MINI has taken its new Countryman – which is an SUV running on an electric platform known as FAAR – outside for some road tests. The model is expected to debut in a few months and go into production in November; in the meantime, here are some spy shots.
At 4,430 mm (173 inches) long and 1,613 mm (63 inches) tall, the new generation is 130 mm (5.1 inches) longer and 60 mm (2.34 inches) taller than the previous one. As such, it is the marque’s largest and most spacious car to date.
Based on the images, the Countryman EV has multi-section headlights, a curved radiator grille with a wide bezel, new taillights on a flat rear end and an impressively sized tailgate spoiler.
The entry-level Countryman E model will make do with just one e-motor rated at 191 PS (188 hp / 140 kW). The SE All4 version will utilize two motors and get 312 PS (308 hp / 229 kW) from them. A John Cooper Works version is already in the plans, but its specifications remain to be announced. For the battery, the SUV will rely on a 64.7-kWh unit delivering up to 450 km (280 miles) of WLTP-rated range.
A petrol modification will be added to the lineup later with a 1.5-liter three-pot turbo and a 2.0-liter four-pot to choose between. Both will receive assistance from a 48V starter-generator.