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Next-generation Mini Cooper electric car caught in spy photos

Though the current generation of Mini Hardtop just got a refresh, it seems a new generation is around the corner. That new model appears in the spy photos above, and in electric form no less. At first glance, it doesn't look very different, but there are many small changes that add up to make it distinctly its own. At the front, the headlights appear to be more circular than the slightly ovoid units of the current model. They look as though they wrap a little more around the fenders, too. The grille appears to be enlarged a bit to match the bigger headlights, and the changes give the car even more of a cute, wide-eyed appearance than before. Other interesting things to note are that the hood scoop may be going away, as the one on this car is a fake. The hood cut lines also seem to go through to the wheel arches. Other subtle changes are revealed in profile. The front overhang looks slightly reduced, and the windshield looks more raked. Part of that appears to be because of the base being moved slightly forward. Not only has the windshield become more raked, so has the rear window. It's hidden by the newly added aerodynamic fairings below the rear spoiler. Finally, we can see the chrome, refrigerator-style door grab handles are gone in favor of more flush-fitting handles, and the charging door has changed sides to the left of the car. The back doesn't reveal much unusual, but the taillights have more square-like proportions, and they seem to fit more flushly to the body. There also appear to be some cut lines through the taillight area, so there may be more going on under the camouflage than we can see right now. We also get a small glimpse of the interior. It looks like there's a wide screen across much of the dash. It's in keeping with current car design trends, but is a major departure from the retro-inspired design of past Minis. The prototype we see here looks pretty far along in development. With that in mind, along with recent reports, the new model may be launched in 2023. It will likely be accompanied by gas-powered versions, since 2025 is the cut-off date for the last new gas-powered Mini option, and 2030 is the point where the brand will be fully electric. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mini five-door spotted alongside next Clubman

Is Mini constricting its staggering array of model variants or expanding it? That depends largely on which way you look at it. Because while some models may not make the cut as the second-generation family is gradually replaced with the third, others appear to be joining the fold. They just might not bear different model names.
Take, for example, the vehicle pictured here. It's a five-door version of the latest Mini hatchback, but won't necessarily replace the Clubman wagon - particularly since that's precisely what appears to be pictured alongside it. While the five-door hatch appears to simply add an extra set of portals - full-size ones, from the look of it, not backwards-opening half-doors - to the existing three-door version, the new Clubman appears not only longer but also wider, giving it that much more interior space.
Of course that could all be an optical illusion generated by swirly camouflage designed to do just that, but from the apparent readiness of both models, we'll find out one way or another soon enough - whatever they're called.

2024 Mini Hardtop has fun in the snow before its unveiling

Mini is nearly ready to unveil the first member of the next-generation Hardtop family. It will introduce the two-door hatchback variant in 2022, and it released official spy shots showing a test mule in a frozen part of Sweden to give us a better idea of what to expect from the car. The BMW-owned firm stresses that the prototype shown on frigid Swedish roads is fully electric, though it stopped short of publishing any technical details. We're expecting that the plucky little hatchback will offer users more horsepower and more range than the current Cooper SE. And, there's no word yet on whether the line-up will include versions powered by an internal-combustion engine for buyers who are not interested in going electric. We've reached out to the company for more information, and we'll update this story if we learn more. It's clear that the next Hardtop’s proportions havenÂ’t significantly changed; it remains recognizable as a member of the Mini line-up, but designers have reimagined many key styling cues. Spy shots of a completely camouflage-free prototype taken in December 2021 reveal evolutionary updates made to the front end and a reimagined rear end characterized by angular lights connected by a black piece of trim. At first glance, it looks like the modern-day Mini is in for the biggest makeover since BMW rebooted the model at the turn of the millennium. More details about the next-generation Mini Hardtop will emerge in the coming months, and we expect to see the model make its debut before the end of 2022. It will later be joined by a four-door hatchback and a two-door convertible (Mini has confirmed it wonÂ’t leave the drop-top segment). Meanwhile, the company is sending off the current Hardtop by releasing a number of design-led limited-edition models. While the Hardtop stands proud as the car that MiniÂ’s image is pegged on, the segment of the market that it competes in is shrinking on a regular basis. Buyers prefer crossovers to hatchbacks, even across the pond. To that end, Mini is also working on the next-generation Countryman — which could be its biggest and most powerful model — and it announced plans to show a new crossover concept in 2022. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2024 Mini Hardtop, official spy shots View 23 Photos Green MINI Hatchback Electric