The Mini Countryman crossover has a third generation on the horizon. Judging by the dual exhaust pipes coming out of each side of the rear, this one might be the sporty John Cooper Works variant.
In the video, the person with the camera follows the Countryman through traffic. When the camouflaged crossover stops at traffic lights, there’s a great chance to take a look at it.
The new Countryman appears to have a chunkier, more chiseled overall appearance. This one looks mostly production-ready. Except the taillights seem to be placeholder pieces. It’s riding on black five-spoke wheels with a black finish.
While not visible in this video, spy shots from February 2022 gave us a look inside the new Countryman. There was an oval-shaped instrument display. The central display was under a covering but had a large, circular design. The controls on the lower center console consisted of chunky switches, but they might have been pre-production parts.
We still don’t know specific details about the new Countryman’s powertrain range. According to a rumor, there would be a plug-in hybrid variant with a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder. The total output would allegedly be 322 horsepower (237 kilowatts). A 14.2-kilowatt-hour battery would provide around 55 miles of electric driving range. Allegedly, a less powerful version of the PHEV would also be available.
The 1.5-liter three-cylinder and 2.0-liter four-cylinder would reportedly get 48-volt mild-hybrid technology to improve their efficiency.
The new Countryman will ride on the FAAR platform. It’s also underneath the BMW X1, which lets the two vehicles share some components.
We have been seeing spy shots of the third-gen Countryman since 2021. The new model should finally debut in 2023. Look for sales in the United States to begin for the 2024 model year.
Folks who would prefer a fully electric crossover from Mini can look forward to the Aceman. The camouflage makes things hard to discern, but the styling seems to be similar to the new Countryman. Powertrain specifics about the EV aren’t yet available. Tentatively, we are anticipating a debut of the production-spec version in 2024.
