2023 Mini Countryman
Electric Countryman leads new Mini line-up, with EVs made in China but combustion versions also available
MINI COUNTRYMAN ANOTHER COUNTRY
Illustration: Andrei Avarvarii
So much is changing, yet so much stays the same. The new generation of Mini will make its first European appearance in the spring of 2023, with the rugged Countryman topping the initial line-up. The electric Countryman will be made in China, and will look all but identical to the combustion-engined version, as Mini is following the same strategy as BMW with its paired electric/combustion iX1/X1, iX3/X3 and future iX5/X5.
More rugged, more electric, less British new Countryman
Like other new electric Minis, the Countryman will use a bespoke platform developed from scratch for maximum efficiency and minimum cost. When the first cars go on sale in late 2023, we expect a Cooper E with a 40kWh battery and 184bhp motor to offer a range of 185 miles, plus a Cooper SE that combines a 50kWh battery and 231bhp motor, which should be good for a more useful 250 miles between charges.
In 2025 we should see John Cooper Works variants, with dual motors, all-wheel drive and a 320bhp target output. As well as the Countryman, there will be new generation of the three-door Mini hatchback. That will adopt the same philosophy, with electric and combustion versions sharing everything bar the powertrain. In a reverse of the overall trend to growth, the new three-door will be marginally shorter than the current model. But its wheelbase will be longer, and smart packaging should mean more space.
All members of this new generation of Minis will incorporate some of the styling elements first shown on the Aceman and Urbanaut concepts, with hexagonal front-end graphics and the bumper being an integral part of the grille. Inside, the minimalist cockpit will have a much bigger round centre display and a two-spoke steering wheel. Those concepts are also going to spawn new production models. The Aceman previews a new five-door crossover made in China, due in 2024. The Urbanaut, meanwhile, is the loose inspiration for another electric crossover, but this time built in Leipzig and paired with the iX1.