The 2003 Mini Cooper offered a five-speed manual transmission as standard, with a four-speed automatic option. The Cooper S used a six-speed manual gearbox.
Overview by model
Two distinct transmission setups applied to the 2003 Mini lineup. Here is a breakdown by trim to illustrate what buyers could choose.
Base Cooper (non-S)
Two transmission choices were available for the standard Cooper:
- 5-speed manual transmission (standard)
- 4-speed automatic transmission (optional)
In practice, most buyers preferred the manual gearbox, while the automatic was offered in some markets as an additional option.
Cooper S
The Cooper S used a higher-performance gearbox with six forward gears as standard.
- 6-speed manual transmission (standard)
Automatic transmissions were not commonly advertised as a factory option for the Cooper S in the 2003 model year.
Summary
For the 2003 Mini Cooper, the base model primarily featured a 5-speed manual with an optional 4-speed automatic, while the Cooper S came with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard. Automatic options were not widely marketed for the Cooper S in that year.