Next year, MINI will introduce a model set to become the heart of its offering, the MINI Aceman. This electric crossover will sit halfway between the next 3-door MINI Hatch and MINI Countryman, occupying a place equivalent to that of the current 5-door MINI Hatch, with which it will live for a while.
Even though elements such as the roof bars or the plastic protections on the bumpers, wheel arches, and sills will make its aesthetics reminiscent of that of an SUV, the truth is that its free height will be that of a hatchback to use. In addition, with just 4.05 meters long, and it will have dimensions similar to those of a utility vehicle.
This car will be manufactured by Great Wall in China; in fact, it will use the same platform as the models of the ORA brand, which recently landed on the European market with the Funky Cat crossover. Thanks to the use of a dedicated architecture, it will offer habitability equivalent to that of a higher-category vehicle.
Its cabin will have a minimalist appearance since its instrumentation will be replaced by a Head-up Display. The dashboard will be dominated by a new circular design touch screen with OLED technology, which will bring together the vast majority of the vehicle’s controls, which will lose almost all its physical controls.
The MINI Aceman will be sold in Cooper and Cooper S versions
According to the latest information, it will initially be available in two versions: Cooper and Cooper S. The first will use a 180 hp electric motor and a 40 kWh battery, enough to approve a range of approximately 320 km WLTP. As can be seen, it will substantially improve the current MINI Cooper SE (234 km WLTP).
The top of the range will see its power rise to 215 hp. Thanks to its 50 kWh pack, it will announce a maximum range of 400 km WLTP. We should not rule out that later its offer will be completed with a high-performance variant JCW (John Cooper Works), which could add a second engine to gain all-wheel drive.
Rivals for the MINI Aceman include the DS 3 E-TENSE, the Jeep Avenger, and the smart #1. Later, the Alfa Romeo Brennero will also join, scheduled for 2024. However, its main competitor in terms of size, design, and range will be the FIAT 600 of 2023, a crossover with a retro aesthetic that is just over 4 meters in length. Although the Italian will not display the premium finishes of the British, it should be significantly more affordable.
