While the international launch of the five-door version of the Mini hatchback is underway (check in later this week for a full driving impression by associate editor Gareth Dean), Mini SA has released pricing ahead of its South African launch before year-end.
Like the three-door version, initially there’ll only be two variants – Cooper and Cooper S – available with six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions. JCW models will follow early next year.
The five-door’s wheelbase is 72 mm longer, freeing up the exact same measurement for rear passengers’ legs. There’s also 15 mm more headroom owing to the longer, higher roofline, and 61 mm more interior width at elbow height than the current three-door. Overall, the five-door is 161 mm longer and 11 mm higher than the three-door, but is the same width.
There’s 67 dm3 more luggage space (now a claimed 278 dm3) and the rear seats have a 60:40 split. Standard is a storage package including a luggage compartment floor which can be locked into place at varying points.
The range kicks off with the 100 kW/220 N.m (230 N.m on overboost) Cooper at R305 000 for the manual and R321 900 for the autobox, making them quite a bit more expensive than equivalent Audi A1 Sportback 1,4 TSI SE models (R291 500/R309 000).
The Cooper S develops 141 kW and 280 N.m (300 N.m on overboost) and costs R374 052/R395 443, which borders on compact hot-hatch territory (a Volkswagen Golf GTI costs a few thousand more)… To compensate for the steep pricing, both versions have fairly generous spec levels.
All have a two-year/unlimited mileage warranty and five-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
