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Alongside the newly-unveiled all-electric Cooper EV, MINI will also launch a petrol-powered version of the new car and although it\u2019ll look the same, the ICE MINI will be on a different platform.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve spotted the new Cooper testing in hatchback and cabriolet guise and it\u2019s clear the new car will be a heavy update of the F56-generation MINI launched in 2014 – so much will change that MINI has even given it a new \u2018F66\u2019 designation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The exterior redesign will see it borrow elements from the new-look Cooper EV, but given this is a facelift, core elements such as lighting and panels positioning won\u2019t be able to change all that much. The larger front overhang and stubby rear bumper are traits taken from the all-electric model, however.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We can also see holes punched into the upper and lower grilles for cooling the internal-combustion engine and horizontal strakes on the headlights. On the hatchback there are also visible side air intakes. To the side, the retro-styled wheel arches remain underneath the camouflage and there\u2019s a new rear bumper, too. The rear light cluster will retain the Union Jack display but the signature will be more pixelated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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The sporty Cooper S variant will still be offered and we\u2019ve seen it testing with a single-exit central exhaust, as opposed the the central dual-tip previous Cooper S and JCW models have featured.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The new Cooper won\u2019t get the FAAR platform utilised on the EV model – despite that architecture\u2019s being able to accommodate ICE powertrains. Instead, we expect a revised version of the current UKL1 platform. EV versions of the MINI Cooper will be built in China, petrol-engined three- and five-door MINI Coopers and the cabriolet will continue to be built in Oxford.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We also expect to see the current range of engines carried over with a mix of turbocharged three- and four-cylinder units. We\u2019ve seen JCW trim levels of the new EV and this range-topping variant is likely to be retained on the petrol model, potentially with the same 228bhp, 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder.\u00a0<\/p>\n