New Mini Cooper Cabin Revealed: Minimal Design, Massive Round Screen

Mini has revealed the new Cooper's cabin, including showing the start-up animation for the infotainment system. It adopts an aesthetic that updates the original Mini for the modern world.

The new Cooper has a radically simplified dashboard compared to the existing model. There are no longer instruments behind the steering wheel, but there is a head-up display. The round center screen in the center includes the speedometer and infotainment duties. An oval-shaped panel beneath the screen holds physical controls.

The new steering wheel has thick grips at 2- and 10 o'clock positions. The multi-function buttons look more prominent, too.

The fabric on the dashboard has a gray gradient pattern on the driver's side and transitions to a houndstooth pattern on the other end. A narrow slit holds the HVAC vents.

When the Mini starts, ambient lighting illuminates the lower portion of the dashboard. The screen shows the brand emblem, then teal and yellow balls that swirl before launching the display.

Mini already revealed the new Cooper's exterior (above). Like the cabin, the body is simpler than the current model. A wide octagonal element is in front, with a trapezoidal grille on the bottom. There are LEDs around the headlights and two horizontal bars.

The profile is reminiscent of BMW's revived Mini from the beginning of the 2000s. However, the windshield has a steeper rake. The front and rear overhangs are quite short.

The back has stacked triangle-shaped taillights on each side. A bar through the hatch has the model's name. While the exhaust pipes are hidden on this car, spy shots of the Cooper S show it with a central outlet.

The new Mini Cooper is coming with electric and combustion powertrains, and they ride on different platforms. The EV is coming as the entry-level Cooper E with a front-mounted 181-horsepower electric motor and a 40.7-kilowatt-hour battery offering an estimated 186-mile range in Europe's WLTP test cycle. The Cooper SE has a 215-hp motor and 54.2-kWh pack providing 249 miles in the European evaluation.

Despite seeing the interior, the exterior, and having details about the electric powertrains, Mini is not yet saying when the new Cooper debuts. There's not much left to know.