MINI

The new Mini on a ride in California

A copy of the fourth generation Mini Cooper SE was surprised without camouflage on a Californian street during a publicity shoot. The opportunity to admire this new Mini from every angle.

Flagship model in France and Europe, the Mini, relaunched in 2001 by the BMW group, is one of the rare premium alternatives to traditional city cars. With its very own style, a mix of highly customizable neo-retro, it is less “serious” than its competitors. She made herself a place in the hearts of motorists, just like the Fiat 500, where the Smart used to be. Declined since in two other generations (in 2006 and 2014), it exists in three or five doors, as well as in a convertible version. The great novelty of the current generation is its 100% electric version, launched in 2020 and called SE. But after 9 years in the same form, it will soon have a fourth generationwhose photos have just leaked!

A few weeks ago, Mini brought together the camouflaged copies of three of its future models. The Mini, the Countryman and an Aceman or “Countryman coupe”. Today, the new Mini appears to us without camouflage. The new generation has been surprise on a californian street, during the filming of an advertising clip. In the same vein as the stolen video of the restyled Clio, surprised in Spain last month. The copy in question is an electric Mini, so we will have to wait to have the pictures of its thermal version.

More these images already tell us a lot about her. Let’s start by reporting what does not change compared to the current generation. Its silhouette remains that of the current and therefore a nod to the original from 1959. circular headlamps at the front, a two-tone bodyand this same friendly face than at present.

More rear changes...The changes are more impressive at the rear. The lights lose their roundness to adopt a more aggressive triangle shape. The light signature remains a reference to theUnion Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom. This new generation, the information was known, will bear the name Cooper, which is confirmed here with a Cooper SE. Until now, Cooper, Cooper S, or even One formerly designated the finish and the level of equipment. The model being called “Mini Mini”, although nobody used this name.

Its door handles are now integrated in the bodywork, and no longer stand out as on the current one. They are also very similar to those of BMW’s electric models, like the i4 in particular. This copy, electric requires, has a full grille much in the same style as the third Mini of the name that we know. With this new version, Mini (and BMW) continues to capitalize on the design that made the Mini so successful so far. Let’s see what this generation has in store for us inside, and at the technical level.

by Quentin Pannaud