Hot on the heels of a sighting of a prototype for a new Mini Aceman crossover we now have fresh spy shots and video of the premium small car brand’s next Countryman.
The redesigned Countryman is due first. It will be revealed later this year and is expected to arrive as a 2024 model. The Aceman (the Paceman name also been rumored) should arrive about a year later.
The Countryman prototype in our latest spy footage is for a performance-oriented model, as evidenced by the big wheel and brake package and quad-exhaust tips. We’re likely looking at the Cooper S grade, as the more potent John Cooper Works grade traditionally isn’t available at launch.
We can see that the redesigned Countryman will be longer than the current generation. The extra length is mostly in the wheelbase, which should result in more cabin space. A glimpse of the dash shows what appears to be a head-up display unit in front of the driver or perhaps simply a screen.
The redesigned Countryman is bigger to increase the vehicle’s appeal in more markets, particularly the U.S. It’s also to make way for the smaller Aceman, a concept for which was shown in July. The Aceman will be a dedicated electric vehicle developed by Spotlight Automotive, the Chinese joint venture between Mini and Great Wall Motors established in 2019.
Mini is developing the redesigned Countryman on BMW Group’s FAAR platform for front-wheel-drive cars. It will be a close cousin of the redesigned 2023 BMW X1, and the two vehicles will share a production line at a plant in Leipzig, Germany, making this the first Mini to be built in Germany. The current Countryman has been in production since 2016 at a plant in the Netherlands operated by independent vehicle manufacturer VDL Nedcar.
2024 Mini Countryman spy shots – Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
Mini has confirmed it will offer an electric version of the new Countryman. There will still be gas-powered versions, as well as a plug-in hybrid. Expect the base Cooper to continue with a 1.5-liter turbo-3. A 2.0-liter turbo-4 should feature in the Cooper S and possibly in the John Cooper Works model, though we know Mini is already working on a high-performance electric powertrain for future JCW models. Note, this will be the last generation of the Countryman with internal-combustion power. Mini has confirmed it will only introduce electric vehicles starting in 2025.
In addition to the new Countryman and Aceman crossovers, Mini is also working on a redesign for its signature hatch, which will be called the Cooper instead of sticking with the current Hardtop name.
