The new Mini Cooper 5dr on its way to New Zealand late this year is unique in the lineup for a very-2024 reason: it's now the only model that's available solely with internal combustion engines.
The entire Mini lineup has now been renewed. The new Cooper 3dr comes in both petrol and battery electric (BEV) versions - the former from the UK and the latter on a bespoke platform from China's Spotlight Automotive, a joint project between BMW (which owns Mini) and Great Wall Motor.
But the 5dr is still petrol only, essentially a longer version of the British 3dr petrol.
There is indeed an electric equivalent to the Cooper 5dr: the Aceman BEV, a supermini-sized model that's also the first Mini model to be launched as an electric vehicle only.
And of course the larger Countryman is also available in both petrol and BEV versions. As an aside, this one is the first Mini to be built entirely in Germany.
The Cooper 5dr range will open with the C, powered by a 3-cylinder engine paired with a dual-clutch transmission. It offers 115kW/230Nm and can hit 100km/h in 8 seconds.
The S steps up to a 4-cylinder with 150kW/300Nm and can reach 100km/h in 6.8sec.
The wheelbase of the Cooper 5-Door is 72mm larger and its body 172mm longer compared to the 3dr. With the use of the 60/40 split folding rear seats, the luggage capacity can be increased from 275 to 925 litres.
The C opens at $48,990 and will be available in Core, Classic ($51,990) and Favoured ($55,990) specifications.
The S version comes in Classic ($58,990), Favoured ($62,990) and JCW Sport ($64,990) models.