MINI Coupé officially revealed

Wraps off stunning two-seater that has Audi in sights – for £10,000 less, promises better performance and handling than hatch

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Luke Madden

20th June 2011

It's the MINI that’s set to go head-to-head with the Audi TT. These are the first official pictures of the loud and proud MINI Coupé, which starts from only £16,640 – over £10,000 less than the cheapest TT.

Bosses are promising the best-handling MINI ever made. With the standard hatch already one of the sharpest models on the road, the Coupé looks set to be a real drivers’ car when it goes on sale in October.

VIDEO: official footage of the MINI Coupe in action

It borrows the regular MINI’s suspension, but benefits from a lower centre of gravity that will help limit body roll and increase agility. At the rear, a spoiler rises at speeds above 50mph to increase downforce – a first for the brand.

Optional sports suspension is available with stiffer anti-roll bars and firmer dampers, while a rock-hard John Cooper Works set-up pack can also be specified. This drops the ride height by 10mm and firms up the anti-roll bars and dampers even further.

Unlike the rest of the MINI range – which starts with the entry-level One – the base Coupé model is the Cooper, powered by a 120bhp 1.6-litre engine. The flagship is the JCW, which adds a turbo for a total of 208bhp.

In between is the 181bhp Cooper S, with a detuned version of the JCW’s unit, while a hot new diesel SD gets a 141bhp 2.0-litre oil-burner. The Cooper will cover 0-62mph in nine seconds flat, and the JCW completes the benchmark sprint in 6.4 seconds – both a tenth up on their hatchback counterparts.

Prices for the Coupé start at £16,640 and rise to £23,795 for the JCW. This sounds a lot of money for a MINI, but considering a TT 2.0-litre TFSI costs £3,345 more and is two-tenths slower from 0-62mph, it starts to look like excellent value.

With a ‘helmet’ roof grafted on top of the MINI Convertible’s body, the two-seater Coupé looks unlike anything else on the road. Its ‘three-box’ shape means there is room for a 280-litre load bay – 120 litres up on the normal MINI – plus there are extra storage bins behind the seats and a hatch for posting longer objects through.

While the roofline is 29mm lower than the standard car’s, scallops in the headlining ensure tall occupants will fit in comfortably. MINI’s trademark cabin is carried over, blending the usual stylish, retro-inspired design and high-quality materials.

Read our first drive of the sporty new MINI by clicking here:

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27 Comments

What?

How is that a Mini? It looks more like the Ford StreeKa!!

By dastardly01 on 21 June, 2011, 3:17pm

What? 2

Sorry, should say StreetKa.

By dastardly01 on 21 June, 2011, 3:18pm

WRONG INFO!

Um, gents, get your figures straight! The JCW model may be cheaper than the TT, but the TT manual 2.0 TFSI is 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds. This is since the last revision.

So the mini is all kinds of fugly, has an ass that is an unforgiveable crime against car design, and wil be of a much lower build quality. As well as being slower than the TT! so yes, kudos on the price, but fail on the design and speed!

By EviL_Ras on 21 June, 2011, 6:53pm

They should have gone to Specsavers...

Carlos Fandango would have been proud of this.
It looks like a skip crossed with the crummy plastic boy-racer department at Halfords.

By stevie on 21 June, 2011, 8:36pm

Bruce Forsyth of Mini's

Its not a Coupe its a Toupe!

By LegioIXHispana on 21 June, 2011, 8:50pm

Will anybody with a spine be able to sit in it?

It looks like a mini that's been on its roof.

By Dangerous_Dave on 22 June, 2011, 11:27am

good website

believe you will love it.

====( w w w )( wholesalecheapclothes )( c o m )

By kdfja on 22 June, 2011, 12:48pm

Retro

Its a TF on steroids

By billy_whizz on 22 June, 2011, 3:36pm

pointless

Why! but could think of few idiots who will buy it, who actually haven't got a clue about cars

By dan123 on 22 June, 2011, 4:20pm

Never mind..

Disgracefully bad to look at but i have no doubts that the neuvo riche will flock out in their thousands to grab one.

By JagMan92 on 22 June, 2011, 6:20pm

Not my cup of tea

The MINI has always been a cute car, and this is nowhere near that status. It's good enough if you want outright thrills, but if you want practicality and value for money, get the hatch!

By JPW2010 on 22 June, 2011, 7:15pm

Another 'desirable' car I have no interest in

I like the Mini - I wouldn't buy one as they're too expensive with essential options - but this is awful. Looks awkward and even less practical than the Mini. And I don't see how it is a direct rival to the TT - I'd rather have a Scirocco than either.

And what is it with BMW launching models based on cars that are just about to be replaced? Like the 1 series M Coupe, this car is about to be launched just as the new Mini is being scooped in magazines!

By gavsmit on 22 June, 2011, 8:31pm

Great looking MINI

I think that MINI have brought out a great looking little pocket rocket, the design is good and will sell well.
One thing i have noticed reading other commets that not person has a good word on any car on here! are you just all moaners?
MINI have brought out something that many current owners have wanted for ages and with the roadster as well they will sell no matter what the negative comments say! I do as i am looking for my next MINI and this fits the bill.
Oh and can we stop using american sayings like "fugly" its not a word its just lazy!

By DAVE585 on 23 June, 2011, 7:33am

Botched Mini

Sorry...I love Mini's....but this has crossed the line as far as taste is concerned (lol). I'm trying to make light of it...but seriously...this is (trying to be nice).....Ugly/ Unnecessary. This may only appeal to Japanese or people who want the latest fashion oddity.

By badboyrocco on 23 June, 2011, 3:08pm

Ugly and Unreliable Still

Still has same worthless tranny>(Beware)

By Harry on 23 June, 2011, 4:07pm

Glass houses...

""Oh and can we stop using american sayings like "fugly" its not a word its just lazy!
By DAVE585 on 23 June, 2011, 7:33am""

By the way, "American" has a capital A, and you have missed out the apostrophes on "it's" .
Twice.

By stevie on 23 June, 2011, 6:05pm

Yuck!

I can't believe they managed to make it ugly (like the other recent MINIs).

By roblightbody on 23 June, 2011, 7:09pm

Hideous

This has to be the ugliest car ever. I hate the whole New Mini ripoff - a big car that has a passing resemblance to a Mini but doesn't fulfil any of the key Mini USPs. This really plumbs the depths! I hate it.

By pajbse on 23 June, 2011, 7:23pm

Wraps off stunning two-seater that has Audi in sights – for £10,000 less, promises better performance and handling than hatch
Come on AE.
Stunning?
Its about as stunning as the latest MG.
Only Essex girl will buy this dogs dinner.

By toycollector on 23 June, 2011, 8:13pm

Too many Americanism's here!

OK, let's get this straight - it's bonnet, petrol, boot, arse, and only roadsters have 'hoods'. Unless you're a Septic Tank, we speak English here. Not American. Sort it out people. Cheers.

By Dame_Edna on 23 June, 2011, 11:49pm

TT?

Auto Express, why are you comparing this car to an Audi TT? The TT is a four seater. Also a real Coupe in its own right.
This is a Mini with a roof chop and the rear seats removed.

If anything it reminds me of the 207 cc and Tigra. This is the market it is aiming for. Thats why it is £10k less than a TT.
It is not trying to compete against it. Otherwise BMW would have priced it accordingly.

By conclusion on 24 June, 2011, 9:21am

Squashed

Wasn't the regular Mini marketed as a sort of coupe when it first came out.....? This could have been good but BMWs designers favour "challenging" designs these days rather than conventionally pretty. I suppose that would have been seen as too "girlie". The Roadster looks better without the incongruous "baseball cap" roof

By CooperSman on 24 June, 2011, 12:38pm

Squashed

By CooperSman on 24 June, 2011, 12:43pm

Make your own!

There's really no need to buy one of these, simply take your current Mini and reverse into a half open garage door at high speed.

Glad to be of service.

By darrenjs on 24 June, 2011, 1:54pm

A mess

Fugly. Period.

And! Auto Express, please, please, please stop forcing us to watch the embedded video on the page. Tee it up, and let us decide what to do next. Check your bail-out rates and times and you'll see it coincides well with how long it takes for the video to buffer.

This is 2011, not 1999.

By jwojewidka on 26 June, 2011, 8:35pm

seen it in the flesh

Saw one today in the flesh. It's the most hideous thing ever!!!
I love my Mini One and 3 series so have nothing against the brand.

By dougtucker on 7 July, 2011, 1:32pm

Think elderly teenager

Saw one on the road the other day and it actually is wearing a baseball cap back to front.

We all know what we call people who do that!

Bad Bad Bad Car! Uglier than the Countryman!

By darrenjs on 12 July, 2011, 2:17pm

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Pictures

MINI Coupé officially revealed