The Mini Cooper entered its fifth generation last year in an all-electric form. Now, two new petrol engine options have been introduced to expand the three-door hatchback’s portfolio. Depending on which of the two internal combustion engines finds space under the bonnet, the naming will vary between Cooper C and Cooper S. Each one is available in four trim levels – Essential, Classic, Favoured and JCW, short for John Cooper Works.
The Mini Cooper C packs a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged engine that outputs 154hp/230Nm. That’s plenty for a 7.7-second 0-100kmph sprint time. On the other hand, the Mini Cooper S houses a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 201hp/300Nm. That can hit 100kmph from nothing in 6.6 seconds.
Body colour finishes and interior trims depend on the trim level chosen. For the roof, there are four colour options. The Favoured trim offers an option for the Spray-Tech design for a multitone roof finish featuring a three-colour gradient. The aluminium rims are available between 16 and 18 inches in diameter.
The interior retains the minimalistic layout that debuted with the Copper E and SE. The round 9.45-inch touchscreen infotainment system dominates the dashboard. Beneath it is a section for switches and controls like the parking brake, engine on-off and gear selector. The chunky multifunction steering wheel, two-tone textile dashboard, wireless mobile charger in the centre console, a 60:40 split rear seat and a boot space that can be increased from 210 litres to 725 litres round off the main takeaways. And like Mini always has, there are various options to further uplift the ambience indoors.
The conventionally-powered Mini Cooper siblings will be manufactured at the brand’s plant in Oxford. That’s the same facility where the petrol-powered Countryman will also be built. Expect that announcement to come through very soon. And, of course, the Aceman crossover is due for an April debut.
