The new MINI Cooper S is almost ready to launch and the latest spy photos show it testing at the Nurburgring.
We’ve seen the new electric MINI Cooper testing multiple times but now it’s the turn of the hot petrol Cooper S model.
The exterior will follow the design of the electric Cooper SE version, although there are a few small differences that mark this out as having a petrol engine. The front end features more cooling ducts, including an open grille – although one key factor missing is the traditional bonnet vent.
To the side there’s some camouflage covering the emblem on the front wing that’s typically used to denote the hot Cooper S. We usually see the Cooper S utilise a contrasting roof colour, twin strips on the bonnet and black mirror caps to go with a more aggressive widebody and the new car should be no exception.
While we’ve become accustomed to seeing a twin central exhaust system, at the rear of this car there’s a new central, single-exit exhaust. There’s also a rear spoiler to further emphasise the sportiness of the Cooper S.
The next generation electric MINI Cooper has also been caught in its full production trim during a filming session in Los Angeles. Sitting on a bespoke EV platform, the new car will sport an equally fresh design that channels the MINI’s iconic design cues into a new look.
Pictured in hot Cooper SE trim, the retro supermini looks much cleaner than prior generations, thanks largely to a removal of the plastic wheel arch cladding that has defined the modern MINI’s aesthetic since its debut back in 2000. The original ‘new MINI’, designed by Frank Stephenson, has become a modern icon in its own right over the years, making any reinvention a tough job to execute well.
This same emphasis on clean design is found in its lighting, grille and other exterior detailing, yet the body itself is actually far more complex with new creases and lines creating unusual highlights and reflections. This is then contrasted against a familiar silhouette and upper body design to that of existing MINIs, with blacked-out pillars and a floating roof that in this case is painted in a contrasting white finish. The rear design has also had an update, with the application of fresh new rear lights joined by a glossy black panel.