MotoringFile

Ask a child to draw a small car. Not a MINI, just a small car, and there’s a reasonable chance the proportions they reach for will look like a Cooper. Short overhangs, a tall greenhouse relative to the body, a silhouette that feels planted and compact in equal measure. Holger Hampf, in his first extended public interview since becoming MINI’s design chief last October, made e...

MINI took one engine, dialed it down by 40 horsepower, called it a different car, and priced it $4,000 apart. The question isn’t whether that’s cynical product differentiation. It clearly is. The question is whether the Cooper S is worth the gap, and the honest answer is more complicated than most buyers expect.

Before we start, it’s important to note that there are...

MINI is bringing back the One. Starting in July 2026, the entry-level nameplate returns to the F66 Cooper range in the UK and European markets, priced from £24,735 and powered by a 121 horsepower 1.6-litre engine. It is the most affordable way into the current MINI family, and the first time the brand has offered a sub-£25,000 Cooper since the F56 generation. For a brand that...

MINI has formalized what was previously an ad hoc special edition strategy into something more deliberate. Under the MINI Icon Drops banner, the brand has mapped out eight editions releasing between now and March 2027, three of which are fully revealed and available to order, five of which remain silhouettes on a countdown page. It is the most structured special edition calen...

Starting in July 2026, MINI is rolling out a set of updates across its current lineup that directly answers some of our critiques. MINI is offering new paint availability on more models, two new interior combinations, four years of MINI Connected included as standard on Level 2 and Level 3 cars, and a Piano Black grille option on Exclusive trim petrol models. Here is the full...