Ready for this year
Mini will start production of the completely new Mini Countryman in Leipzig towards the end of this year. It will be a size bigger, will be available with an electric powertrain and has now been visualized by Mini from all angles.
The current, second-generation Mini Countryman sees the light of day in Born in the Netherlands, but the successor to the model will no longer be built by VDL Nedcar. Mini will transfer production of the Mini Countryman to Leipzig from the arrival of the new third generation, where it will be produced alongside cars such as the BMW 1 Series, 2 Series Gran Coupé and 2 Series Active Tourer. Mini is now showing its new SUV for itself.
Just like the current model, the new Mini Countryman comes on the market with combustion engines. But it will be the first Countryman ever to also be available with a fully electric powertrain. The Mini Countryman apparently grows considerably at its generation change. That’s not easy. Making the Countryman bigger offers Mini the opportunity to place a smaller crossover under the model. In the middle of last year, Mini already showed the Aceman Concept, a preview of a new 4.05 meter long crossover. The current Countryman is 4.31 meters long, but the new one will be one size bigger.
The new Countryman simply shares its basis with the BMW X1 and 2-series Tourer. So bet on two plug-in hybrid powertrains with capacities of 245 hp and 326 hp. The X1 is also available as an electric iX1 with two together 313 hp and 494 Nm strong electric motors. Don’t be surprised if that powertrain also gets a place in the Mini Countryman.
For the production of the new Mini Countryman in Leipzig, Mini is expanding the number of production lines by eight. This involves an investment of €800 million. It does not stop with a new Countryman. Mini comes with a new electric hatchback, among other things.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl