After several rumors circulating online to the effect that MINI would soon land with an all-new generation of the Cooper and Countryman, the automaker finally unveiled everything as part of the event IAA Mobilityin Munich.
The small division of BMW made sure to make a lot of noise by confirming that starting in 2025, both the Cooper and the Countryman will be offered in different electric versions. Although MINI is still discreet about the thermal versions of its future models, the big boss of the manufacturer, Stefanie Wurst, has confirmed that the manual gearbox will be a thing of the past.
Internal combustion engines are no longer a priority
In interview with Top Gear, Mrs. Wurst was quite direct when asked if MINI intended to preserve the manual gearbox in its thermal models. “Unfortunately, we will not be offering the manual gearbox” we could read on the media pages. She explained that not only does MINI intend to put electrification at the forefront of its future marketing strategies, but it also intends to enter the manufacturer in all-electric motor racing events.
Recall that the MINI Cooper of 4e generation will be offered in two electric versions, the E and the SE. Two battery capacities, 40.7 and 54.2 kilowatt hours, will make it possible to develop different levels of power and torque. Ditto for the Countryman which can be ordered in traction or with four-wheel drive, without consuming a drop of gasoline.
MINI has not yet announced the next thermal engines that will slip under the hood of these models, but it is clear that they are no longer a priority in the eyes of the manufacturer. We know from a reliable source that they will all be assisted by mild hybridization and that they will only be paired with automatic gearboxes.
A glorious goodbye
In order to underline this change of era, MINI has lifted the veil on a limited edition of the John Cooper Works. Called the Bulldog Racing Edition, it is powered by a 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that develops 231 horsepower and produces 235 lb-ft of torque.
Fitted with a 6-speed manual gearbox, this Cooper on steroids is fitted with KW-branded adjustable shocks, 17-inch OZ HyperGT rims wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires and a Remus exhaust system. Its rear seats were also removed to reduce the vehicle’s net mass. MINI has however not yet confirmed its commercialization in our market.
Until then, if you’re still interested in a MINI with a manual gearbox, know that you have until the end of the 2024 model year, at the latest, to order one.
