The brand-new MINI Cooper has made its international debut, with the British marque whipping the wraps off the latest generation at the IAA International Motor Show in Munich, Germany.
According to the company, the new Cooper’s design language, called ‘Charismatic Simplicity’, was inspired by the firm’s history. The exterior styling remains true to that of the modern MINI. The front end is dominated by a new octagonal grille, replete with a filigree contour. The headlamps have remained circular, but now offers three unique lighting signatures. For the rear lamps, MINI’s designers have taken a more angular approach. The door handles are flush.
Inside, the cabin of the new MINI Cooper, the automaker says, echoes the minimalist design of the classic model, with the manufacturer fitting only a single OLED instrument/infotainment cluster, replete with MINI Operating System 9, to the curved dashboard, which, for the first time, features a textile surface. A head-up display is optional. MINI claims a boot capacity of 200 litres, which can be expanded to 800 litres when folding down the 60:40-split rear-seat backrest.
Unveiled with two all-electric powertrain options (internal combustion engines will follow), the Cooper Electric E is equipped with a 40.7 kWh battery, coupled with a 135 kW/290 Nm electric motor. MINI claims this model completes the 0-100 km/h sprint in 7.2 seconds, before topping out at 160 km/h. When fully charged, a range of 306 km is available.
The Cooper Electric SE swaps the S’s battery pack for a 54.2 kWh unit, which, when fully charged, allows for a range of 402 km. Thanks to this variant’s 160 kW/330 Nm, it completes the 0-100 km/h sprint in a claimed 6.7 seconds. The top speed is rated at 170 km/h.
The emissions-free Coopers can be charged a trio of ways, the first of which is via 11 kW AC charging. The second is 75 kW DC charging. The third is 95 kW DC charging. According to the carmaker, when plugged into the latter, the battery charges from 10 to 80 per cent in under 30 minutes.
