Mini Cooper and Cooper S Return for 2025 with Gas Power but No Manual

Mini has announced new gas-powered versions of the Cooper and Cooper S, the fourth iteration of the nameplate under BMW ownership, and likely the last gas-burning variants we’ll see before the brand shifts to an all-electric portfolio by 2030.

For U.S. customers, both models will use a four-cylinder engine in two states of tune. For the higher-performance Cooper S, the 2.0-liter four-pot will produce 201 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, which Mini says will accelerate the car from 0–60 mph in 6.3 seconds. Specifications and performance figures for the normal Cooper aren’t yet available. Mini is targeting early fall for the regular Coopers to arrive at dealerships and says that performance numbers will be released closer to the launch date.

That base Cooper will use the same four-cylinder, which means in the U.S. market,  the turbocharged three-cylinder engine that was once the base motor is no more. (Mini did say that most other countries would retain the three-cylinder, however; just not the U.S.) For the 2022 car, the most recent model year for which we could find specs, the three-pot was good for 134 hp and 169 lb-ft of torque; we’d expect the four-cylinder in the 2025 Cooper to offer slightly improved power figures that still fall below the 201 hp and 221 lb-ft of the Cooper S.

Regrettably, the new gas-powered Coopers won’t offer a manual transmission as an option. We reported as much back in September of last year, and Rob Duda, a spokesperson for Mini, confirmed the change to us earlier today. Duda did mention that there are plans for a John Cooper Works variant, which gives us hope that perhaps a row-your-own Mini isn’t entirely off the table. Expect more details on that car at a later date.

Fans of the band will note that two all-electric versions of the Cooper exist, as well. The Cooper E and the sportier Cooper SE, as they’re called, will be sold alongside the gas-powered models to ensure that buyers have access to the propulsion method of their preference. “The car is ideal for all those people who want to drive a classic Mini 3-door and appreciate the traditional performance and characteristic sound of a combustion engine,” said Stefanie Wurst, head of Mini.

Though the electric and gas-powered versions of the Cooper may look very similar, the electric models sport an entirely different chassis. The electric Coopers will be built in China under a joint venture between BMW, Mini’s parent company, and Great Wall Motor, a Chinese manufacturer. The gas-powered Cooper, meanwhile, is expected to retain a largely carried-over chassis from the 2023 car. The hardtop version pictured here will continue to be built at the BMW Group’s Oxford, England, plant. (Mini made no mention of the convertible version in the latest release. We’ll have to wait to hear about that one.)

Mini says that production for the U.S.-bound Cooper S will start in March of this year, while production of U.S.-bound regular Coopers will begin in July. Adding the $995 destination and handling fee, the Cooper S will start at $33,195 and the regular Cooper will start at $29,945.

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