Quite a lot has been said about the new MINI Countryman and yet details keep piling up. After we’ve learned it will grow in size to roughly match the Audi Q3’s footprint, a new report sheds light on what’s under the hood. According to Autocar, the next-generation crossover will not only be the firm’s biggest car, but also the most powerful.
Indeed, the reputable British publication claims the Countryman PHEV will have as much as 322 horsepower. If that output rings a bell, it’s because the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer in the 230e xDrive guise offers an identical punch. Connecting the dots, MINI will use the same powertrain as the minivan where it makes 480 Nm (353 lb-ft).
The healthy electrified muscle will be provided by a turbocharged 1.5-liter gasoline three-cylinder engine teamed up with an electric motor. It’ll pack an extra 105 hp over the outgoing model with its impossibly long name – MINI Countryman Cooper S E All4 PHEV. By extension, we’re expecting the plug-in hybrid BMW X1 to have an identical setup. Why? Because the two will share the platform and the assembly line in Leipzig, Germany.
Both The MINI Countryman And BMW X1 Will Get EV Versions
MINI will borrow the battery with a usable capacity of 14.2 kWh from the BMW 230e xDrive. It should have enough juice for around 55 miles (89 kilometers) in the WLTP cycle. It’s unclear at this point whether MINI will slap the John Cooper Works on the potent PHEV crossover. We do know a purely electric derivative is going to mirror the BMW iX1, while the cheaper models will have mild-hybrid tech. Where diesels still make sense, a 2.0-liter oil-burner will be offered.
BMW and MINI will take the wraps off their new crossovers before the end of 2022. Sales will likely commence later next year once production will start. The two won’t have to worry about the Audi Q2 since the Ingolstadt-based marque will axe the small crossover at the end of its life cycle.
[Source: Autocar]
