We expect gasoline and diesel versions of the EV to be available in the camouflaged prototype.
While we’ve been watching the fourth-generation Mini for some time, this preview is the first official one from the BMW-owned company. The stylish city car, shown here in three-door form with an electrical powertrain, will once again offer a practical five-door body style and conventional gasoline or diesel engines.
It’s not surprising that the British marque is keeping quiet about the new hatch, as it won’t arrive before 2023. The camouflage cannot hide the familiar design cues and shape that we have seen since the original Mini was introduced in 2000. Although images of the interior are not available, it is obvious that this CooperSE has an LCD screen at the top of the center console.
Mini already revealed that its next-generation cabin will be and more expensive with leather. Oliver Heilmer, the design boss of Mini, said last month in an interview with Autocar: “We looked at the beginning Mini to see whether there were any elements. This was simply because they [the design teams] wanted them.” Any decoration? They didn’t. Let’s reduce and focus again on the essentials, without being too practical or lacking emotion. With colors and fabrics, we can bring back warmth. It’s important to have fabrics that have warmth when you have less elements.
Mini will include the convertible again. This time, production will be in Oxford, rather than being handled in The Netherlands by VDL Nedcar, an automotive manufacturing company. Mini’s goal is to become entirely electric by 2030. Enthusiasts hope there will be a John Cooper Works once more. A zero-emissions JCW has been teased before that happens.
Mini will be demonstrating the Cooper SE’s range. With the expected advancements in battery tech, (and hopefully) will surely be better than the current 2022MY version, which can only go 114 miles (183 km) or 14 more than the Mazda MX-30, the EV with the most limited range in the United States.