MINI has launched the new Cooper 3-Door and 5-Door hatchbacks but we have yet to see the convertible. Codenamed F67, the chic cabrio premieres this fall, according to a statement made by former company boss Stefanie Wurst in an interview with BMWBLOG. In the meantime, a new spy video shot at the Nürburgring shows the John Cooper Works variant undergoing testing.
That large center exhaust tip tells us we’re dealing with the full-fat JCW model rather than the namesake trim level. With its latest wave of models, MINI has introduced a John Cooper Works Trim that’s all show without any extra go. This prototype has an upgraded engine combined with the unlimited headroom offered by the retractable fabric top.
As to what lies underneath the hood, it’s a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline mill. The four-pot is expected to bring a healthy upgrade over the latest Cooper S models. These have 204 hp (150 kW) and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque. We’ll remind you that the previous-gen JCW models featured 228 hp and 319 Nm (235 lb-ft). We’re hearing the ubiquitous BMW “B48” engine could be massaged for more torque but nothing is official at this point.
On several occasions, MINI has said the manual gearbox is dead, so you won’t row your own gears in these new JCW models. The Oxford-based marque will initially unveil the real JCW versions of the F65 and F66 hatchbacks in the final quarter of 2024. Around the same time, we’ll also see the fully electric Aceman JCW. Chances are we’ll have to wait for the JCW-spec F67 until later next year.
If you want an electric MINI convertible, the BMW-owned brand will likely build one from 2027. The J03 is supposedly going to be assembled at home in Oxford. That’s where the 3-Door hatchback (J01) and the Aceman (J05) EVs will enter production in 2026.
Source: CarSpyMedia / YouTube
