New Mini Cooper hatch and Countryman make world debut

The new Mini Cooper three-door hatch and its larger Countryman cousin will be shown to the public at the International Motor Show in Munich on September 5–10.

The fourth-generation Mini under BMW custodianship will be built in collaboration with Chinese carmaker Great Wall Motor and replaces the third generation Mini unveiled in 2013.

All Cooper hatch derivatives will in future be fully electric and available in “E” and “SE” power specification. The Countryman is more accommodating, spatially and technically.

They are larger than their predecessors and boast an evolutionary and more digital minimal and cleaner surface design. The short overhangs, bonnet and big wheels are unmistakable pointers of the fashionista range, as is a contrasting roof and now also trimmed with shiny goatee outlines on their bonnets. Four different trims — Essential, Classic, Favoured and JCW — offer distinct styling.

Daytime running light elements of the round LED lights on the hatch and hexagonal on the Countryman have the option to create three light signatures, while the matrix LED head and taillights have a special welcome and farewell light animation.

Flush door handles on both models are a new design feature, as is the absence of fender flares and side scuttles.

The uncluttered theme continues inside the cabins, which come standard with Vescin artificial leather and dashboards covered in textile and reduced to the essentials. The Countryman dash has vertical air vents as opposed to the hatch's horizontal styling. The gearshift has been eliminated to create additional space for storage and wireless charging.

Operating System 9 is incorporated with optimised touch and voice control and a new high-resolution, central and 240mm-diameter round OLED display screen. The “Hey MINI” activated artificial assistant is on hand and, optionally, up to seven light colour projections.

A head-up display is optional, as is 5G capability, augmented reality functions and four surround-view cameras can be had. Furthermore, there's an optionally available AirConsole app that provides in-car gaming, making the smartphone the controller of the game on the OLED display for passengers to enjoy inside the larger cabin with improved head and legroom.

The Cooper E hatch gets a 135kW and 290Nm electric motor good for a 0-100 km/h sprint in 7.3 seconds. A 40.7kWh battery imbues it with a driving range up to 305km. The Cooper SE with a 54.2kWh battery and outputs of 160kW and 330Nm has a 6.7 seconds dash to 100km/h and 402km of driving range.

Both versions of the new electric Minis offer far superior ranges to the outgoing Cooper SE model, equipped with a 32.6kWh battery, which claims 217km.

The new Countryman is still available in a mix of electric, petrol and diesel engines, front and all-wheel drive and in E, SE and JCW ALL4 variants. The battery-powered Countryman E generates 150kW and 250Nm with acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 8.6 seconds, with up to 433km of travel range.

With a 66.45kWh battery, 230kW and 494Nm and all-wheel drive, the Countryman SE ALL4 is able to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds with a 180km/h top speed. Driving range is 433km on full charge. A range of 16, 17 and 18-inch wheels is available for the Countryman for various applications, including driving off-road. No specifications were made available for the conventional models.

A slightly increased track width and wheelbase, improved suspension, damping and a strut brace enhance the Cooper hatch's go-kart driving feel, supplemented by more powerful brakes, better steering precision and accuracy. Driving modes include go-kart and green modes while there are new acoustic sounds. Wheel sizes range from 16 -to 18-inches.

Charging for the electric models happens via the 11kW docking stations, while faster DC charging stations allow the battery to be charged from 10-80% in under 30 minutes.

Driver assistance systems include automatic parking using a smartphone, a digital key plus that turns a smartphone into a key, and transferable to different users if the car is shared, and a snapshot function to capture moments.