All-new 2024 MINI Countryman heads off-road
Scottish Highland fling for next-gen MINI Countryman, demonstrating intelligent ALL4 all-wheel driveMINI has released another official preview of the third-generation 2024 MINI Countryman, which will be produced in Germany and offer an all-electric powertrain option for the first time.
Set to enter production in late 2023, the new MINI Countryman won’t land in Australia until 2024.
Made in the same Leipzig plant as the current BMW 1 Series and BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and 2 Series Active Tourer (not offered in Australia), the new MINI SUV shares the smaller car’s UKL2 architecture.
The same plant produces both the heavily related BMW X1 and pure-electric iX1 SUVs.
Claimed to be 130mm longer and stand 60mm taller than the current MkII F60-series Countryman, the new version will be the biggest MINI yet.
For the off-road photoshoot in the Scottish Highlands, the new Countryman sports grippy all-terrain tyres, although it’s not been specified what powertrain the lightly camouflaged SUV is running.
That said, the open grille featuring a subtle ‘S’ badge hints at the combustion-powered all-wheel drive Cooper S model that’s set to come with a powerful 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine.
Lower-series models will be powered by smaller 1.5-litre three-cylinder, while the flagship all-electric version is tipped to feature a dual-motor powertrain pushing out 230kW and almost 500Nm of torque.
A 64.7kWh battery, meanwhile, should provide for a range of more than 450km.
Other stylistic changes worth noting are the blockier looks, flared wheel-arches and the higher shoulder line and simpler surfacing that’s replicated on the regular MINI hatch.
Featuring a more advanced aero than before, there’s a larger rear spoiler aimed at cutting drag.
Inside, expect the Countryman to get a development of the incoming round 9.4-inch OLED infotainment system that will run BMW’s latest OS9 operating system.
Like the MINI hatch, expect a minimalist approach to the Countryman’s cabin design that will draw inspiration from the original Mini sedan that dates back to 1957.
There’s still no word on when MINI will unwrap the new SUV, but it could be as soon as next month’s Munich motor show.
Related: All-electric 230kW MINI Countryman previewed
Related: All-electric MINI Countryman ready for production
Related: SPY PICS: New MINI Countryman shows off its growth spurt
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