01 you’d also notice a more tapered rear of the car where the F66 is much more square. This is especially evident if you stand just off the rear taillights looking towards the front of the car.
The clamshell bonnet is gone thanks to pedestrian safety standards and the plastic wheel arches have been eliminated due to drag. The windshield wipers are now entirely hidden in the cowl as the result of both safety and aero.
Looking at the F66, MINI has taken incredible steps to mirror these changes but couldn’t fundamentally change the shape. Luckily those changes satisfied the brief as MINI didn’t necessarily need to decrease drag on the petrol car. Instead the focus was creating a MINI that looked (to the average consumer) nearly identical to the electric model. The idea is that MINI wants consumers to have “the power of choice” as they say. That allows potential buyers to simply focus on the choice of petrol or electric and not styling or functionality.
Inside we found the design and functionality of MINI’s new circular display and MINI OS9 to be identical. One area that was not however was the center console and seats. The F66 takes all of that from the new Countryman including the much larger center armrest.
Our Take
Having spend a fair amount of time with both cars we had a pretty good handle on the differences. So we thought. Few people in the world (outside of BMW employees) likely had a better grasp on these two cars than we did. Yet seeing both together was fascinating. The F66 looked startlingly new when we first saw it. Seeing it next to the J01 gave it away as F56 based pretty quickly. The J01 gave it immediate context we didn’t have before.
The biggest difference is the shape of both cars. There are some fundamental changes that MINI made to its classic Cooper formula that are hiding in plane sight. Sure we understood them before. The short bonnet, higher belt-line and tapered rear. But with the F66 a few feet away you could better appreciate just how but o a departure the J01 is from the F56 and F66. Subsequently you can better understand just what MINI has done and how far they’ve taken the Cooper in an effort to cheat the wind and create more efficiency.
But you be the judge. Check out the video above and tell us what you think.
The post First Comparison: The Electric J01 MINI Cooper SE vs The Petrol F66 MINI Cooper S appeared first on MotoringFile.
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The F56 MINI Cooper is the last ever internal combustion Cooper model from the brand. Because of that MINI is carrying on the tradition of a few classic colors we’ve known for years. But there’s also a few surprises and one completely new color we’ve never seen before in the range.
There are two solid colors (Chili Red and Sunny Side Yellow) and eight metallic colors to choose from. We expect the JCW Legend Grey to eventually show up with the JCW reveal in October and perhaps a unique launch color with the F67 Convertible around the same time.
Blazing Blue British Racing Green Chili Red Melting Silver Midnight Black Nanuq White Ocean Wave Green Sunny Side Yellow The F66 2025 MINI Cooper Model Range
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 Family Drivetrain Start of Production F66 MINI Cooper 155 HP (Petrol) 03/2024 F66 MINI Cooper S 200 HP (Petrol) 03/2024 F66 MINI Cooper JCW 231 HP (Petrol) 11/2024 F65 MINI Cooper 5 Door 155 HP (Petrol) 07/2024 F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door 200 HP (Petrol) 07/2024 F67 MINI Cooper Convertible 155 HP (Petrol) 11/2024 F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible 200 HP (Petrol) 11/2024 F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible 231 HP (Petrol) 03/2025* * unconfirmed As you can see above the changeover will happen in three phases. The first is the iconic two door Cooper which is be available at launch in Cooper and Cooper S models (the Cooper C Comes to the US in the fall). Next will be the five door F65 MINI Cooper launch in both Cooper and Cooper S models. Finally the brand will launch its last F66 variant, the F67 convertible in Cooper and Cooper S models. We believe the JCW F67 will either launch simultaneously or follow in March of 2025.
The highly anticipated F66 MINI Cooper JCW will likely launch this fall and begin production in November.
Head over to our first hands-on experience with the all new F66 MINI Cooper if you want to hear our initial impressions. And make sure to let us know what you think of MINI’s last ever ICE powered Cooper in the comments.
The post See All of The F66 MINI Cooper’s Eight Colors appeared first on MotoringFile.
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MINI USA has announced performance figures, pricing and some other surprises specific to the US market. Some of the news won’t be a shocker if you’ve been reading MotoringFile while some (the pricing) is news we’ve been waiting for.
Let’s start with the name. The Cooper C that the rest of the world will get will continue to be known simply as the Cooper in the US. That’s likely for two reasons. First the US won’t get the Countryman C so the new naming convention really won’t have any precedent in the US. Second it will help avoid confusion and make it easier for potential buyers to shop against the previous model. The Cooper S will remain the Cooper S.
MINI USA F66 MINI Cooper Pricing
With a substantial upgrade in standard equipment, prices have risen a bit. The F56 Cooper had an MSRP of $25,800. That’s going up to $28,950. The Cooper S rises from $30,900 to $32,200. Standard equipment details will come soon but from what we hear there will be more performance and tech (heads up display for example) for that base price. Details to come.
USA Specific MINI Cooper Performance Figure
In the US power and torque can be measured slightly differently and thus we sometimes see variations of European figures. Interestingly that’s only the case with one model. The Cooper produces 156 hp the same as the UK and Europe. The Cooper S however is rated at 201 hp with is a 3 hp decrease from those UK and EU figures. However that’s very likely the result of measurement protocols and not output changes. The torque remains the same at 221 ft lbs. That takes the Cooper S to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds – JCW territory from a few years ago.
MINI USA Launch Dates for the F66 MINI Cooper
While both the Cooper and Cooper S begin production in March, the US won’t see the cars as quickly as the UK and Europe. For the US we expect the Cooper S to begin sales in late April or early May. For the Cooper the US should get deliveries from July production onward. That would mean dealers could see them in mid to late August.
The post MINI USA Pricing & Launch Dates of the F66 MINI Cooper and Cooper S appeared first on MotoringFile.
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As with the J01 MINI Cooper, some markets will be offering JCW (or sport) trim that will mimic the look of the full JCW model coming later this year. In other words this is our best look yet at how that highly anticipated petrol MINI Cooper JCW will look when it debuts later this year.
Looking at these renders (pulled from the German MINI website) we can clearly see the J01’s JCW Trim design aesthetic was followed closely. The front bumper however has real ducts due to the need to cool the JCW B48 engine. There’s also functional brake ducts as we’ve seen on the F56.
F66 JCW Trim 
J01 JCW Trim In fact the JCW front bumper is quite close to what we’ve seen previously on the F56 as you can see below. Elsewhere you can clearly see MINI has moved to gloss black side skirts on the JCW along with gloss black fender flares. This follows the trends towards gloss black we’ve seen elsewhere.
F66 JCW Trim 
The F56 JCW 2025 MINI Cooper JCW – Power and Performance
The headline is that the 2025 MINI Cooper JCW will not see an increase in horsepower. Unlike the Cooper or the Cooper S, MINI is holding the line on power output and instead bringing some upgrades elsewhere.
Model F56 Cooper F56 Cooper S F56 CooperJCW F66 Cooper C F66 Cooper S F66 Cooper JCW Power 134 hp 189 hp 231 hp 156 hp 204 hp 231 hp Torque 162 lb-ft/1480 rpm 206 lb-ft/1350 rpm 235 lb-ft/1450 rpm 170 lb-ft/1,480 rpm 221 lb-ft/1,250 rpm 258 lb-ft/1,250 rpm Transmission Manual/DCT Manual/DCT Manual/Auto 7 speed DCT 7 speed DCT 7 speed DCT Drivetrain front-wheel front-wheel front-wheel front-wheel front-wheel front-wheel Length (mm/in) 3863mm/152.1 in 3863mm/152.1 in 3863mm/152.1 in 3876mm/152.60 in 3876mm/152.6 in TBA Height (mm/in) 1414mm/55.66 in 1414mm/55.66 in 1414mm/55.66 in 1432mm/56.38 in 1432mm / 56.38 in TBA Wheelbase (mm/in) 2495mm/98.23 in 2495mm/98.23 in 2495mm/98.23 in 2495mm/98.23 in 2495mm/98.23 in 2495mm/98.23 Curb weight (kg/lbs) 1256kg/2,769 lbs 1289kg/2,841 lbs 1289kg/2,841 lbs 1260kg/2,778 lbs 1285kg/2,832 lbs TBA 
Shortly after the F66 will be the F67 JCW Convertible Despite this the F66 will have a slightly revised B48 engine under the hood – more specifically the B48A20O2. So what is this revision actually getting would be owners? Torque which 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.
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? 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.
A Few Surprising Changes in Size
While the F66 JCW is based on the F56 JCW, the dimensions aren’t identical likely due to styling and even a few engineering changes. For instance the F56 JCW has a length of 3863mm vs 3876mm for the new F66 JCW. Why the change? From our information that’s due to the new bumper design (driven by either aero of new safety standards) might be the culprit.
The height change is also interesting. The F56 Cooper JCW is 1414mm vs the F66 Cooper JCW which is higher at 1432mm. This is connected to larger standard tires with an increase circumference.
It’s the width that is the most interesting to us. The F56 Cooper has a width of 1727 mm vs the F66 which is wider at 1744mm (both without mirrors). That 17mm difference may not sound like much but BMW and MINI don’t typically increase the width of a car solely because of aesthetics. This is due to the wheel and tire size increasing. Tires are now 10 mm wider at 215 and the wheels have been sized up accordingly. Which leads to…
JCW Wheels That Finally Look Normal
The F56 JCW is a great car with an engineering decision that has created an awkward styling issue. The because of the size of the front brakes and the wheel offset, all JCW wheels bow outward creating an unusual convex shape that looks very different than typical concave performance wheels. As you can see in these photos as MINI has clearly changed the geometry of the wheels which seems to have eliminated that issue entirely. MINI will offer the 17” JCW Sprint Spoke as standard (which we see above) and the 18” John Cooper Works Lap Spoke 2-tone as an option (seen on the F67 convertible below).
The new F66 MINI Cooper JCW is a mix of the new and familiar 
The current F56 Cooper S Exhaust design shows that the “dual exhaust” is nothing more than two small pipes from a single exhaust. 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.
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 this exclusive zoomed in photo you can see a central exhaust and single pipe that looks to be in nearly final production form. 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.
The F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible with the 18” John Cooper Works Lap Spoke wheels The Cooper JCW – Once Again Available in Two Flavors
As before MINI will be offering the JCW model in the iconic three door F66 hatch and the F67 convertible. Once again MINI will not be offering its highest performance model in the five door configuration. Why? Product planners apparently made that call many years ago in the F56 generation and due to tight development budgets due to having to offer both electric and ICE models, they’re sticking to it.
The F66 gear selector moves from the console to the dash in the form of a discrete toggle switch. The JCW Manual Transmission Is Gone
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 early this year, 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.
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.
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.
The 2025 F66 MINI Cooper JCW testing with full camouflage at the Nurburgring In its place will be a revised 7 speed dual clutch (DCT) with slightly more aggressive 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.
F66 JCW Trim 2025 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 Family Drivetrain Start of Production End of Production F66 MINI Cooper 155 HP (Petrol) 03/2024 12/31/30 F66 MINI Cooper S 200 HP (Petrol) 03/2024 12/31/30 F66 MINI Cooper JCW 231 HP (Petrol) 11/2024 12/31/30 F65 MINI Cooper 5 Door 155 HP (Petrol) 07/2024 12/31/30 F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door 200 HP (Petrol) 07/2024 12/31/30 F67 MINI Cooper Convertible 155 HP (Petrol) 11/2024 12/31/30 F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible 200 HP (Petrol) 11/2024 12/31/30 F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible 231 HP (Petrol) 11/2024 12/31/30 The post the F66 MINI Cooper JCW Trim – A Preview of the Full JCW appeared first on MotoringFile.
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What am I looking at. Those were the first words that came to mind as I walked into the secret room inside of the secret bunker where the F66 MINI Cooper laid waiting for me. With no phone in my pocket and no way to even take notes, I began walking around the new Cooper studying every new detail. The it hit me. This is (mostly) what the F56 should have been all along.
Experiencing a new MINI for the first time is one thing. But seeing a new MINI with head of MINI Design Oliver Heimler next to you, is another experience entirely. “What do you think, and be Honest” Oliver asked me. My immediate response was one of shock at just how far MINI took the F56 in turning it into the F66.
Walking up to the F66 MINI Cooper S for the first time is like looking at a F56 that has been honed and subtly smoothed like a stone in a river. It’s not just that MINI has taken aware the faux scoops and non-functional design elements. Look close and you realize the bumper, hood and even rear fenders have all been subtly reshaped.
I asked Oliver about this and he told me the MINI Design team wanted to push the F56 as far as it could go to not just make it look like the J01 but to make it feel more modern. He didn’t say this but I could sense that these were changes that MINI designers had probably thought about for many years and hadn’t been able to execute.
Let’s get over the lack of a manual. There’s no question it’s heartbreaking for many of us question. But let’s celebrate the fact that we are looking at an all new MINI Cooper powered by an internal combustion engine. The last one in fact. It’s a moment to celebrate that this car exists. New styling, updated engines, higher levels of performance and entirely new technology. And there’s so much more. MINI has checked so many boxes. There are finally wider wheels and tires. The ridiculous faux hood scoop and vents adorning the car are finally gone. In their place is (brace yourself) nothing. Simplicity. The core of the Mini philosophy is everywhere you look uninterrupted by gauche styling elements.
The front overhang is still here. MINI designers have been able to alter its impact through subtle alterations but there’s no material change to the size and that’s disappointing. Oliver confirmed this is a resigned look. But his excitement grew the second we started to talk how much was accomplished with what we had expected was simply a refresh.
And that’s really the big take away here. Yes this is a revised F56 if you think about the chassis underneath and the engines powering this car. But everything else (literally) has been altered. From subtle changes to complete rethinks the F66 feels new in surprising ways. You’re left feeling that MINI designers and engineers have pulled off the impossible. Revising the F56 into something that feels truly new.
Throughout my walk around Oliver was still asking for feedback. What did I think about this or that? And is there something I wasn’t sure about. I mentioned that the exhaust choice would be hard for some and he nodded with agreement. But he also made it clear that MINI was moving into new directions with electrification and the brand had to be thoughtful about how it expressed that philosophy even in its ICE cars. I told him that the lights would be a challenge for some but I completely understand the rational. Then finally it hit me. I’m not a fan of the type face on the rear hatch. I shrugged my shoulder and told him as a designer that has worked with type of years I had to say it. He smiled and said he’d bring that feedback to the team.
And with that I congratulated him and his team for such a shocking transformation. Leaving the top secret room and walking down the hall is when it hit me. A lot of these designers worked on the F56 and its siblings. Yet if you look at the concepts they’ve been producing since then (the Rocketman and Superleggera being two) its clear that, when left to their own devices they had a more refined vision of the MINI hatch than we’ve seen with the F56. That vision has finally become reality with the F66 MINI Cooper.
We just wish it had a manual transmission.
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It’s here – the MINI so many of you’ve been waiting for. A new MINI Cooper with no plug, no range anxiety and plenty of gasoline in its veins. This is the F66 and it’s the last ever petrol powered MINI Cooper. What’s new, what’s old and how does it stack up to all the MINI Coopers that came before it? Today (finally) we find out.
The F66 MNI Cooper may look all new to the casual observer but as you know if you’ve been reading MotoringFile, it’s not. Why? MINI is putting enormous investment in electrifying the product line-up with the J01 MINI Cooper, J05 MINI Aceman and U25 Countryman (available as both ICE and EV). This enormous investment prompted a decision; completely drop the ICE powered Cooper, spend billions creating a new one or thoroughly rework the current F56 adding performance, technology and a new design inside and out. In the end there was only one choice. The F66 is that answer.
Today we not only get to see the F66 MINI Cooper for the first time. For quite a few markets ordering books are also now open as well. In fact MINI has never had such a tight window between debut and production as the F66 will begin rolling down the line in Oxford England on March 1st. The reason for this is not confirmed but we suspect that MINI would much rather focus attention on its all electric offerings and the new Countryman.
As with the F56, the F66 will spawn two other variants; the five door hatch (F65) and convertible (F67).
F66 MINI Cooper (three door) F65 MINI Cooper (five door) F67 MINI Cooper Convertible Cooper C 2-door hardtop (F66) Cooper C 4-door hardtop (F65) Cooper C Convertible (F67) Cooper S 2-door hardtop (F66) Cooper S 4-door hardtop (F65) Cooper S Convertible (F67) Cooper JCW 2-door hardtop (F66) Cooper JCW Convertible (ICE) There’s also a revised name to go along with an entirely refreshed car; MINI Cooper C as well as the more familiar MINI Cooper S. What’s the “C” stand for? According to MINI it’s short for “Core”. The “C” and “S” model denotations will apply to all petrol powered MINIs while we’ll see “E” and “SE” on all electric models.
Performance Upgrades for the F66 MINI Cooper C & Cooper S
MINI has upped the ante in terms of power with both models. The F56 Cooper is getting a 14% power upgrade going from 134 hp to 156 hp in the F66 Cooper C. This change takes the C from 0-62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 7.7 seconds. The more powerful F66 Cooper S gets a less dramatic 7.4% horsepower boost from 189 to 204 hp but sees a significant torque increase to 221 lb-ft. This gets the new F66 Cooper S to 62 mph in 6.6 seconds (70 in 6.4 seconds). And keep in mind these are both likely a conservative numbers knowing how BMW calculates figures.
Model F56 Cooper F56 Cooper S F66 Cooper C F66 Cooper S Power 134 hp 189 hp 156 hp 204 hp Torque 162 lb-ft/1480 rpm 206 lb-ft/1350 rpm 170 lb-ft/1,480 rpm 221 lb-ft Transmission Manual/DCT Manual/DCT 7 speed DCT 7 speed DCT The Design of the F66 2025 MINI Cooper
Even though MINI made the decision to heavily revise the F56 rather than to create an entirely new car, there’s almost nothing that the designers left untouched. The exterior design is evolved to match the J01 MINI Cooper with the goal to make them look identical to the casual observer. MINI’s hope is that a potential buyer would be choosing ICE versus EV without styling differences to muddy the waters.
This will extend to almost every aspect of the cars. As you can see the F66 has (almost) identical wheels, mirrors and even lighting (including those controversial taillights). But interestingly no exterior parts are shared between the two cars no matter how similar they look.
The J01 MINI Cooper EV and the F66 MIMI Cooper (ICE) MINI designers have applied the minimal design language we’ve seen on the J01 MINI Cooper by eliminating all non-functional vents, scoops and design elements.
The result is that the F66 has a clean and minimal aesthetic that at first glance looks refreshing. But more on our first hands-on impressions later. This is a car that is subtly new in almost every way. MINI has gone beyond just revising the bumpers, wheels and lights and have a completely new hood (with no faux hood scoop) and a rear hatch that’s been reshaped requiring an all new rear fender shape. So extensive are the changes that the only exterior piece of the F66 that’s identical to the F56 are the doors.
The F56 vs the F66 – subtle differences abound The F56 vs the F66 The Surprising Differences
While the F66 is based on the F56, the dimensions aren’t identical likely due to styling and even an few engineering changes. For instance the F56 has a length of 3863mm vs 3876mm for the new F66. The reason is the revised front and rear bumper design. But more interesting is the height change. The F56 is 1414mm vs the F66 which is higher at 1432mm. This is due to MINI increasing the standard wheel size of the Cooper from 15? to 16? wheels while increasing the tire size slightly as well.
But most interesting is the width change. The F56 Cooper has a width of 1727 mm vs the F66 which is wider at 1744mm (both without mirrors). That 17mm difference may not sound like much but BMW and MINI don’t typically increase the width of a car solely because of aesthetics. This change is due to wider wheels and tires (205mm to 215mm) that allow for a more concave wheel design on the Cooper S and JCW (which we’ll see later this year).
Model F56 Cooper F56 Cooper S F66 Cooper C F66 Cooper S Length (mm/in) 3863mm / 152.1 in 3863mm / 152.1 in 3876mm / 152.6 in 3876mm / 152.6 in Height (mm/in) 1414mm / 55.66 in 1414mm / 55.66 in 1432mm / 56.4 in 1432mm / 56.4 in Wheelbase (mm/in) 2495mm / 98.23 in 2495mm / 98.23 in 2495mm / 98.23 in 2495mm / 98.23 in Curb weight (kg/lbs) 1256kg / 2,769 lbs 1289kg / 2,841 lbs 1260kg / 2,778 lbs 1285kg / 2,832 lbs Then there are the small styling tweaks that aren’t obvious at first. The headlight placement looks identical at first glance. But in person you can see how MINI has moved the lights very slightly forward and made them slightly more upright. This works in conjunction with the new hood and simpler face of the car to create a more upright silhouette.
Headlight may look identical but it’s actually subtle different to work with the overall design of the car. A Small Weight Change
One of the biggest critiques of modern MINI is that they appear to be getting larger and heavier with every generation. That’s actually not historically true. The R50 (manual) had a DIN weight of 2,535 lbs which then decreased to 2,513 with the R56 Cooper (manual). While that weight finally did go up with the noticeably larger F56, it wasn’t as much as most assumed. The F56’s DIN weight is 2,701 lbs in manual form and 2,756 with the DCT. Given that the F66 will only be available with the DCT, let’s compare those two numbers.
The F56 Cooper DCT weights in at 2,756 lbs. The new F66 Cooper DCT has a curb weight of 2,778 lbs, a 22 lbs difference. Given the added emissions and safety additions (and not to mention the new tech), a 22 lbs increase feels like a win in a world of 6,000 SUVs.
The Interior of the F66 MINI Cooper
While the exterior changes on the F66 may be surprising given its F56 origins, the interior is downright shocking. MINI has turned the F56 into a completely new car with all the design language, materials and technology found in the J01 MINI Cooper.
there’s a big environmental impact due to the production of leather in the quantities that companies like MINI need. So much so that MINI has made the bold decision to eliminate leather from its coming starting with the all new J01 MINI Cooper electric
What’s wrong with leather? It’s complicated. While the leather industry is vocal about its use as a smart byproduct of livestock farming, there’s some serious concerns around its production and amount of impact it has on the environment. Converting animal skin to leather demands vast energy and involves hazardous chemicals like mineral salts, formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives, oils, dyes, some cyanide-based finishes. Suffice to say it’s not the most natural and environmentally safe process. It’s also not inline with MINI’s brand image of being environmentally conscious and animal friendly. But how do you replace something as iconic as leather seats?
BMW and MINI are so confident in products like Vescin (BMW’s version I called Sensafin – an improved version of Sensatec) they they’re already being used in several cars with MSRPs well over $100,000.
What’s it like in person? Getting into the new F66 MINI Cooper, it’s clear that Vescin is a step-up from what we’ve known as Leatherette. The off-white perforated seats in the F66 MINI Cooper we experienced were softer to the touch than leatherette and felt much more supple. But how do they compare with leather? In short very well. Compared with the standard Chesterfield or Cross Punch leather seating, Vescin feels softer and more premium. It’s not on par with the feel and softness of MINI’s Lounge Leather but then again that’s $2500 option on the Signature Trim.
The physical controls in the new F66 are relegated to this strip below the circular display. The MINI Cooper Manual Is Eliminated
As the F56 production ended over 50% of JCW hardtops sold in the US were equipped with the manual transmission. So this change is a big one for some markets and certain models. But the economic realities of complying with European legislation have forced MINI’s hand which means the F66 will have only one transmission across the line-up. That transmission is the familiar dual clutch 7 speed with some small refinements. Let’s hope that adds up to quick shift times.
The move to replace the manual is all about the costs associated with meeting European emissions standards. While North America doesn’t have the same requirements, the case couldn’t be made due to investment required vs the expected sales. Even with a 50% take rate on the JCW for instance, that quantity can’t pay of the costs associated with further developing and/or maintaining the option.
Making this change even more dramatic is MINI’s new dash mounted gear selector. Designers have replaced the center console mounted gear lever with a small dash mounted toggle. The rational is logical as the design simplifies the process of selecting park, reverse or drive while freeing up interior space for storage, screens or other functionality. More importantly MINI still offers wheel mounted paddles for manual control of the DCT. Read our first impressions of this new shift lever here.
The Hidden Exhaust of the F66 MINI Cooper C & Cooper S
MINI Designers have also hidden one important functional aspect of the F66 that would have differentiated from the electric J01 – the exhaust outlet. We can confirm the exhaust on the Cooper us is a single pipe tucked under the left side of the rear bumper, bent down, ending flush so it’s impossible to see without looking underneath.
The idea of the MINI Cooper and Cooper S having hidden exhausts actually has some historical precedent. European automakers had a similar design solution years ago when they hid exhaust outlets on many of its V8 models in the late 90s and early 00s. It was a time that customers wanted performance models to have a more discrete look due to concerns of being too aggressive. The larger, most luxurious Audis, Mercedes and BMWs all did this at one point or another.
Look for the new F66 MINI Cooper JCW to offer a different solution however.
The F66 MINI Cooper JCW is coming later this year The F66 2025 MINI Cooper Model Range
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 Family Drivetrain Start of Production F66 MINI Cooper 155 HP (Petrol) 03/2024 F66 MINI Cooper S 200 HP (Petrol) 03/2024 F66 MINI Cooper JCW 231 HP (Petrol) 11/2024 F65 MINI Cooper 5 Door 155 HP (Petrol) 07/2024 F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door 200 HP (Petrol) 07/2024 F67 MINI Cooper Convertible 155 HP (Petrol) 11/2024 F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible 200 HP (Petrol) 11/2024 F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible 231 HP (Petrol) 03/2025* * unconfirmed As you can see above the changeover will happen in three phases. The first is the iconic two door Cooper which is be available at launch in Cooper and Cooper S models (the Cooper C Comes to the US in the fall). Next will be the five door F65 MINI Cooper launch in both Cooper and Cooper S models. Finally the brand will launch its last F66 variant, the F67 convertible in Cooper and Cooper S models. We believe the JCW F67 will either launch simultaneously or follow in March of 2025.
The highly anticipated F66 MINI Cooper JCW will likely launch this fall and begin production in November.
Head over to our first hands-on experience with the all new F66 MINI Cooper if you want to hear our initial impressions. And make sure to let us know what you think of MINI’s last ever ICE powered Cooper in the comments.
The post World Premier: The F66 2025 MINI Cooper Revealed with Exclusive Details appeared first on MotoringFile.
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Today the last MINI Clubman was produced at the Oxford Plant in the UK. It’s a significant milestone as the final production run of the MINI Clubman concludes 55 years since its inaugural debut in 1969. And it’s a sad day for the fans of the modern Clubman – a car we’ve often praised as the best MINI made today.
Due to moderate sales and a world that can’t get enough of small crossovers, there simply wasn’t room in MIIN’s product mix for the wagon-like Clubman. Beloved for its mix of utility and performance, the Clubman has become a cult favorite for the brand. Despite the passion of from owners, there wasn’t enough to save it as MINI plans to down on crossovers with its next generation of cars.
Distinguished by its unique styling and iconic rear split doors, the MINI Clubman has maintained global recognition but never quite achieved the sales success hoped for. In fact outside of the Japanese market, it never achieved sustained sales volumes that MINI had targeted.
With the Clubman ending production at Oxford, the plant now has additional space for other product lines including the forthcoming F67 MINI Cooper Convertible.
We are incredibly proud to have built the MINI Clubman at Plants Oxford and Swindon over the last 18 years for customers all over the world. With its departure, we look ahead to welcoming members of the new MINI family to our Oxford and Swindon lines, including a new convertible model which we will start to produce at the end of this year.”
Dr. Markus Grüneisl, CEO of Plants Oxford and SwindonHaving produced over 1.1 million MINI Clubman models, with half originating from MINI Plant Oxford and exported to more than 50 countries, the Clubman has left an indelible mark on roads globally, with Midnight Black emerging as the preferred exterior color in the UK.
As we bid farewell to the Clubman, we reflect on its iconic history, tracing its lineage back to the classic Mini Clubman of the early 1960s. Introduced as part of the British Motor Corporation’s initiative to streamline the Mini portfolio, the Clubman’s distinct design, longer chassis, and barn-style rear doors set the stage for its enduring legacy.
The rebirth of the MINI Clubman in 2007 after a 25-year hiatus marked a significant moment in its evolution. Retaining signature styling elements, such as the split rear doors, engineers at MINI Plant Oxford faced challenges in integrating modern features, including the unique Clubdoor for easy rear passenger access.
In 2013, inspired by the Morris Mini Van, MINI introduced the innovative Clubvan, the world’s first premium compact delivery van, catering to businesses with its spacious cargo area and flat floor.
The original Clubman was a bit divisive. With the third door on the wrong side for right-hand drive markets, it was looked at as the “other” MINI even but the brand’s own marketing. While we loved the concept, it never really jelled for us as it felt too close to the R56 and didn’t find the sweet spot that the F54 ultimately did in terms of utility and performance.
The third generation in 2015 brought further refinement, featuring four full-sized doors, a capacious boot with up to 1,250 liters of capacity, and the introduction of an 8-speed Steptronic transmission. The Clubman ALL-4, MINI’s first all-wheel-drive model, debuted in 2016. Then with the Clubman’s LCI came the 306 hp Clubman JCW. With a conservative 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds and a top speed limited to 155 mph, it will likely be the fastest ICE power MINI of all time.
The MINI Clubman Untamed Edition The culmination of the Clubman’s journey came in 2023 with the launch of The Final Edition, a tribute limited to 1,969 units, commemorating the year of the original Clubman’s launch. This model featured distinctive design elements, including a Shimmer Copper radiator grille and side scuttles.
Having tested and driven every MINI made since 2001 we don’t shy away from picking favorites. And the F54 MINI Clubman (especially in JCW guise) is at the very top. So much so that we’ve ordered one of the last ones to roll off the assembly line. And since it’s been a few years since we had a Clubman JCW as our daily, we are revisiting it in a three part series. The first was taking a Cooper Final Edition on a road trip through the Austrian Alps and a record snow storm. The second was testing a Clubman JCW on the mountain roads of South Carolina. The third and final test will happen shortly after we take delivery of our very own Clubman JCW.
So the Clubman isn’t gone from these pages and certainly not from the MINI community. It’s only going to be a bit more rare.
The post We Look Back As The Final MINI Clubman Rolls Off the Assembly Line appeared first on MotoringFile.
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How does the MINI Aceman EV compare to the J01 MINI Cooper EV? We have an exclusive look at data that paints an interesting picture. Like our recent comparison between the new MINI Aceman EV and the new (and larger) MINI Countryman we dug deep to find dimensions and data points that are’t readily available yet to get a better picture of these two cars. What we found was two cars that were much closer to each other than you might initially realize.
Looking at the specifications, the first thing you realize is that the Aceman is based on a stretched version of the J01 skateboard chassis. That means the J01 MINI Cooper substantially influences the dimensions and mechanical layout of the Aceman. So while the Aceman is 192mm (7.6″) longer and 130mm (5.1″) wider than the new Cooper, it’s only 23mm (1″) wider.
What becomes very obvious the more you look is that the Aceman is truly just a stretched J01 with extra doors and a taller roofline. Another way to look at it is in terms of the F56 family of MINIs. Like the F55 MINI Cooper four door (itself a stretch version of the F56), the J05 is a longer, more spacious J01. Which in turn makes something else pretty obvious – the Aceman is not is a direct replacement for the recently departed and larger Clubman.
The J05 vs the J01 – Mechanical Similarities
Because of this close relationship with the J01 both the battery and the electric motor output are identical. This gives MINI great economies of scale but it also means the J05 has to use power units and batteries designed for a smaller car. Because of this (and the weight penalty that the J05 has over the J01) we expect a lower range and less performance compared to the new Cooper EV.
Another carry over from the J01 the front wheel drive architecture that underpins the J05 Aceman. This is due to the J01 chassis not being designed to offer a two engine layout that would allow for which all wheel drive in an electric vehicles. This engineering choice unfortunately means the Aceman as little if no off-road credentials other than well groomed trails.
One area where there’s a material difference is luggage capacity. As you can see above the Aceman has more than double the capacity with there seats up. That difference decreases slight when the seats are down but it’s still a respectable 1450 liters. That’s identical to the R60 Countryman with the seats up but 450 but the Aceman actually has 280 liters more space with the seats down. Comparing that to the more recent F60 Countryman the Aceman still holds it’s down with an identical luggage figure with the seats up and 60 more liters when the seats are folded down. Getting more space out of a smaller footprint is a huge advantage of skateboard chassis EV vehicles as the Aceman proves.
Models J01 Cooper E J01 Cooper SE J05 Aceman E J05 Aceman SE Power 184 hp 218 hp 184 hp 218 hp Torque 214 lb-ft 243 lb-ft 214 lb-ft 243 lb-ft Transmission 1 speed 1 speed 1 speed 1 speed 0-60 mph 7.3 sec 6.7 sec TBA TBA Range 200 miles 250 miles TBA TBA Length (mm/inches) 3858 mm / 151.8 in 3858 mm / 151.8 in 4079 mm / 161 in 4079 mm / 161 in Width w/o Mirros (mm/inches) 1756 mm / 69 in 1756 mm / 69 in 1754 mm / 69 in 1754 mm / 69 in Height (mm) 1460 mm / 57 in 1460 mm / 57 in 1754 mm / 69 in 1514 mm / 59.6 in Wheelbase (mm) 2526 mm / 99 in 2526 mm / 99 in 2606 mm / 102.6 in 2606 mm / 102.6 in Curb weight (kg/lbs) 1540 kg / 3,395 lbs 1605 kg / 3,538 lbs 1710 kg / 3,770 lbs 1710 kg / 3,770 lbs Weight distribution (Front/Rear) F58% / R 42% F 57% / R 43% F 57% / R 43% F 55.8% / R 44.2% Front Overhang 746 mm / 29.3 in 746 mm / 29.3 in 756 mm / 29.8 in 756 mm / 29.8 in Rear Overhang 586 mm / 23 in 586 mm / 23 in 717 mm / 28.2 in 717 mm / 28.2 in Luggage capacity (seats up/seats down 210 / 800 L 210 / 800 L 450 / 1450 L 450 / 1450 L The SE versions of the Cooper and the Paceman substantially up the power in comparison to the F56 Cooper S. Will the MINI Aceman Coming to the United States and the rest of North America?
One benefit of these similarities is that putting these two vehicles down the same production line is relatively easy. While the MINI Aceman will initially be built in China, we expect it will expand to UK production at the same time as the J01 Cooper in 2026. The cars being produced in the UK will serve Europe and likely the North American markets. This will allow MINI to avoid tariffs as it likely begins US imports in the 2026 calendar year. The key word is likely as sources tell us final decisions on where the Aceman will be sold are still being made.
MINI Aceman – Photo Gallery
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The last ever combustion MINI is Coming and we have Details on the Car, It’s Debut Timing and When We’ll see it at Dealers
The MINI brand is going electric. But not quite yet. MINI has one more generation of internal combustion MINI Cooper’s planned and its debut is imminent. The F66 MINI Cooper will be heavily based on the F56 generation while taking on the design language and technology found in the new electric J01 MINI Cooper. In short it will look and feel completely new to 99% of the buying public.
This move by MINI isn’t an easy one. The J01 electric MINI Cooper is on an entirely new platform while the F66 will still technically be based on BMW’s FAAR platform. The result will be a car that, deep underneath has the F56 mechanicals while have a look and feel that is almost all new.
Almost because there will be some tell-tale signs of the F56 underneath. Based on the spy photography the clamshell bonnet and the plastic wheel arches that have become iconic will still be there along with the overall shape and more upright windshield.
Our latest photos show the F66 without the heavy camouflage we’ve seen on its front and year lights. For the first time this allows us to see some of the final details of the design including the controversial rear taillights.
As you can see below MINI will offer the same lineup that we see in the F56 generation. That means three distinct MINI Cooper models ranging from the iconic two door hatch to the four door hatch and finally the convertible.
F66 MINI Cooper (three door) F65 MINI Cooper (five door) F67 MINI Cooper Convertible Cooper 2-door hardtop (ICE) Cooper 4-door hardtop (ICE) Cooper Convertible (F67) Cooper S 2-door hardtop (ICE) Cooper S 4-door hardtop (ICE) Cooper S Convertible (F67) Cooper JCW 2-door hardtop (ICE) Cooper JCW Convertible (ICE) ICE = Internal Combustion Engine / EV = Electric Vehicle MINI’s goal will be to make the ICE (internal combustion engine) F66 Cooper and electric J01 Cooper to look identical to the casual observer. That would mean a potential buyer would be choosing ICE versus EV without styling differences to muddy the waters. This will extend to almost every aspect of the cars. That means we’ll see (almost) identical wheels, mirrors and of course lighting. However these are substantially different cars underneath and that means we’d expect most if not all of these parts will not be interchangeable.
There will be plenty of changes to get used to. The manual is gone from the option book as is an exposed exhaust, unless you opt for the JCW model. And even then it will get a single large pipe vs the double it’s had since the R53. The automatic gear lever moves to the dash and next to it will be a start/stop switch shaped like a key. Leather is also gone replaced with a rich synthetic leather called Vescin. And in the middle of it all will be MINI’s new circular screen and MINIOS9.
For much more on the F66 read our entire section already devoted to the car with articles and videos detailing the it and its five door and convertible siblings.
The F66 MINI Cooper Debut and Production Dates
The F66 will debut next week with orders starting almost immediately afterwards. A few weeks later production will begin in March at Oxford with European deliveries scheduled for late March while US customers will have to wait until late April.
Despite MINI’s talk of going electric with the all new J01 Cooper, the F66 is expected to have a full production run currently scheduled to end on 12/30.
Model Production Location Power Year Prod. Month On-Sale Date MINI Cooper S 2-door hardtop (F66) Oxford, England Internal Combustion 2025 Mar, 2024 May, 2024 MINI Cooper 2-door hardtop (F66) Oxford, England Internal Combustion 2025 Jul, 2024 Sep, 2024 MINI Cooper S 4-door hardtop (F65) Oxford, England Internal Combustion 2025 Jul, 2024 Sep, 2024 MINI Cooper 4-door hardtop (F65) Oxford, England Internal Combustion 2025 Nov, 2024 Jan, 2025 MINI Cooper Convertible (F67) Oxford, England Internal Combustion 2025 Nov, 2024 Jan, 2025 MINI Cooper S Convertible (F67) Oxford, England Internal Combustion 2025 Nov, 2024 Jan, 2025 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible (F67) Oxford, England Internal Combustion 2025 Nov, 2024 Jan, 2025 MINI JCW 2-door hardtop (F66) Oxford, England Internal Combustion 2025 Nov, 2024 Jan, 2025 The post F66 MINI Cooper Debut is Coming, Here’s what We Know and When We’ll See it appeared first on MotoringFile.
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As you’ve probably gathered the new four door MINI Aceman EV is smaller than the Countryman. But just how small and where does it fit into the line-up exactly? Today we have an exclusive look at the dimensions of the Aceman and how it stacks up to the all new Countryman as well as the previous generations. Some of the figures may surprise you.
Small Where it Matters & Big Where it Counts
The Aceman is a small crossover that is effectively replacing the Clubman in the MINI line-up. But in reality it doesn’t replacement the Clubman at all. Rather it fills the void left when the Countryman grew in size from the original R60 model to the more recent F60 model.
Case in point, the Aceman’s length. In photos it’s hard to tell because the tall belt-line and large wheels. But the length is actually bigger than you might think. The MINI Aceman measures in at be 4079mm / 161 in in length. That’s a full 14″ shorter than the 4444mm / 175 in new U25 Countryman.
Models J05 Aceman R60 Countryman (’10-’16) F60 Countryman (’17-’23) U25 Countryman (’24-’32) Length 4079 mm / 161 in 4097 mm / 161.3 in 4298 mm / 169.2 in 4429 mm / 174.37 in Height 1514 mm / 59.6 in 1562 mm / 61.5 in 1557 mm / 61.3 in 1613 mm / 63.5 in Wheelbase 2526 mm / 99.44 in 2596 mm / 102.2 in 2670 mm / 105.1 in 2670 mm / 105.11 in Things get really interesting is when you compare the Aceman to the original 2010 R60 Countryman. The R60 was 4119mm / 162.2in making that original Countryman actually larger than the new Aceman. When you look and height and wheelbase the Aceman is also fractionally smaller. However while the R60 has a larger footprint, things look a bit different inside.
For instance the R60 Countryman’s shoulder width is 1341mm / 52.8in. Aceman actually has over an inch more room with a width of 1370mm / 53.9. Not surprisingly the same is true for front legroom. There the R60 is 1025mm / 40.4in while the smaller Aceman looks slightly more comfortable for taller drivers and passengers with 1045 mm / 41.1in of room in the front.
Not unlike the original classic Mini, the Aceman is great at being small on the outside while being surprisingly rooms inside. This is a result of clever packaging thanks to MINI using a bespoke electric platform.
Aceman Specifications vs the Electric U25 Countryman SE
Now let’s take a look at the full specs and how that compares to the new electric Countryman SE. Here you’ll see some clear distinctions that MINI has made to separate these two products. The most obvious (beyond size) is power and number of wheels drive. Yes, the Aceman is a solely front wheel drive vehicle.
Models J05 Aceman E J05 Aceman SE U25 MINI Countryman SE Power 184 hp 218 hp 313 hp Torque 214 lb-ft 243 lb-ft 365 lb-ft Transmission 1 speed 1 speed 1 speed Wheels Driven Front Wheel Drive Front Wheel Drive All Wheel Drive 0-60 mph TBA TBA TBA Length (mm/inches) 4079 mm / 161 in 4079 mm / 161 in 4444 mm / 175 in Width w/o Mirros (mm/inches) 1754 mm / 69 in 1754 mm / 69 in 1843 mm / 73 in Height (mm) 1514 mm / 59.6 in 1514 mm / 59.6 in 1661 mm / 65 in Wheelbase (mm) 2606 mm / 102.6 in 2606 mm / 102.6 in 2670 mm mm / 81 in Curb weight (kg/lbs) 1645 kg / 3,627 lbs 1710 kg / 3,770 lbs 1735 kg / 3,825 lbs Luggage capacity (seats up/seats down 300 / 1005 liters 300 / 1005 liters 450 / 1450 L Weight is interesting here as we see just how MINI has mitigated the heavy battery. While a 3,600 lbs car can’t be considered light, it is for a four door electric crossover. The other number that jumps out is just how close the wheelbase is to the Countryman. This shows MINI has pushed the wheels to the corners as much as possible.
Next we’ll take a look at the performance and how it compares to the J01. As you can see MINI has carried one the drivetrain completely including battery size. While we don’t have range figures yet, it’s safe to say they will be lower than the J01 due to the increase in weight of the Aceman.
2025 J01 MINI Cooper E 2025 J01 MINI Cooper SE 2026 J05 MINI Aceman E 2026 J05 MINI Aceman SE Horsepower 184 hp 218 hp 184 hp 218 hp Range (WLTP) 200 miles 250 miles TBA TBA Battery Size 40kWh 54kWh 54kWh* 32.6 kWh All numbers provided by MINI except * which are confirmed only through unofficial sources. J05 MINI Aceman Release Info
The MINI Aceman will initially be built in China by a joint venture with Great Wall Motors. We believe those vehicles will be sold in Asia and Europe exclusively. Then in 2027 MINI will move some of that production to Oxford along with the J01 MINI Cooper EV. These cars coming out of the UK will serve Europe and likely the North American markets and will allow MINI to avoid tariffs as it begins US imports in the 2027 calendar year. While it’s too early have a full picture of cost, we’d expect finally pricing to be 10-15% cheaper than the U25 Countryman EV.
The Aceman is just one part of the 4th generation MINI family but a key one in its strategy to go all electric. Here’s a full view of the fourth generation MINIs and where it slots in.
The New MINI Family Drivetrain Pricing Start of Production The J01 Electric MINI Cooper J01 MINI Cooper E Electric 32,900€ 11/2023 J01 MINI Cooper SE Electric 36,900€ 11/2023 The U25 MINI Countryman U25 MINI Countryman C ICE (Petrol) 39.900€ 11/2023 U25 MINI Countryman D ICE (Diesel) 42.900€ 11/2023 U25 MINI Countryman E Electric 43.500€ 03/2024 U25 MINI Countryman S ALL4 ICE (Petrol) 45.900€ 11/2023* U25 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 Electric 49.500€ 03/2024* U25 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4 ICE (Petrol) 56.500€ 03/2024* The F66 Petrol MINI Cooper F66 MINI Cooper ICE (Petrol) TBD 03/2024* F66 MINI Cooper S ICE (Petrol) TBD 03/2024* F66 MINI Cooper JCW ICE (Petrol) TBD 07/2024* F65 MINI Cooper 5 Door ICE (Petrol) TBD 07/2024* F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door ICE (Petrol) TBD 07/2024* F67 MINI Cooper Convertible ICE (Petrol) TBD 11/2024* F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible ICE (Petrol) TBD 11/2024* The J05 Electric MINI Aceman J05 MINI Aceman Electric TBD TBD J05 MINI Aceman S Electric TBD TBD * Available in the US For more coverage of the new generation MINIs, 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
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Electric MINI Countryman Production Begins at the BMW Leipzig Plant
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MINI and BMW’s Leipzig Plant are continuing their electrification journey with the introduction of the all-electric MINI Countryman, just four months after the launch of the combustion-engine version. For MINI this is a huge moment in its transition to eventually becoming an all electric brand. For the Leipzig Plant it marks another milestone in the transition to electric mobility, following the phase-out of the BMW i3.
The MINI Countryman Electric represents a significant step in MINI’s electrification strategy, offering two fully electric variants, the Countryman E and the Countryman SE. Plant Leipzig has undergone continuous upgrades since 2018 to enable higher production volumes thanks to BMW’s €1.6 billion investment. The main driver behind the volume increase is the MINI Countryman, with output set to rise to nearly 500 units per day by 2024.
Producing four different cars on a single line requires a lot of planning. Flexible assembly structures are key to this, allowing seamless integration of the MINI Countryman Electric into the already complex production process. The plant now handles all stages of high-voltage battery production, contributing to the BMW Group’s transformation towards e-mobility. Resource-saving painting processes, including overspray-free painting, further emphasize Leipzig’s commitment to sustainability.
With the production launch of the MINI Countryman Electric, all three stages of the Gen 5 high-voltage battery production process are now represented at BMW Group Plant Leipzig: cell coating, module production and battery assembly. Operations in all three are currently ramping up, with five cell-coating, three module-production and two high-voltage battery-production lines now in place.
Plant Leipzig’s e-component production capacity has been increasing since 2021. It will now manufacture not just the high-voltage batteries for the MINI Countryman Electric but also e-components for the BMW iX1, BMW iX2, BMW i4, BMW i5 and BMW iX made at other sites. The e-component production unit at Leipzig currently employs some 1,000 people.
The facility’s long-term vision includes decarbonizing production by replacing fossil fuels with green hydrogen. Plans for a regional hydrogen grid are underway, positioning Plant Leipzig as a pioneer in sustainable automotive production.
The MINI Countryman E and SE will arrive in the UK and EU later this month. The North American market will exclusively get the SE beginning with July production. That should reach dealers by early September.
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