Equipped with a supercharged engine that generates 53 horsepower more than a regular Mini Cooper, the Cooper S adds an extra helping of fun to small-car driving.

For 2005, the Cooper S gets an improved six-speed-manual gearbox and gains 5 horsepower; it's now rated at 168 hp. All Minis display a new grille and bumpers and fresh headlights and taillamps. Cooper S models equipped with the manual shift add a limited-slip differential. During the 2005 model year, an automatic transmission featuring paddle shifters became available for the first time on the Cooper S.

Mini continues to offer the John Cooper Works tuning kit, which includes a higher-speed supercharger compressor with coated rotors. For 2005, technical improvements boost the JCW engine's output from the original 200 hp to 207 hp. A Mini Cooper S Convertible went on sale in September 2004 as a 2005 model.