MINI is a car brand owned by the BMW Group, since April 2001. As of now, there are four body styles available; the convertible, the Clubman, the Countryman, and the hardtop. The first generation of the new Mini was designed by Frank Stephenson, and it draws most of its inspiration from the original Mini. The car's brand name is capitalized to make it easier to tell from the older version. The first generation was developed between 1995-2001 by the Rover Group of England, and BMW of Germany. During this time, relations were strained between the design groups. However, BMW's style ideas prevailed, and they assumed control of the MINI project in 2000, moving production from Longbridge to Cowley.

The cars made during 2001-2006 (unofficially dubbed the MK-1 MINI) included four models collectively referred to as Cooper hardtops, the bare-bones MINI One, the sporty MINI Cooper, the MINI Cooper S, and the diesel-fueled MINI One/D. Starting in 2005, a convertible option was added to the MK-1 stable. Currently, the MK-II is available in both the convertible and hardtop styles, and a third style, called the Clubman, was introduced in 2008. The first new MINI was introduced in 2001, and it was powered by a 1.4 liter Tritec motor, but other models used the 1.6 liter engine.

There are a lot of badging and styling differences between the MINI models, and the most noticeable one is that the Cooper S has a scoop on the hood. It also has dual exhaust pipes, exiting at the rear under the center of the valance. The standard Cooper has more chrome than the MINI One, and just one exhaust pipe. The MINI One/D has no visible exhaust pipe. In some areas of the US and Australia, only the Cooper and the Cooper S are sold because the MINI One's motor wasn't deemed strong enough to run an air conditioning unit. About 70% of MINIs sold in the US and half of those sold in Australia are the faster Cooper S model. Other new models being sold are the MINI Park Lane, the MINI Seven, the MINI Check Mate, and the Monte Carlo.

The badges Cooper S and Cooper are reminiscent of the names used for the classic, sporty version of the Mini, which spring from John Cooper and his car company's involvement in their making. The Cooper bloodline is emphasized with various JCW options available with the new MINI. There is also a one-of-a-kind racing MINI, called the MINI Cooper S Works, with many performance-enhancing additions, such as an upgraded suspension, racing exhaust and 17-inch racing wheels.