MINI Cooper E goes back to basics with cut price ‘Classic’ trim level
The all-electric MINI retains its retro-inspired design but gains new technology
An all-new MINI is always a big deal and following the launch of this latest fifth-generation model MINI has followed up with an entry-level ‘Classic’ version of the electric Cooper E. Available to order now, the MINI Cooper E Classic starts from £30,000.
MINI says that despite being the entry-level version of the electric supermini, the Cooper E Classic still “impresses with its efficient electric drive and brand-typical driving dynamics”.
Given its the Cooper E, there’s a 40.7kWh battery, instead of the 54.2kWh unit found in the Cooper S E. That means range stands at a maximum 188 miles in Classic trim, with a front-mounted electric motor putting out 181bhp and 290Nm of torque for a 0-62mph time of 7.3 seconds - only 0.3 seconds off the Abarth 500e electric hot hatch. Charging speeds for the Cooper E max out at 75kW, meaning a 20 to 80 per cent recharge takes 28 minutes.
Standard equipment for the Classic includes LED lights front and rear, just one standard paint finish - silver. Sunny Side Yellow, Nanuq White and Midnight Black are all £550 extras, but the option to change the roof from body colour to black is at least free. There are 16-inch ‘4-square spoke’ alloys as standard with the 17-inch rims costing £550.
Inside there’s a no-cost choice between black and blue or grey and blue colour schemes for the vegan leather and fabric upholstery, plus an new OLED circular 9.4-inch screen in the middle of the dash that mimicks the speedometer from the classic Mini. Also standard is automatic dual-zone air conditioning, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic brakes, lane departure warning, a rear-view camera, integrated sat-nav and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
A £2,000 ‘Level 1’ options kit includes a head-up display, adaptive LED headlights, heated front seats and wireless smartphone charging. The £4,000 ‘Level 2’ package adds all of this plus an uprated sound system, a panoramic roof, tinted windows and MINI’s driving assistance plus system.
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