MINI has been kind enough to release comprehensive technical specifications for the next-generation Countryman. Evolving into a fully fledged compact crossover, the new model will be made in-house by parent company BMW at its factory in Leipzig. Today’s plug-in hybrid powertrain is going to be abandoned as the Oxford-based marque intends to offer a couple of purely electric variants instead.
The front-wheel-drive Countryman E will have 191 horsepower (140 kilowatts) from a single electric motor whereas the SE ALL4 with AWD will utilize a dual-motor setup good for 313 hp (230 kW) if we include the temporary boost. If that number rings a bell, it’s because the mechanically related BMW iX1 xDrive30 offers the same electric punch.
MINI doesn’t specify torque, but in the case of the iX1, the motors deliver a combined 494 Newton-meters (364 pound-feet). Much like the Countryman SE ALL4 will mirror the iX1 xDrive30, perhaps the Countryman E will preview a lesser, front-wheel-drive BMW iX1, potentially called eDrive20 if rumors are to be believed.
Getting back to the 2024 Countryman, the purely electric variant will use a 64.7-kWh battery pack to echo the BMW iX1. The British brand estimates a maximum range of 280 miles (450 kilometers) for the Countryman SE ALL4, presumably in the WLTP cycle. Stick to the FWD model and MINI will install a smaller 54-kWh battery that will likely be shared with the aforementioned future base iX1 version.
The third-generation Countryman will be 13 centimeters longer (at 4429 mm) and almost 6 centimeters taller (at 1613 mm) than its predecessor. This significant growth should translate into a more spacious cabin with extra legroom and cargo capacity. Speaking of the cabin, MINI says some of the surfaces on the headliner, floor, dashboard, steering wheel, and floor mats are manufactured from recycled polyester sourced from PET bottles and carpet remnants.
There’s still going to be a gasoline-fueled Countryman, complete with S and JCW spicy derivatives. MINI remains tight-lipped about the ICE models but we do know all of them will come with front-wheel drive. This will be the last generation of the crossover to have gasoline engines since the company intends to go completely electric by the early 2030s.
Source: MINI
