SPIED: 2024 MINI Cooper spotted with a single tailpipe

Despite being 33 years old, I’m still wildly immature and I’m well aware of it. I’m not always proud of it, but I can’t help but make me laugh, you know? That’s why I’m here to admit that my first thought when I saw this next-generation MINI Cooper S doing some hot laps around the Nürburgring was that its single, mid-mounted exhaust pipe looks like an asshole. (We do not own the spy photos, but they can be seen here)

Some recent spy photos showed the MINI Cooper S leaning over the ‘Ring while wearing MINI’s now signature yellow camo. Since all MINI hatchbacks look the same, you’d be forgiven for not realizing which MINI it was. However, there are a few things that betray the ‘S’ nature. One is the wheel design. This particular test car has a pair of snazzy shoes that don’t look like they belong on a base model MINI. The other is the roof spoiler, which almost looks like a MINI GP. It is therefore clearly a sportier model.

Admittedly, we don’t need to look too much at the camouflaged design, as MINI has already unveiled the electric Cooper SE and it looks pretty good. Interestingly, this test mule has different taillights than the fully revealed electric car we saw. So either the electric has different taillights or MINI made fake ones for this test mule. However, this is the first time we’ve seen the poo-shoot exhaust design for the Cooper S and it’s just funny.

Admittedly, this MINI is far from the only car ever to have a single center exhaust. Plenty of other cars have had similar designs in the past, classics from the 1960s and 1970s. But this is the first I can remember seeing such a design on a modern car.

If this is indeed the MINI Cooper S (who knows, maybe it’s a standard Cooper with a JCW package), then it will have a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic or (hopefully) a six-speed manual transmission. It’s unclear whether the MINI Cooper S will have the same 48-volt mild-hybrid technology as other four-legged Bimmers, but it seems likely. Either way, it’s supposed to be a snappy little thing and the last stronghold of little MINI Cooper internal combustion fun. As excited about the electric version as many of us are, I think we can all say we’ll miss the petrol version when it’s gone.

[Source: Motor1]