You Can Still Drive a Gas-Powered Mini Cooper—for Now

• Mini has been all-in on electrification as of late, but the brand isn't letting go of its gasoline-powered engines just yet.

• In fact, Cooper and Cooper S models are getting an upgrade for the 2025 model year, with a standard 2.0-liter inline-four known as the B48.

• Dropping the three-cylinder powerplant, power figures for the Cooper remain unclear while the Cooper S boasts 201 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque.

Mini has been on a roll with its electric announcements lately. Rolling out an electric version of its Countryman, Clubman, and Cooper, the Mini brand has plans to stay relevant far into the future. But Mini isn't going to give up its gasoline engines during this transitional phase, either.

With two ICE Cooper models remaining for the 2025 model year, Mini is banking on a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine to propel its classic hatchback. Internally known as the B48 engine, this turbo-4 will come in two versions, corresponding to the Cooper and Cooper S models.

In Cooper S trim, Mini will offer 201 hp and a maximum of 221 lb-ft of torque, akin to the power from the previous model year of Cooper S. That's a decent bump from the late model's 189 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque, corresponding to a 0-60 mph time of 6.3 seconds for the 2025 model year Cooper S.

The 2.0-liter turbocharged B48 found in the Cooper S has been shared with models like the BMW X1 and BMW 228i. This powerplant will continue into the coming model year for both BMW models (at 241 hp and 228 hp, respectively), indicating that the B48 engine remains alive and well under the BMW umbrella.

However, Mini is being coy about the power figures on the Cooper, though the British brand did confirm it would feature a B48 variant as well. Previously, Mini offered a turbocharged inline three-cylinder engine on the Cooper trim, making 134 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque.

However, the lack of a three-cylinder powertrain will be tailored to the US market (plus a few other small markets) for 2025, a Mini spokesperson confirmed in an email to Autoweek. It's no secret that American roadways are bigger and often flowing faster than those in Europe (save for Germany), in turn making US customers hungry for power.

“At Mini, ‘Power of Choice’” means that in addition to current and future electric Mini models, we also offer models such as the new Mini Cooper with a gasoline engine. The car is ideal for all those people who want to drive a classic Mini three-door and appreciate the traditional performance and characteristic sound of a combustion engine,” says Stefanie Wurst, Head of Mini.

Production for the Cooper S will start in March with a base price of $33,195 including $995 destination. The Cooper trim won't arrive in the US until this summer, with production set to start as late as July. These base model units will start at $29,945, up $3150 from last year.

Should more manufacturers experiment with three-cylinder cars? Why or why not? Please share your thoughts below.