Photo: MINI
Come 2023, British carmaker MINI will be replacing the Countryman with something new. A natural move, considering how well the crossover segment is currently going, even if some people might (still) consider this particular model a sacrilege.
The Countryman came to be a decade ago as the brand’s first crossover, a bold move made by the Brits under the guidance of parent company BMW. Despite the fact all MINIs were at that time dedicated to a niche group of customers, the SUV managed to enrich the customer pool and open up new markets.
This week, BMW made a major announcement concerning the next iteration of the SUV: for the first time ever, a MINI will be made in Germany, alongside BMW models on the lines of the Leipzig facility.
“Over the last few years, we have worked continuously to lead our plant into a successful future. This contract to produce the successor to the MINI Countryman gives us another major milestone to work towards,” said in a statement Hans-Peter Kemser, Director of BMW Group Plant Leipzig. “It is clear evidence of the company’s faith in our expertise and our site, and fantastic news for the future of our plant.”
It’s not clear yet whether the move would also mean a change of name and marketing strategy for the crossover, but BMW does seem to hint it will be so. That’s because the Germans are not calling the model the next-generation Countryman or anything like that, but use the more cryptic “all-new successor to the current MINI Countryman” phrase.
Regardless, some details regarding the choice of powertrain for the upcoming model were released. Now we know for sure the carmaker will deploy on it both ICE engines (gasoline and diesel), and an electric powertrain, making for the most comprehensive offering in the MINI range. Just like until now, it will be offered with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive.
This week, BMW made a major announcement concerning the next iteration of the SUV: for the first time ever, a MINI will be made in Germany, alongside BMW models on the lines of the Leipzig facility.
“Over the last few years, we have worked continuously to lead our plant into a successful future. This contract to produce the successor to the MINI Countryman gives us another major milestone to work towards,” said in a statement Hans-Peter Kemser, Director of BMW Group Plant Leipzig. “It is clear evidence of the company’s faith in our expertise and our site, and fantastic news for the future of our plant.”
It’s not clear yet whether the move would also mean a change of name and marketing strategy for the crossover, but BMW does seem to hint it will be so. That’s because the Germans are not calling the model the next-generation Countryman or anything like that, but use the more cryptic “all-new successor to the current MINI Countryman” phrase.
Regardless, some details regarding the choice of powertrain for the upcoming model were released. Now we know for sure the carmaker will deploy on it both ICE engines (gasoline and diesel), and an electric powertrain, making for the most comprehensive offering in the MINI range. Just like until now, it will be offered with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive.
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