Perhaps the most fun and entertaining two-seat car to come out of Britain in quite some time, the Mini Cooper Coupe, died ten years ago. While most so-called car enthusiasts would scoff at the fixed-roof two-seater based on the already-diminutive hot hatch, I think that this car has a lot going for it, and you should give it a little more respect. While Mini did little to differentiate the Coupe from its 3-door hatch siblings aside from shrink the greenhouse and ditch the back seats, I still smile every time I see one (admittedly a rarity). When they were new Mini described the Coupe as having “an aura that is both athletic and distinctive” and hot damn is it ever those things.
The Coupe was built using a Mini Cabriolet chassis as the starting point and increasing the rake of the windshield frame back a little bit. The Coupe’s roof is just over one inch shorter than the standard three-door, but the sloped rear window makes the car look significantly smaller. The integrated and hydraulically-actuated rear spoiler makes the roof look a little bit like the Coupe is wearing a backwards baseball cap—one that makes 88 pounds of downforce when deployed—and I appreciate that. It’s a look that no other car on the market has, and is about the most bold design choice Mini ever made. With the top-of-the-pile John Cooper Works models making good use of the 208-horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged inline four, these little rowdy coupes could really bring the fun.
Coupe du jour
Somehow, despite being smaller and only fit for two human beings, the Cooper Coupe is actually a little heavier than the three-door. According to MotorTrend measurements, the Coupe was about 172 pounds heavier than a standard base model Mini with a stick. It’s also a little bit slower from zero to sixty than the longer-wheelbase Clubman, but the difference is minimal enough. Mini at the time claimed the Coupe to be its sportiest model yet, and even without the numbers to back up their claim, I kind of get it.
When the Cooper Coupe launched in 2011 for the 2012 model year I was somewhat underwhelmed as it didn’t seem to offer any performance benefit despite the smaller greenhouse and many required compromises thereof. A decade after its departure, however, I’m convinced that the Coupe was an exercise well worth completing. There’s a certain style on offer with the two-seater that the regular three-door simply can’t match. This was a swing and a sales miss, but I’m so glad Mini chose to swing at it anyway.
Truecar
The Cooper Coupe is an objectively good driving experience, with direct and communicative steering, tight handling, impressive road holding, and a style all its own. What more could you ask for? How about a good price on one? The JCW Coupe was over 30,000 American dollars in 2012, but this Chili Red example can be had in 2025 for just $8,895. A bargain at twice the price, I’m sure.
