Exclusive: 2025 F66 MINI Cooper and Cooper S to Have Hidden Exhausts

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Our recent exclusive report on the F66 2025 MINI Cooper JCW revealed a number of interesting details about the next generation performance model from the brand. One of the more surprising design changes on MINI’s last ICE (internal combustion engine) JCW will be a move to a single exhaust outlet from the double we’ve seen since 2002. But what about the Cooper and Cooper S? The answer might shock you.

Through a series of sources and spy photographs, we believe MINI has something even more radical planned for the exhaust of the F66 MINI Cooper and Cooper S. Over the course of the last year we’ve published a number of exclusive photos of MINI F66 prototypes and one thing that has remained constant; only JCW models (identified by red brake calipers) has a visible exhaust.

The Move to Hidden Exhausts

Could MINI be moving to hidden exhaust on all cars except JCW models? Based on spy photos and our sources we believe the answer is yes – MINI will hide the entire exhaust system on the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S. Based on photographs, we believe the exhaust will be discretely hidden with the outlet likely pointing downward just behind the bumper .

Given that the MINI brand is aggressively moving into electrification, we believe downplaying the exhaust on ICE powered MINIs is a purposeful design decision. In fact it’s already started. MINI is already moving in that direction with the recently released ICE U25 MINI Countryman. MINI has officially confirmed this by saying they want to make the ICE and electric versions of the Countryman almost indistinguishable. The idea is that customers can focus on choosing the drivetrain and not the styling. It’s not hard to imagine MINI extending this design solution to the Cooper and Cooper S models as well.

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.

With MINI moving this direction, it’s hard not to imagine the aftermarket not stepping in to offer an alternative solution. It’s not hard to imagine a company like Remus perhaps even partnering with another company to offer revised rear trim styling to bring the expose exhaust back.

The F66 MINI Cooper and Cooper S Release Dates

The ICE powered F66 MINI Cooper family is coming soon. While debuting timing is being kept under wraps, we know production will begin in March of 2023. That means we’ll see the new Cooper, Cooper S and JCW models all next year in most markets including North America.

The F66 2025 MINI Cooper Family	Drivetrain	Pricing	Start of Production
F66 MINI Cooper	155 HP (Petrol)	TBD	07/2024
F66 MINI Cooper S	200 HP (Petrol)	TBD	07/2024
F66 MINI Cooper JCW	231 HP (Petrol)	TBD	11/2024
F65 MINI Cooper 5 Door	155 HP (Petrol)	TBD	07/2024
F65 MINI Cooper S 5 Door	200 HP (Petrol)	TBD	07/2024
F67 MINI Cooper Convertible	155 HP (Petrol)	TBD	11/2024 (est)
F67 MINI Cooper S Convertible	200 HP (Petrol)	TBD	11/2024 (est)
F67 MINI Cooper JCW Convertible	231 HP (Petrol)	TBD	03/2025 (est)

1. Not available in the US. 2. US HP figure – the EU will get 300 hp.

As you can see with our exclusive look above, MINI will continue to offer a full range of internal combustion MINI Coopers in three and five door layouts as well as the convertible. Alongside this MINI will also sell the all new J01 electric MINI Cooper designed from up as an EV. However because this all new offering will initially be made in China, it won’t be coming g to North America due to tariffs. It won’t be until that car expands production to the UK in 2026 that North America will see the J01.

MINI has also unveiled the all new U25 electric (and ICE) Countryman which will both be available globally starting early next year. For a full look at MINI’s next generation models, check out our 4th Generation MINI section.

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