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The next-generation Mini Countryman continues to hide its design under deceptive camouflage. The new spy shots captured the testing of the Countryman and Countryman S, with the higher-performance variant tackling the Nurburgring race track while the regular Countryman was tested on public roads.
We can’t see a new crossover design, but the new Mini looks like it will modernize the style of the model for the next generation. The brand’s trademark circular headlights are visible at the corners of its face. We’ll have to have a few camo drops to get a real sense of the Countryman’s new styling features.
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The new Countryman will share its foundations with another BMW Group model – the new BMW X1. Both will use the brand’s FAAR architecture, meaning the pair will also share a powertrain. That means the higher-performance Countryman S could pack the engine that will be offered in the new X1 M35i – a turbocharged 2.0-liter producing 302 horsepower (225 kilowatts) and 450 pound-feet (332 Newton-meters) of torque.
There have been conflicting reports about a potential PHEV variant, with one rumor suggesting Mini will offer a fully electric Countryman instead. However, there are other rumors that Mini will build a plug-in hybrid that provides a 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder electric assist for a combined 322 hp (237 kW). That’s all speculation for now.
Our spy photographers have looked at the interior, revealing an oval-shaped display on the dashboard and a slim instrument cluster screen behind the wheel. It will be an evolution of the Mini’s trademark interior design touches.
The new FAAR platform will also allow the Mini to increase passenger and cargo space. Compared to the previous model, the new Countryman will grow in size, remaining the brand’s biggest offering by increasing its length by 20 centimeters (7.8 inches). Rear seat occupants should benefit the most from the crossover’s larger footprint.
We expect Mini to reveal the new Countryman and Countryman S in late 2022 or early 2023. The new Mini will go on sale for the 2023 model year alongside the next-generation BMW X1, with both rolling off the same assembly line in Leipzig, Germany.
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