BMW's Solution to Mini's Major Issue

author: FutureCar Staff    

I've reviewed plenty of Mini cars over the years and one theme has always been the same. The infotainment display just didn't fit. While the interior design under BMW's guidance adopted a big round central device - to reflect the single central dial of the original 1960s Minis - in recent years the move to a digital display never really worked.

That's because there was a rectangular display inserted into the middle of the round design with a sort of hinterland top and bottom of wasted space. I commented on it in a number of reviews, here in 2017, again in 2018 and with the launch of the Mini Electric in 2020.

Mini hasn't announced the next-gen Mini Electric, but we're expecting the launch of a 2024 model later in 2023. Mini has started talking about this forthcoming model, revealing the interior, with a radical redesign of that central display.

I was lucky enough to see this new interior recently, and I'm excited about this change I've been calling for for a number of years. The dash has essentially been redesigned, and that central round device is now one big OLED display - not just a central panel, the entire thing.

The display measures 240mm in diameter - a massive 9.5 inches - and because it's OLED, it has deep blacks, punchy colours - and from what I've seen, it looks sensational.

That gives the infotainment display much more space and it's animated and fun with a range of different views, with Mini saying there are eight different designs you can swipe through. That suits the fun personality that Mini has strived to hit - it's about that gokart driving experience, pitched at younger buyers and a lot of what the new Mini will offer will reinforce that.

It's not just about that big round display. Mini has adopted one of the tech features of the Mini Aceman Concept it unveiled in 2022 and is bringing it to the production model. That's the use of internal projectors, which can spray colour across the dash - the projector itself sits behind the screen. This expands on ambient lighting which has been a trend in cars for the last decade.

In the process, there is no driver display, with the intention being that the information you need is glanceable on that central display - and that you'll move to using a heads-up display for driving information instead. Exactly how this balance works we won't know until we get behind the wheel, but as it is, the current Mini dials are pretty minimal anyway.

The change also marks a move to Mini Operating System 9. This is going to be Android-based, but not Google-certified, so this isn't just going to be about Android apps (although it will support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay wirelessly). There's going to be a new navigation experience, including an augmented reality view on that central display, as well as support for AirConsole gaming (where you use your phone as the controller), as well as services like Spotify. Compared to the previous infotainment offering, it's going to be a revelation.

So that addresses the biggest problem that Mini faced with its legacy cars, but there's one thing that remains: electric range.

The second biggest problem I have with the Mini Electric is the short range - about 140 miles. Yes, the smaller battery means a lower price, but range anxiety definitely exists and offering greater range is always an advantage. Currently, Mini hasn't confirmed any technical details about the performance of the new Mini Electric, but it has confirmed it's electric. Mini refers to the "new Mini Cooper Electric". A fresh new design, a stunning internal display - it's an electrifying prospect.

FutureCar Staff