MINI has been going through a rough patch. In 2024, the brand sold only 244,915 cars, a transitional year marked by a complete overhaul of its lineup. But after a steep 17.1% drop last year, 2025 is off to a promising start. Half-year results are in, and they’re encouraging: shipments grew by 17.3% to 133,778 cars, driven by a strong second quarter when demand surged 33.1% to 69,163 vehicles.
The Oxford-based automaker credits the upswing to the long-awaited full availability of its revamped portfolio. Its parent company, BMW Group, says MINI posted growth in every region. Yes, that even includes China’s fiercely competitive market. Notably, over a third of the cars sold globally through June were purely electric. Lest we forget, there are even electric John Cooper Works models now, but no cars with a manual gearbox. It goes to show how much MINI has changed in recent years.
MINI had also intended to grow its lineup further with a fully electric convertible. However, that model, internally known as “J03,” has reportedly been put on hold. As for EVs, the three-door hatchback (“J01”) and the Aceman crossover (“J05”) were slated for UK production starting in 2026, but those plans have been scrapped. For now, both models will continue to be built exclusively in China by Spotlight Automotive, a joint venture between BMW Group and Great Wall Motor.
Despite the EV push, MINI isn’t abandoning its internal combustion engines. The goal of becoming an EV-only brand by 2030 has been dropped, meaning gasoline-powered cars will stick around into the next decade. What’s still missing from the range is a true entry-level model. However, a Rocketman-style city car isn’t in the cards.
That said, the future looks promising. BMW has confirmed its Neue Klasse EVs will all be rear- or all-wheel drive. This next-gen architecture is likely to trickle down to MINI as well. Putting two and two together, rear-wheel-drive MINIs could arrive by the end of the decade.
Source: MINI