This is the new (electric) Mini Countryman

At the beginning of this month, the new electric Mini Cooper surfaced during video recordings in Los Angeles and two weeks later it is the brand new Mini Countryman that the city of angels completely free of camouflage material has been extensively photographed. What is immediately striking is that the new Mini Countryman inherits design elements from the smaller Aceman, which is scheduled for 2025. But that’s not all. The new Mini Countryman has clearly made a growth spurt.

Mini Countryman

More angular

Just like the new Mini Cooper, the new Countryman is immediately recognizable as a Mini, despite the fact that a lot has changed in the design. The rounded but semi-rectangular headlights on the current Countryman have evolved into more angular designs on the new third-generation Mini Country. The days of the round LED lights are over and so the new Mini Countryman, just like concept Aceman study model, has a kind of LED frame in its headlights that follows the shape of the light units in the unit. The new Countryman has handles partially recessed into the doors and a stubborn decorative element in the C-pillar that you – knowing Mini – can probably personalize nicely in the configurator. The rear is more striking. The number plate moves from the tailgate to the rear bumper, returning it to where the first-generation Countryman had it. The tailgate subtly presses into the rear lights, giving them a subtle C-shape.

The rear of the new Countryman harks back to that of the first (right).

Taller

Previous photos of packed test units already hinted at it, but this new set of photos makes it clearer than ever that the new Mini Countryman is significantly larger than the outgoing model. With its length of 4.43 meters, it is about 12 centimeters longer than the Countryman that it will soon replace. Why the Countryman is growing? This has everything to do with the aforementioned production version of the Concept Aceman that will be on the market in 2025. By making the Countryman bigger, the model takes more distance from the 4.05 meter long Aceman.

Up to 440 kilometers electrically

Like the new Mini Cooper, the new Countryman will also have fully electric versions. As the Mini Countryman E, the SUV gets a 190 hp electric motor on the front axle, while the four-wheel drive Countryman SE All4 kicks it up to 272 hp thanks to the addition of an electric motor on the rear axle. Both engine versions will soon have a battery pack of roughly 64 kWh. The front-wheel drive variant must squeeze a WLTP range of 440 kilometers from that battery – which is also in the BMW iX1. With the SE All4 you have to settle for 420 kilometers.

We already mentioned the BMW iX1. Of course we don’t just do that. The Mini Countryman is based on the same basis as the X1 and iX1, but has to be a bit sportier thanks to sharper adjustment of the chassis and steering. Just as the BMW X1 is available with combustion engines, the Mini Countryman will also be available with petrol engines. One or more plug-in hybrid versions may also follow. Don’t be surprised if Mini – just like before with the new Cooper – also decides to release images of the tack-free new SUV. The unveiling of the new Mini Countryman is scheduled for the IAA in Munich after the summer.