Smile for the camera! Mini has been spied testing its next-generation three-door electric Hatch in the snow.
It appears the British automaker is using its current-generation Mini Electric hatch as a benchmark for this smaller, next-generation model.
Although this prototype is covered in a green-and-black wrap, has misleading tail light camouflage, and has a smiley-face cut-out for the lower air intake, we’ve already seen it completely undisguised.
First appearing on Chinese social media, the undisguised images of the next-generation Mini Hatch show it’ll get a big makeover… relative to recent Mini updates.
Up front, the new Mini Electric hatch has the brand’s signature round headlights. There’s also a new take on the familiar grille, which in Cooper S form has a black frame.
Unlike the first three generations of the New Mini, the bonnet doesn’t have a clamshell design and no longer fully encapsulates the headlight units.
Around the side it shows this new Mini Electric Hatch has shorter front and rear overhangs, a steeper rake for the windscreen, and lift-up door handles.
The most radical change has taken place at the rear, where the Mini’s signature rectangular tail light cluster has been replaced by a new triangular design.
Despite the change in shape, it looks as though the Mini will still be available with a Union Jack lighting signature.
We’ve seen the interior of the next-generation Mini Electric hatch in the same bunch of leaked images.
There’s a minimalist dashboard with a fabric cover and a leatherette strap on the passenger’s side.
Ahead of the driver is a steering wheel with only two spokes, as well as a head-up display that replaces the digital instrument cluster.
In the centre of the dash is a large free-standing circular infotainment screen with edge-to-edge glass.
Underneath this screen is a small elliptical pod with a line of physical knobs and switches.
Electric versions of the new-generation Mini Electric are being jointly developed by BMW and Great Wall Motor, and will be built in China for sale all around the world.
Petrol versions of the fourth-generation Mini are expected to ride on BMW’s FAAR front- and all-wheel drive architecture, which is an evolution of the UKL platform used by today’s models.
It’s unclear if the electric version of the Mini three-door will ride on the FAAR platform too, or something different.In November 2021, Mini confirmed the new three-door hatch will launch in time for the 2023 model year.
It’ll be followed by a convertible, a larger Countryman crossover, and a smaller crossover to bridge the size gap.
Mini has also previously confirmed a JCW version of the Electric hatch is in the works.
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