MINI Cooper and Countryman EVs to debut at IAA Mobility 2023

author: FutureCar Staff    

This year's IAA Mobility event in Munich will feature two world premieres from MINI, both of which are electric vehicles (EVs). The fourth-generation MINI Cooper and third-generation MINI Countryman have been teased over the past few months and are set to be presented at the event.

Starting with the Cooper, the carmaker has already revealed the exterior styling of the hatchback. The design has been simplified compared to the outgoing model, with notable design cues including a mostly blanked-off front grille with an octagonal shape and round headlamps integrated into the body. At the rear, triangular taillights are connected by a trim piece running across the tailgate.

Inside, the redesigned Cooper takes inspiration from the original Mini, featuring a centrepiece circular OLED touchscreen display that measures 9.4 inches in diameter. The speedometer is displayed within the centre circle, along with additional information like the current gear and remaining range. The car also includes a head-up display for crucial driving information.

The outgoing Cooper had a panel of toggle switches beneath the physical air-conditioning controls, but the new model omits this. Instead, the panel has been relocated higher and redesigned to house the gear selector switch and controls for select vehicle functions.

The fully electric Cooper, likely to be known as the MINI Electric, will have 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. The second variant, the SE, gets a 54.2-kWh battery and 215 hp. These battery capacities exceed that of the outgoing MINI Electric and should provide an expected range of between 300 to 400 km.

If you look closely at the rear shots of the new Cooper, you'll notice that it has 'Cooper S' on its tailgate, indicating that in addition to electric powertrains, the hatchback will also be offered with combustion engines, likely to be electrified.

The upcoming MINI Electric is expected to be made in China through a joint venture between the BMW Group, which owns MINI, and Great Wall Motor. On the other hand, the combustion engine Cooper will be built at Plant Oxford in the United Kingdom.

As for the Countryman, there are no photos of the crossover without any camouflage, but teaser images suggest that the general shape will look familiar. The new Countryman will be longer and taller than its predecessor for improved headroom.

Production of the upcoming Countryman will take place at BMW Group Plant Leipzig in Germany, marking the first time a MINI model is produced in the country. Like the Cooper, the Countryman will be offered with all-electric and combustion engine powertrains.

The IAA Mobility event in September will provide a more complete picture of MINI's next-generation lineup, including the Cooper and Countryman. The event will also feature the debut of the latest G60 5 Series' plug-in hybrid variants, the Vision Neue Klasse, and other models.

FutureCar Staff