Car spotters have discovered a gaudily dressed Mini Cooper SE development car testing out in the open. It looks like the model is due an update – even though it did not debut too long ago.
Judging by the spy shots, the battery-powered hatchback gains a restyled front bumper with a larger radiator “maw” in the lower part, as well as new air intakes where the anti-fog lights used to be.
The Mini Cooper SE has spent a decade getting from concept to production car: the first 600 prototypes were built as far back as 2009 based on the old-gen Cooper chassis. The manufacturer only revealed the production car last year and started shipping it several months ago, so we did not expect to see a facelift this early on.
What else could change about the Cooper SE? The infotainment system could use an update, and a larger battery would definitely be welcome, too. The current spec includes a meager 32.6-kWh battery, although BMW could lend it the 42.2-kWh array of its i3s model.
The refreshed Mini Cooper SE will likely celebrate its launch next year.