MINI Dubs Cooper SE a Muscle Car

When you think of a muscle car, what attributes come to mind? Speed? High performance? A powerful engine? Likely the mental picture you create isn’t a MINI Cooper SE – but that’s exactly what MINI is suggesting with their most recent publicity stunt.

A Boeing 777F + An Electric Muscle Car

At Frankfurt Airport, the MINI Cooper SE was asked to take on the role of an aircraft tug, which had it towing the aircraft to the loading point. The aircraft was a Boeing 777F unloaded freight aircraft, but that didn’t make it too much lighter, as it still came in at 150 tonnes.

Under the Hood

The fact that it managed to pull the plane is impressive, but what’s under the hood is equally noteworthy. It will share the BMW i3S drivetrain, so you can expect to see a 44.2-kWh 120 Ah battery. The motor should produce 181 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque. What’s more, though, is that you should be able to get a range on the vehicle of about 170 miles between charges. 

It can move from 0 – 62 in 7.3 seconds and has a top speed of 93.2 mph. There are four different driving modes for this vehicle, and you can select the right one via a switch next to the starting button. 

That’s a Good Look for You

While it looks pretty similar to a normal MINI Cooper, the front certainly distinguishes itself with a varied fascia and a close grille, as the engine under the hood doesn’t really need to have the cooling ability of the others from this company. It does come standard as a front-wheel drive vehicle. You may not notice, but this is 18 millimeters higher than others because of the difference in the size of the electric motor. 

Inside, you’ll find the familiarity you love from MINI with LED headlamps, electric parking, a round touchscreen that offers connected navigation and multi zone automatic air conditioning.  The app even allows you to heat or cool your car’s interior to the right temperature before you ever climb in.

Whether you need to pull an aircraft or you just love the look of these amazing vehicles, the MINI Cooper SE goes into production in Oxford in November.