FiestaST
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Auto Social UK review of the new Mini Cooper
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The BMW-Mini Thread
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The petrol-powered Mini John Cooper Works cars are here, starting from £31k
And yes, mention is made of ‘go-kart’ handling
As night follows day, so ICE follows… EV. Here are the petrol-powered Mini John Cooper Works cars, revealed digitally before your very eyes now, before being delivered into reality before your very eyes… early next year.
And, as anyone who’s been fastidiously charting the language around these little terriers, yes, Mini once again makes mention of ‘go-kart’ handling. Only once, mind, but still.
In assistance to… that, is Mini’s trusty 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine fuelled by petroleum, able to convert old dinosaurs into 228bhp, 280lb ft of torque, and a fair bit of forward momentum. Like 0-62mph in 6.1s and a 155mph top speed for the JCW hatch, or 6.4s and 152mph in the JCW Convertible.
Both get a dual-clutch auto ‘box, and while Mini – only once, mind – assures us of its go-kart handling, we’re not given specifics about the chassis and suspension. Only that the former has been treated to some “race-inspired adjustments”, and the latter is “dialled up”.
And yes, mention is made of ‘go-kart’ handling
As night follows day, so ICE follows… EV. Here are the petrol-powered Mini John Cooper Works cars, revealed digitally before your very eyes now, before being delivered into reality before your very eyes… early next year.
And, as anyone who’s been fastidiously charting the language around these little terriers, yes, Mini once again makes mention of ‘go-kart’ handling. Only once, mind, but still.
In assistance to… that, is Mini’s trusty 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine fuelled by petroleum, able to convert old dinosaurs into 228bhp, 280lb ft of torque, and a fair bit of forward momentum. Like 0-62mph in 6.1s and a 155mph top speed for the JCW hatch, or 6.4s and 152mph in the JCW Convertible.
Both get a dual-clutch auto ‘box, and while Mini – only once, mind – assures us of its go-kart handling, we’re not given specifics about the chassis and suspension. Only that the former has been treated to some “race-inspired adjustments”, and the latter is “dialled up”.
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Mini Cooper SE (2024) Price & Specs
The new fully electric Mini Cooper SE has touched down in South Africa, offering 160 kW and a claimed range of 362 km. Here’s what this battery-powered hatch costs…
The new Mini Cooper SE has arrived in South Africa, taking its place as the entry point to the BMW-backed brand’s fully electric portfolio and thus slotting in below the Countryman SE All4 (with the new likewise battery-powered Aceman set to split these nameplates when it arrives early in 2025).
Courtesy of a tip from the ever-watchful vehicle-information specialists over at duoporta.com, we can confirm the new 3-door Cooper SE is priced from R802 000 in Mzansi (interestingly, the lower-output Cooper E variant is not available locally at launch). That represents an R18 500 premium over the outgoing generation; the last price we have for the latter being R783 500.
It also makes the new front-wheel-drive Cooper SE some R284 000 more affordable than the larger all-wheel-drive (and likewise electric) Countryman SE All4, which starts at R1 086 000. However, this battery-powered hatchback is also R155 605 pricier than the petrol-powered Cooper S 3-door (R646 395), which offers a similar power output (slightly lower at 150 kW) and 0-100 kph sprint time (a shade quicker at 6.6 seconds).
Revealed in September 2023, the J01-generation Mini Cooper SE – the product of a joint venture between the BMW Group and Great Wall Motors (GWM) in China – generates peak outputs of 160 kW and 330 Nm, allowing it to complete the obligatory sprint to 3 figures in a claimed 6.7 seconds. The hatchback’s top speed is 170 kph.
How much does the Mini Cooper SE cost in SA?
Mini Cooper SE – R802 000
The price above includes a 2-year/unlimited kilometre warranty (likely along with an 8-year/100 000 km warranty specific to the traction battery, as offered on the Countryman SE All4) and a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
The new fully electric Mini Cooper SE has touched down in South Africa, offering 160 kW and a claimed range of 362 km. Here’s what this battery-powered hatch costs…
The new Mini Cooper SE has arrived in South Africa, taking its place as the entry point to the BMW-backed brand’s fully electric portfolio and thus slotting in below the Countryman SE All4 (with the new likewise battery-powered Aceman set to split these nameplates when it arrives early in 2025).
Courtesy of a tip from the ever-watchful vehicle-information specialists over at duoporta.com, we can confirm the new 3-door Cooper SE is priced from R802 000 in Mzansi (interestingly, the lower-output Cooper E variant is not available locally at launch). That represents an R18 500 premium over the outgoing generation; the last price we have for the latter being R783 500.
It also makes the new front-wheel-drive Cooper SE some R284 000 more affordable than the larger all-wheel-drive (and likewise electric) Countryman SE All4, which starts at R1 086 000. However, this battery-powered hatchback is also R155 605 pricier than the petrol-powered Cooper S 3-door (R646 395), which offers a similar power output (slightly lower at 150 kW) and 0-100 kph sprint time (a shade quicker at 6.6 seconds).
Revealed in September 2023, the J01-generation Mini Cooper SE – the product of a joint venture between the BMW Group and Great Wall Motors (GWM) in China – generates peak outputs of 160 kW and 330 Nm, allowing it to complete the obligatory sprint to 3 figures in a claimed 6.7 seconds. The hatchback’s top speed is 170 kph.
How much does the Mini Cooper SE cost in SA?
Mini Cooper SE – R802 000
The price above includes a 2-year/unlimited kilometre warranty (likely along with an 8-year/100 000 km warranty specific to the traction battery, as offered on the Countryman SE All4) and a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
FiestaST
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Mini Cooper SE JCW review
Verdict
Mini is a brand with great heritage and a loyal customer base. The new generation doesn't stray much from its roots in terms of design both inside or out, but it also clearly looks like a new model. Some purists might be against the angles that were introduced into the design and the simplicity inside, but the reality is that the Mini Cooper felt outdated and needed a drastic change. Whether or not these changes were the right ones and will elevate the brand to even higher levels - future sales figures will show.
For now we can only deduct that the Mini Cooper SE may make for a great daily driver, but it has a series of quirks that will lose it a lot of potential buyers. The high asking price, limited range, heavy weight and slow infotainment are significant drawbacks, but at least you get fun driving experience, recognizable silhouette and some unique features.
The Mini Cooper SE is definitely not a car for everyone, but the main problem that we seem to have is that it has lost a lot of the emotion previous generations brought. The new Mini is more sophisticated and considering the nature of the series that's hardly a great thing.
Verdict
Mini is a brand with great heritage and a loyal customer base. The new generation doesn't stray much from its roots in terms of design both inside or out, but it also clearly looks like a new model. Some purists might be against the angles that were introduced into the design and the simplicity inside, but the reality is that the Mini Cooper felt outdated and needed a drastic change. Whether or not these changes were the right ones and will elevate the brand to even higher levels - future sales figures will show.
For now we can only deduct that the Mini Cooper SE may make for a great daily driver, but it has a series of quirks that will lose it a lot of potential buyers. The high asking price, limited range, heavy weight and slow infotainment are significant drawbacks, but at least you get fun driving experience, recognizable silhouette and some unique features.
The Mini Cooper SE is definitely not a car for everyone, but the main problem that we seem to have is that it has lost a lot of the emotion previous generations brought. The new Mini is more sophisticated and considering the nature of the series that's hardly a great thing.
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savagegeese review of the new 2025 Mini Cooper S