How Much Bigger Is a 2024 MINI Hardtop Than a Classic Mini?
The latest hardtop MINIs are retro representations of the classic Minis. The newest models carry on with round lamps, hatchback architecture, and styling that says, well, cute. However, it can’t be ignored that the new hardtop model has put on some lbs since its Mark 1 generation from the late 1950s and 1960s. So, how much bigger is the 2024 MINI Hardtop than its classic predecessors?
The 2024 MINI Hardtop is much larger than a classic Mini
You’ve probably seen a picture on social media or in a magazine: a classic Mini parked next to a modern interpretation. At a glance, the difference is significant. The new BMW-owned MINI hatchbacks are more substantial than their predecessors in every metric.
| Model | Length | Width | Curb weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mk 1 Mini | 10.02 feet | 4.62 feet | 1,532 lbs |
| 2024 Hardtop (2-door) | 12.6 feet | 5.66 feet | 2,712 lbs |
For starters, a 2024 MINI Hardtop is nearly two-and-a-half feet longer than its classic counterpart, per Auto-Data. That’s a significant difference, considering the base hardtop doesn’t include a second set of doors. Further, the 2024 two-door hardtop is over a foot longer than the Mk 1 model.
Shockingly, the 2024 model weighs a substantial 1,180 lbs more than the first-gen hatchback. And the difference only grows as the iconic hatchback adds length and doors.
A classic Mini is so small, it will fit inside a newer four-door model
Of course, newer MINIs come in all sorts of flavors. The two-door hardtop is just the closest spiritual successor to the Minis of old. However, fans of the modern BMW-backed models can get them as four-door hardtops, two-door convertibles, utilitarian Clubman trims, Countryman models, and even battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
Unsurprisingly, the four-door models grow the size gulf between the classic hatchback and the modern platforms. Interestingly enough, Practical Classics cataloged the efforts of Dutch car enthusiast Jeroen Booij to prove just how much larger a four-door MINI is than its diminutive predecessor.
Booij made a 1:1 scale representation of a 1959 Morris Mini Minor to test his theory. However, rather than place them next to each other for reference, he assembled the cardboard facsimile within the modern four-door Countryman. It’s quite the sight; Booij’s cardboard Morris Mini fits inside the modern interpretation with space to spare.
Source: Auto-Data, Practical Classics
