We, like most of the automotive world, have been spying on the fourth generation of the modern Mini for a while now. The new 2023 MINI Hatch has been a topic of discussion for months and the prospect of a smaller, all-electric MINI has a lot of people excited.
For the first time, the BMW-owned brand has provided an official preview of its revamped hatchback. Although the car is covered in a camouflage wrap, it’s clear that the MINI will retain its iconic, retro styling. The next MINI hatch won’t be available as a five-door car but is available with petrol and electric power and will compete with the electric Fiat 500 and the Honda e.
The next-generation MINI will arrive in 2023 and it will be smaller than the current generation model and built with both electric and petrol power. It has been announced that the battery-powered version will be made in China, and internal combustion versions will continue to be built at the firm’s British base in Oxford (which will also host production of the Convertible variant from 2025). The petrol variant that will be built in Oxford is planned to have the same design and dimensions, but it’ll be based on BMW Group underpinnings.
Prior to the released images, MINI had been public with its plans for the next-gen MINI Hatch. According to the iconic brand’s boss, Bernd Körber:
“When I say small, I mean I want to make a small three-door hatch again. Today there are some restrictions for pedestrian safety, but we would like to, in terms of design and exterior, make the three-door hatch as small as possible”
Bernd’s vision for the new model will reverse a significant growth in size since the introduction of the first BMW MINI in 2001. This is an indication of the return of the brand’s roots as a purveyor of small, functional vehicles. The new 2023 MINI is projected to spearhead a wide-ranging reform of the Mini line-up and go completely electric by the early 2030s.
Images of the interior have not been provided, but Mini has said the cabin’s instrument panel will have surfaces acting as “canvases that can be tailored by the customer to suit their requirements”. This essentially allows the cabin to be redesigned at will and to each driver’s individual tastes. It is also fairly obvious that this Mini Electric has a screen atop the centre console and is set to be a modern and sophisticated vehicle.
Since the full launch hasn’t been announced yet, some of the features on this development vehicle are red-herring items to hide the final design of the vehicle. The real headlights are still hidden under the disguise, for instance. The tiny front and rear overhangs do give us a clue as to the new and efficient packaging within the smaller body but the tail-lights aren’t the real deal either.
The windscreen is another instance of interesting design features that have been hidden in the new MINI’s shape. It is far more steeply raked than the current model’s, providing better aerodynamics and boosting the efficiency of the electric powertrain.
Also, while the new MINI will be smaller overall, it is difficult to accurately gauge MINI’s claim of shrunk exterior dimensions –
it is clear that the front wheels are the same distance ahead of the driver as the current car’s, but there’s a shorter overhang up at the front.
It’s still almost two years until we’ll see this new MINI on our roads, but these images provide us with a close up look at one of the electric MINI prototypes that have the industry talking! If you want to drive off in a brand new MINI, check out our MINI leasing deals today or contact our team for more information.