2024 MINI Cooper SE launch date?

I thought it was supposed to be in the fall of 2024, October maybe? It's entirely possible I made that up.

 

I don't expect an on-sale date (or a where-sold decision) to be announced before the actual car is revealed. I don't believe MINI has even set a firm reveal date. Gabriel B. will let you know as soon as he can (which may not be as soon as he knows due to embargo agreements).

I'd love to have been a fly on the wall in the BMW management meetings where they decided if there was any way they could sell the 2024 SE in the US. I remember when it was leaked they might ask dealers to take a hit on their margins to make the 2024 SE more affordable--an astounding suggestion IMO. However, that unrealistic idea was leaked before the Inflation Reduction Act put the kibosh on federal tax credits for cars built outside the US. The IRA all but deleted BMW's decision-making spreadsheet.

Now the question is will people buy a MINI Cooper SE that costs nearly as much as a $44K Model 3 (with its enviable Supercharger network)? Prospective customers won't like that a significant part of that cost will be coming not from go-fast components, but from a sky-high Chinese import tariff.

MINI MA in the showroom next year: "Nobody liked those old electric cars that MINI cobbled together as an engineering exercise. Let's step outside where you can hear the beautifu exhaust note of a real MINI."

 

I thought it was previously reported it likely will be unveiled in November 2023, since I remember confusing that with November 2022.

 

That vague, 30-day time frame is what I remember, too. I never saw a specific date identified within that time frame.

 

What is the import tariff on Chinese made vehicles?

I know we'd lose the $7500 tax thing, but can't find anything on import taxes.

 

I believe it is 27%

 

We placed an order a few months ago. We only have an order number so far, and still in "order received" stage. I recently chatted with our MA. He mentioned that the 2024 model release would be in March, so we decided to move our order to 2024 model since we are not in a rush to purchase. I have gone through a very lengthy wait period with another brand, therefore I am seasoned enough to be patient.

According to our MA, the import tariff from China is 27%, which is supposedly the main reason why we won't get those cars in the US until the production moves back to Oxford/England in 3+ years.

Please keep in mind that this is all a sort of hearsay from an MA at the dealership, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

This seems to be the prevailing thinking... but I've also heard that MINI may decide to eat a large chunk of that tariff before production moves back to Oxford ~2027 just to keep a presence in a market as big as the US.

It'll be interesting to see what ends up happening. With the success of the SE thus far, it would be a shame if they slammed the brakes for 3-4 years over here.

 

2024 US MY makes sense, but probably not the next generation. I am curious if they do any incremental tweaks to features or pricing.

 

Damn. It was 2.5% 5 years ago.
I guess they can't afford to drop the tariff with the tax cuts the last administration gave out.

 

Ask and ye shall receive (apparently)...
https://www.motoringfile.com/2023/02/02/exclusive-next-generation-2024-electric-mini-cooper-j01-launch-dates/

 

I’m feeling slightly pessimistic. The current SE is amazing but only on due to their pre-existing engineering from the i3 and F56 Cooper. They can’t phone it in again.

 

What, you don't trust the engineers who created the Ora Funky Cat? It's not as if the 2024 MINI Electric will be a completely new design, it will have Funky Cat bones.

 

The article begins with an oxymoron:
What makes the J01 Cooper such a massive car for MINI...

The most important question is, of course, will the Cooper E have a fake hood scoop (I assume the SE will).

...should give the car a range between 180 and 200 miles depending on how it’s measured. That would be a dramatic increase over the current 110 range from the F56 based Cooper SE.

Gabriel B hasn't been keeping up with his MINI Electric studies. He doesn't appear to realize for the past two years the SE's range is 114 miles, not the puny 110 with the 2020/21 models.

According to sources, the entry level electric MINI Cooper will launch with a 40kWh battery (compared to 28.9kWh in the current Cooper SE) combined with an electric engine producing around 180 hp.

The current SE has a 32.6 kWh battery, of which 28.9 kWh is usable. Is the capacity of the battery in the entry-level 2024 MINI Cooper E 40 kWh or 40 kWh usable?

...a massive circular screen will be major additions as well a revised heads-up-display. The instrument cluster remains but will see the physical dials turn entirely into a screen.

Does this mean the "big" difference will be the mechanical needle turning into the image of a needle? Or does it mean all information will appear as a hodge-podge of numerical digits, rather than from simulated dials?

In the center of it all is a massive, circular OLED display that will house everything from navigation to heating and cooling controls. Like other manufacturers, MINI will move a handful of traditional physical controls to the screen in an effort to simplify the interior and allow for more flexibility in functionality. While we have some concerns about usability of a move like this (a similar move in BMWs has been seen as a step backward) MINI has the luxury of seeing the where other automakers have taken missteps and might adjust accordingly.

I, too, have concerns about usability. I love the switchgear on the dash of my 2021 MINI.

Want Union Jack tail lights? Or how about something more minimal? MINI will offer a number of different designs that will help owners differentiate their cars.

I hope that's not the full extent of the customization available in 2024. MINIs were meant to be customized.

 

33% more battery gives 66% more range? That would be pretty impressive

 

There isn’t a Moore’s Law parallel for batteries. Pity.

 

Maybe the new MINI Electric is 66% lighter [readies "For Sale--no hood scoop" sign]

 

Author might be mixing EPA and WLTP ranges when comparing 110 miles to 180-200 miles.
Cooper SE range is 145 miles (234 km) WLTP, and 180-200 miles is a 24-38% increase on that.

 

27% import tariff will price the car way too high when it comes out and given how the market will be more competitive it doesn’t make sense. Either Mini will have to eat some of that tariff or all of it.