This year’s IAA Mobility event in Munich is where we’ll witness two world premieres from MINI, both electric vehicles (EVs). The two models set to be presented are the fourth-generation MINI Cooper and third-generation MINI Countryman, which have been teased over the past few months.
Starting with the Cooper, the exterior styling of the hatchback has already been revealed by the carmaker following a leak earlier in the year. While the general shape looks instantly recognisable, the design has been simplified compared to the outgoing model.
Notable design cues include a mostly blanked-off front grille that has an octagonal shape, accompanied by round headlamps that are neatly integrated into the body. At the rear, you’ll find triangular taillights that are connected by a trim piece running across the tailgate.
Inside, the redesigned Cooper takes inspiration from Alec Issigonis’ original Mini, with the star attraction being a centrepiece being a circular OLED touchscreen display that measures 9.4 inches in diameter and has an ultra-thin bezel.
Further references to the classic Mini include having the speedometer displayed within the centre circle along with additional information like the current gear and remaining range. There’s no conventional instrument cluster ahead of the driver, but there is a head-up display that will likely show crucial driving information.
The outgoing Cooper had a panel of toggle switches beneath the physical air-conditioning controls, but the new model omits the latter. As such, said panel has been relocated higher and redesigned to house the gear selector switch and controls for select vehicle functions.
The fully electric Cooper will likely be known as the MINI Electric, and we already know there will be two variants offered. The first is the E, which comes with a 40.7-kWh battery and a front-mounted electric motor rated at 180 hp, while the SE gets a 54.2-kWh battery and 215 hp. These battery capacities exceed that of the outgoing MINI Electric’s 32.6 kWh and should provide an expected range of between 300 to 400 km – the older model only offered 232 km following the WLTP cycle.
If you look closely at the rear shots of the new Cooper provided by MINI, you’ll notice the car has ‘Cooper S’ on its tailgate and not ‘Cooper E’ or ‘Cooper SE’. That’s because in addition to electric powertrains, the hatchback will also be offered with combustion engines, which will likely be electrified.
The BMW Group, which owns MINI, announced back in 2018 that it had entered into a partnership with Great Wall Motor to manufacture MINI EVs through a 50:50 joint venture in China called Spotlight Automotive Limited. As such, it’s expected that the upcoming MINI Electric will be made in China, while the combustion engine Cooper will be built at Plant Oxford in the United Kingdom.
As for the Countryman, we don’t have photos of the crossover without any camo, but the teaser images suggest the general shape will also look familiar. However, the new Countryman is confirmed to be longer than its predecessor at 4,429 long (+130 mm), while also being taller at 1,613 mm (+60 mm) for improved headroom.
Set to enter production at BMW Group Plant Leipzig in November this year, the upcoming Countryman will mark the first time a MINI model is produced in Germany. Like the Cooper, the Countryman will be offered with all-electric and combustion engine powertrains.
The former includes the E variant, which comes with a front electric motor rated at 191 hp, while the SE adds a second electric motor at the rear for an all-wheel drive setup and 313 hp. Both options feature a 64-kWh battery, with estimated range quoted as high as 450 km. Reports suggest the Countryman will ride on the same FAAR platform (a derivative of the UKL architecture) as the latest X1.
We’ll get a more complete picture of MINI’s next-generation line-up when IAA Mobility 2023 kicks off early next month in September. The event will also see the debut of the latest G60 5 Series’ plug-in hybrid variants, the Vision Neue Klasse as well as the showcase of other models.
GALLERY: 2024 MINI Cooper
GALLERY: 2024 MINI Electric prototype testing
GALLERY: 2024 MINI Countryman prototype testing
GALLERY: 2024 MINI Cooper and Countryman teased together
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