The third generation Mini has been officially unveiled in Oxford ahead of its motor show debuts at LA and Tokyo this week.
Rocketman influence clear to see here
Despite the 'all-new' tag attached to it (more details on that soon), the latest car couldn't be anything but a Mini. The floating roof remains, the wheels still sit right out at the corners and it's still (just) small enough to be cute. The front now takes some styling cues from
the Rocketman
concept and the rear looks rather like the current car, but in XL. It's evolution not revolution, but was anything else really expected?
As we've detailed previously, the Mini Mk3 is based on BMW's UKL1 platform that will underpin future FWD models from Munich. Over the R56 Mini, the new F56 is larger in every direction; it's 98mm longer (3,821mm), 44mm wider (1,727mm) and 7mm taller (1,414mm). The wheelbase has grown by 42mm to 2,495mm and the tracks are wider too, improving space in that notoriously tight interior. Mini boasts that the boot is now 30 per cent larger too, although 211 litres is hardly commodious.
Cooper S now comes with 192hp
The new Mini will be available with three engines from launch. A pair of new 1.5-litre three-cylinder units will power the Cooper and Cooper D; the petrol makes 136hp and 162lb ft, the diesel 116hp and 199lb ft. Using the NEDC test, the Cooper D returns 80.7mpg and 92g/km. That'll be the estate agent's choice once more then...
The Cooper S is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo. Its vitals are 192hp, 206lb ft, 49.6mpg and 133g/km. Expect the range to be bolstered with the One, One D and JCW models soon enough. A six-speed manual, with rev-matching tech, will be standard on all Minis, with a conventional auto on the options list. A 'sports auto' will be available too, offering shorter shift times, paddles and rev matching. The 'Mini Driving Modes', Green Sport and Mid, alter the shift characteristics, coasting and the firmness of the adaptive dampers if fitted.
Still sort of the same, but bigger again
As with the exterior, the interior of the Mini Mk3 is familiar from the current car. The central display is now even larger, the speedo is finally where it should be next to the tacho and there's the promise of higher-quality materials. There's some new tech also, including LEDs, a head-up display and more advanced nav. Mini fans will love it, the detractors will find nothing to change their minds.
Has a Mini ever left the dealer at the advertised RRP? Probably not, but we do have the before-options prices for the Mini Mk3 launch range. The Cooper will cost £15,300, the Cooper D £16,450 and the Cooper S £18,650. They're rises of £400, £270 and £415 respectively over the current car. Not as much as you were expecting? Us too. The new Mini goes on sale next spring.
Everything that was deemed relevant in the Mini press release has been included here. For every single last detail, see the full press release. It's fairly lengthy though, be warned...