COVER MINI’s Golf rival

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Steve Fowler

Steve _ Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler

MINI’S expansion under new boss

Stefanie Wurst could well include a more direct rival for the Volkswagen Golf, Auto Express can reveal, and our exclusive images show how it might look.

Already confirmed are new three and fivedoor Cooper hatchbacks, plus a convertible version, the new Aceman crossover (see P.8), which Wurst described as a “gamified concept” , and a bigger Countryman.

Speaking to Auto Express, Wurst said: “We have a small and flat car [Cooper], we have small and high [Aceman] and we have large and high [Countryman].

“But we don’t have large and flat. Another body type is feasible. I’m a big fan of analysing different body types. ”

MINI insiders revealed to Auto Express that a ‘VW Golf-sized’ model was in the ● New MINI boss hints at plans to build rival to Volkswagen Golf ● Both petrol and fully electric powertrains are being planned

brand’s thinking, but Wurst didn’t rule out a production version of the Urbanaut concept (as exclusively revealed by Auto Express in issue 1,702). However, clearly a ‘lowerroofed Countryman’ model to rival more conventional family hatches is something Wurst is considering, too. She made no mention of a replacement for the Clubman, though, despite that car previously being touted as a potential Golf rival.

A MINI ‘Golf’ could also help the brand’s plans for growth in the US – something the larger Countryman SUV will also aid. “Countryman will be a very good car for the US, ” she told us. That’s because it’s set to grow significantly in size, with the allelectric Aceman below it in MINI’s line-up.

A new, ‘large, flat’ MINI would likely be based on the same platform as the new Countryman, which is set to be built at BMW’s Leipzig plant and available in fully electric and petrol forms. That means it’s likely to make use of BMW’s FAAR platform (an updated version of the UKL architecture that MINI’s current generation of cars sits on), which allows for everything from internal combustion engines through plug-in hybrids to fully electric powertrains.

Using FAAR will keep costs down, with BMW’s ‘Neue Klasse’ all-electric platform reserved for larger models. “We need to remain accessible, ” Wurst said.

The new models are likely to get a subtly different look from other MINIs. “They will have new faces, but will be unmistakably MINI, ” Wurst told us, while they will also be true to the company’s DNA. “The gokart feeling will always be of the utmost importance, ” she added, with that sensation being one of three identifying pillars for MINIs, alongside electrification and technology, and sustainability.

Connectivity is key, too, with MINI set to make more of its app with future models. “You need to be able to connect to the car with the app, ” Wurst told us.

“Digital is really important; it has to be immersive. We did that with Aceman, with fewer toggles in the cabin, but the screen will always be in the middle. ”

The production-ready Aceman (which is previewed in our other exclusive images on Page 8), with its crossover styling referred to as ‘Charismatic Simplicity’ by MINI design chief Oliver Heilmer, should go on sale in 2024, sporting a look that’s not far from the concept seen earlier this year.

It’ll be built in China alongside the three-door all-electric Cooper. Indeed,

BIGGER

MINI range is expanding in both physical dimensions and the breadth of models offered