New Fourth-gen Mini Cooper Unveiled with Petrol Powertrain Options, Will be Brand's Last ICE Car

The fourth-generation Mini Cooper with petrol power has been globally unveiled, making it the last model in the lineup to be powered by combustion engines. This new vehicle will come in several configurations, such as a 3-door, 5-door, soft-top convertible, and a performance-focused John Cooper Works version. The Cooper S is the car's performance version, whereas the Cooper C is the standard model. There are four trim levels for the 2024 Cooper lineup: Essential, Classic, Favoured, and JCW. Additionally, it comes with four different roof colour options. Since these will be the final ICE variants of the vehicle, they are expected to reach the Indian market as well. For those who don't know, the hatchback from the British brand was initially introduced only in EV form. Inspired by the original 1959 design, the model has been a mainstay of the brand's product line since BMW brought the brand back to life in 2000. The firm's Oxford factory will be used to build this new-gen vehicle, which shares many exterior and interior design cues with the EV version.

Fourth-gen Mini Cooper: Powertrain Details

The fourth-generation Cooper hatchback is quite similar to the Mini Cooper EV, although it is not mechanically comparable to the electric version. Instead, it is built on a different platform. The petrol-powered model is a significantly upgraded version of its predecessor, whereas the electric version is constructed on a specialised EV chassis.

Under the hood, a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine generating 156bhp of maximum power and 230Nm of peak torque drives the 2024 Mini Cooper C. The car takes 7.7 seconds to go from 0 to 100km/h. On the other hand, a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol mill developing 204bhp and 300Nm of maximum torque powers the performance-focused 2024 Mini Cooper S. In 6.6 seconds, it can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h. According to Mini, there have been improvements made to the suspension, damping system, and brakes, which provide better handling in comparison to the outgoing model.

Fourth-gen Mini Cooper: Exterior and Interior Elements

The headlight and tail lighting clusters have changed to mimic the EV version of the car, although the overall look of the vehicle is still distinctly Mini Cooper. A redesigned front grille with an octagonal design, a radar sensor, and twelve ultrasonic driver assistance sensors are among the other modifications made to the vehicle. The cabin features contemporary interiors, which were first seen in the current generation of EV variant, but with distinct colour schemes here. In addition, two wheel sizes—16 and 18 inches—are available as a choice. 

Fourth-gen Mini Cooper: Features

The centre-mounted OLED infotainment panel is the primary focal point of the new petrol model's simple interior dashboard. This OLED touchscreen in a production car is the first of its kind, claims Mini. At the top is important data like speed on the road and fuel efficiency, while the bottom displays a menu bar. The majority of the climatic controls are likewise operated by the screen, however, separate buttons are provided for the front and rear defoggers. The handbrake button, turn-key starter, driving mode selector, and audio control dial have all been moved to a panel beneath the screen, replacing the gear selector that was formerly positioned on the centre console. Other features include - ambient lighting, 60:40 split rear seats, Mini Intelligent Personal Assistant, panoramic glass roof, wireless charging, and ADAS.

Mini India Lineup

We anticipate the fourth-generation range to arrive in India later this year. Mini currently offers the third-generation Cooper hatchback with both petrol and electric drivetrain options. In the meantime, it has been announced that India will receive the fourth-generation Cooper EV in the third quarter of 2024. At present, the starting price of the petrol version is Rs 42.70 lakh, whereas the EV begins at Rs 53.50 lakh. Both mentioned prices are ex-showroom.