The Mini Cooper is an automotive icon. Now in its fifth generation, it keeps its famous silhouette but gets comprehensive restyling and a new interior. The fifth-gen Mini debuted in the EV format, and will be followed by an ICE variant featuring two petrol powertrains.
The 2024 Mini Cooper is offered with two petrol engines. The Cooper C variant comes with a three-cylinder engine that makes 154bhp and 230Nm, and accelerates from 0-100kmph in 7.7 seconds. The Cooper S variant is powered by a four-cylinder turbocharged engine that makes 201bhp and 300Nm and lends it a 0-100kmph time of 6.6 seconds.
The 2024 Mini Cooper keeps its signature silhouette, but its surfaces have been cleaned up to give it a more minimalistic look. The new octagonal front grille gets ‘filigree contours’ and houses the BMW Group’s smallest ever radar sensor between the air intakes. The radar sensor is supplemented by a total of 12 additional ultrasonic sensors. The grille is flanked by a pair of new round LED headlamps with three selectable signatures and welcome/goodbye animations. The rear end is redesigned and features new matrix LED taillamps with sequential indicators. Also making an appearance is the familiar Union Jack motif in the taillamps. The new Mini Cooper is available in four trim options - Essential, Classic, Favoured, and JCW. Exterior, interior, and roof colour options vary by trim. The new Mini Cooper can be had with 16-inch to 18-inch alloy wheels.
The interior of the 2024 Mini Cooper invokes its signature round theme, and is headlined by a 9.4-inch diameter round OLED touchscreen. The steering wheel design is new, but there is no instrument cluster and car information is displayed on the central screen itself. The parking brake, gear selector, start/stop key, experience mode toggle, and volume control are accessible through the toggle bar unit under the screen in the centre console. The new Mini Cooper also gets a wireless charging tray where the gear lever would be. Lighting up the interior is a panoramic glass roof, and the 60:40 split rear seat can be folded down to expand the standard 210-litre boot volume to 725 litres.
The 2024 Mini Cooper gets an optional experience mode toggle, which projects illuminated graphics onto the dashboard. Toggling experience modes also alters ambient lighting and sound design. Experience modes also allow the driver to set pictures of their own choice as display backgrounds, which then extend on to the dashboard and door panels. Safety features include a safe exit warning which warns occupants of approaching vehicles before they open the doors. The optional Mini Navigation package also provides 3D visualisation and augmented reality views of the car’s surroundings, apart from radar-assisted functions like automatic speed and distance control.
Prices or launch dates for the 2024 Mini Cooper have not been announced yet. However, Mini is already present in India so a launch here may not be far away. The current Mini ICE three-door range starts at Rs 35.10 lakh ex-showroom.