The all-new fourth-generation Mini Cooper was unveiled in September last year as a fully-electric model. This here, well, this is not that. Mini has unveiled a new petrol variant of the lovable hatchback, but instead of using the all-new platform developed jointly with Great Wall Motors, this petrol-only variant is actually based on the third-generation F56 Mini Cooper hatchback – so a ‘facelift’ is probably a more apt description, yes?
That said, the new “fourth-generation” petrol Mini hatch here has indeed gone through a heavy revision in styling, adopting many of the new touches outlined by the marque’s new electrified design language.
These include the new minimalist LED headlights with optional circular LED daytime-running light signatures, a gaping hexagonal grille, and the triangular LED tail lights – the latter necessitating a completely redesigned tailgate. Even the iconic side scuttles have been removed, as did the visible tailpipes at the back, all in an effort to make the petrol-powered car look as close as possible to the electric counterpart.
Look a little closer, though, and you’ll start to find minor differences between the two. The bonnet, for example, still has the old clamshell design rather than the more “traditional” style with a shut-line above the front emblem, and the door handles are also unchanged from before, instead of the new electric Mini’s flush ones.
Still, as far as facelift updates go, this one here is definitely one of the most extensive ones, and it’s definitely doing a mega job at hiding the car’s true age, even when placed next to the all-new fourth-generation Mini Electric.
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The updates continue inside, as the new Petrol Mini Cooper also inherits most of the new design touches first seen on the electric car, including the updated dashboard layout, new steering wheel, new control switchgear stack in the centre featuring a new twist-to-start knob and gear selector, as well as the new 9.4-inch circular touchscreen display that’s running on the brand’s latest Android-based Mini Operating System 9.
For the sharp-eyed, you’ll notice a couple of differences in design, particularly where there are structural limitations, such as the door cards and the centre console areas. And for some reason, Mini has retained one of the old-school vertical-style air vents beside the steering wheel, which really does stick out like a sore thumb when juxtaposed atop the otherwise minimalist layout.
The new 2024 petrol-powered Mini Cooper will be offered in two variants at launch, and will continue to be powered by the same engine choices as before – the Mini Cooper C will get the B38 1.5-litre turbocharged inline-three mill, but now uprated to make 156 hp and 230 Nm, while the Mini Cooper S gets the B48 2.0-litre inline-four mill that has also similarly increased its power outputs to 204 hp and 300 Nm.
Both should be paired to the same seven-speed dual-clutch transmission as before, although Mini makes no mention of the gearbox. In any case, the Cooper S will do the century sprint in 7.7 seconds, while the S completes it more than a second quicker at 6.6 seconds.
Similar to the outgoing model, the new 2024 Mini Cooper will also eventually spawn a five-door and convertible variants, and they will all be offered in a wide variety of trim levels and optional dress-up items.
Mini says it will be selling this petrol-powered Cooper hatch alongside the all-new, all-electric one, similar to what Porsche is doing with the Macan. For how long though, well, that’s for the market to decide.
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