Photo: S.Baldauf/SB-Medien
MINI is preparing to launch a new generation of the Countryman, with a Cooper S version included in the range. Our spy photographers have managed to capture a prototype of that variant in the wild. It is expected to reach the market as an MY2023 vehicle.
The next-generation SUV will be built on the FAAR platform of the BMW Group, as you already know. The Countryman will grow in size with the next generation and it appears that its body will be longer by approximately 8 inches (ca. 20 centimeters). Since it shares its platform with the BMW X1, the MINI Countryman will also share engines with the smallest SUV from the Bavarian brand.
We already know that the M135i variant of the X1 will get a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, which is expected to develop 302 horsepower and 450 Nm (332 lb.-ft). According to rumors, the units could develop as much as 350 horsepower, but do not expect the production version to deliver that much.
The next-generation Countryman will be built in Leipzig, Germany, alongside the BMW X1. For the first time, the Countryman will also be offered as an electric version. The launch of this variant will bring the end of the plug-in hybrid Countryman, which will be eliminated from the range with the end of the ongoing model's lifecycle.
Regarding the prototype of the next-generation Countryman, as you can observe in the photo gallery, the front bumper has larger vents in its lower corners, and the model comes with large wheels that display a sporty design.
It is worth noting that MINI has fitted this prototype with a pair of chromed-tip exhausts with two round tailpipes on each side. Interestingly, MINI has not implemented a large air diffuser in the rear bumper, which is uncommon these days if we look at all the other “hot” versions of hatchbacks and SUVs these days.
If you look through the gallery, you may observe a parked MINI hatchback next to a sign, which goes to show that the British marque has maintained some of its styling cues. That is one of the elements that MINI relies on, along with its handling characteristics.
Do not try to gauge the size of the prototype by comparing it to the parked vehicles on the side of the road, as perspective is at play, which means that the object (vehicle, in this case) closer to the camera appears to be larger than it actually is.
We already know that the M135i variant of the X1 will get a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, which is expected to develop 302 horsepower and 450 Nm (332 lb.-ft). According to rumors, the units could develop as much as 350 horsepower, but do not expect the production version to deliver that much.
The next-generation Countryman will be built in Leipzig, Germany, alongside the BMW X1. For the first time, the Countryman will also be offered as an electric version. The launch of this variant will bring the end of the plug-in hybrid Countryman, which will be eliminated from the range with the end of the ongoing model's lifecycle.
Regarding the prototype of the next-generation Countryman, as you can observe in the photo gallery, the front bumper has larger vents in its lower corners, and the model comes with large wheels that display a sporty design.
It is worth noting that MINI has fitted this prototype with a pair of chromed-tip exhausts with two round tailpipes on each side. Interestingly, MINI has not implemented a large air diffuser in the rear bumper, which is uncommon these days if we look at all the other “hot” versions of hatchbacks and SUVs these days.
If you look through the gallery, you may observe a parked MINI hatchback next to a sign, which goes to show that the British marque has maintained some of its styling cues. That is one of the elements that MINI relies on, along with its handling characteristics.
Do not try to gauge the size of the prototype by comparing it to the parked vehicles on the side of the road, as perspective is at play, which means that the object (vehicle, in this case) closer to the camera appears to be larger than it actually is.
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