Skip advert
Advertisement

Confirmed: British-built MINI Cooper Convertible set for summer launch

The all-new soft-top MINI will arrive this year, with a hot JCW version to follow

MINI Convertible 2024 exclusive image

MINI’s new product onslaught is set to continue with an all-new Convertible version of the new MINI Cooper hatchback that will arrive this summer. This follows the launch of all-new petrol and electric Countryman SUV and Cooper hatch models, with the five-door all-electric Aceman due to be unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show in April.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Auto Express had already revealed in 2022 that a new Cooper Convertible would be built in Oxford, but speaking to Auto Express following the first of the new generation MINI Cooper hatchbacks rolling off the production line in Oxford, MINI boss Stefanie Wurst said, “We’ll unveil the new Convertible in the summer and a JCW will follow around the time of the Paris Motor Show.” 

Wurst wouldn't, however, confirm whether BMW Group, including MINI, planned to be at October’s Paris show or whether the Convertible JCW would be launched at a separate event.

Dr. Markus Grüneisl, Head of Plants Oxford and Swindon, admitted that there is already a new Cooper Convertible at the Oxford factory, where he and his team are preparing for production of the new car. Grüneisl told Auto Express, “We have a new Convertible up at Oxford and it looks fantastic”.

Oxford-built petrol-powered MINIs should reach customers in May, with the Cooper Convertible likely to share the hatch’s 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre engines, the former producing 154bhp and the latter 201bhp. The JCW Cooper is likely to get a 296bhp version of the 2.0-litre engine, while all MINI Coopers will now come with seven-speed automatic gearboxes with manual not even an option. 

Auto Express understands that electric Cooper Cabriolets could also follow when production of all-electric MINI Coopers starts at the Oxford factory in 2026, until then electric versions of the Cooper hatch will be built in China.

The current MINI Convertible is made in the Netherlands, but production there will cease with the introduction of the new model. MINI Oxford will then focus on internal combustion-engined MINI Coopers until 2026, when it will be joined by the all-electric MINI Cooper. 

Since BMW Group launched its first MINI in 2021, over 4.4 million MINIs have been built in the UK, including 150,000 all-electric models.

Now read our review of the new MINI Countryman...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Best used convertibles to buy now
Best used convertibles

Best used convertibles to buy now

If it’s open-top thrills that you’re after, the best used convertibles offer incredible value for money
Best cars & vans
21 Nov 2024
MINI Cooper Convertible review
MINI Convertible 2024 - front

MINI Cooper Convertible review

Fun to drive with a funky interior that’s perfectly practical for a weekend away, the MINI Cooper Convertible is a brilliant little soft-top
In-depth reviews
19 Nov 2024

Most Popular

Car Deal of the Day: handsome, sporty Mazda CX-5 dips under £250 per month
Mazda CX-5

Car Deal of the Day: handsome, sporty Mazda CX-5 dips under £250 per month

The Mazda CX-5 is fun to drive, features a driver-focused, premium interior and is our Deal of the Day for 9 February
News
9 Feb 2025
BMW X3 vs Lexus NX: which premium mid-size SUV takes top honours?
BMW X3 and Lexus NX - front tracking

BMW X3 vs Lexus NX: which premium mid-size SUV takes top honours?

BMW’s much-lauded new X3 is one of the best luxury compact SUVs on the market – but is it good enough to topple the cheaper hybrid-powered Lexus NX 35…
Car group tests
8 Feb 2025
New Kia EV2 baby electric car due in late-2025 with a low, low price
Kia EV2 - spyshot front

New Kia EV2 baby electric car due in late-2025 with a low, low price

Kia’s EV electric car range will grow again with the arrival of the EV2
News
10 Feb 2025

Find a car with the experts