2025 MINI JCW Says YES to Dead Dinosaurs, Hot Hatch Spied With Gas Power and Fresh Looks

The trippy camouflage may trick the average Joe into thinking they are looking at a brand new generation. But they're not, as what we have here is a comprehensive mid-cycle update. It is a continuation of the car that was refreshed for the 2022 model year, bringing revised looks on the outside and some changes in the cabin. Some think that the oily bits were likely upgraded, too.

On the outside, the latest prototype that was spied by our man with the cam a few days before Christmas was more revealing than the one we covered a few months ago when it was summer in the northern hemisphere. And this time around, it was the open-top version of the car that became the focus of the camera lens, with its rag top featuring the Union Jack logo.

Up front, the supermini hot hatch has a new pair of headlights. The new grille is interrupted in the middle by a large sensor, and we can clearly see the redesigned bumper, complete with its large air intake in the middle, flanked by the side vents. The side skirts look chunkier here, and there is a centrally mounted exhaust pipe that comes out through the middle of the diffuser.

The new taillights with the Union Jack graphics were partially under wraps, and we can also catch a glimpse of the repositioned reflectors in the new rear bumper. Backed up by red brake calipers on each corner, the wheels are identical to those of the fixed-roof model we covered earlier this year.

Besides these changes, we also expect the BMW Group-owned car brand to give the refreshed John Cooper Works some chassis enhancement that would improve its cornering capability. As for the firepower, it will likely be supplied by an updated version of the current 2.0L four-pot, which is good for 228 hp (231 ps/170 kW) and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm) of torque. The automatic transmission with eight forward gears will probably be the sole offering, as MINI plans to kill the stick shift.

The current MINI John Cooper Works Convertible has a starting price of $44,900 for the 2024 model year, and we suspect the new one will be a bit more expensive once it makes its way to dealers nationwide, likely as a 2025 model, with the official unveiling expected to take place in the first half of 2024. The two-door hardtop variant has an MSRP of $35,400, and it, too, should become pricier.