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Mini might build a sedan because it's running out of shapes

Rumors suggest we could soon see a Mini with a trunk to haul your junk. Autocar cites unnamed insiders who claim the sedan is part of the brand's plan for upmarket growth. There's even a possibility the new model could use the Riley moniker in reference to the Elf (pictured above) from the 1960s, which was a Mini with a tiny trunk. The Mini sedan would use BMW's front-wheel-drive platform that underpins the X1 and Clubman and might share the wheelbase and frontend styling with the Clubman as well, according to Autocar. Mini's execs think the four-door would perform especially well in North America and China, where there's less demand for hatchbacks. Ralph Mahler, vice president of Mini's product management, hinted at the possibility of the four-door to Autocar. "For example, in Asia and the US, the sedan segment is very big. This is very interesting to us, of course," he said. Mahler admits that many people don't know about the Mini-based vehicles with trunks from the '60s, like the Riley Elf, so it would be hard to market the new model on that heritage. This could be the perfect time to add a Mini sedan to the lineup, and it might not be a completely new idea for the brand under its BMW stewardship; a rumor from 2012 shows that Mini's bosses considered a four-door at least once before. The company launched new versions of its Hardtop, Convertible, and Clubman, and even added four-door and all-wheel-drive versions of the Hardtop to further blur the lines between that car, the Clubman, and the Countryman. The next-generation Countryman crossover should debut later this year, and the brand reportedly cancelled the Superleggera Vision roadster and Rocketman compact, as Mini has chosen to go big with its new models and its lineup breadth. There are only so many versions of a hatchback a company can make, and the short-lived Mini Coupe wasn't exactly a huge success. If Mini is going to try a new body style, a sedan actually makes some sense, even if we'll probably prefer the look and practicality of the hatches. Related Video:

Mini Countryman plug-in hybrid out for a snowy stroll

When Mini launched the Countryman in 2010, it emerged as the brand's first all-wheel-drive model. Now there's a new Countryman on the way, and it's also set to mark a Mini first by incorporating not just a mild hybrid system, but a plug-in hybrid powertrain. And that's just what we're looking at here. How do we know this prototype is packing a hybrid powertrain, you ask? A fair question, and we'll tell you: because the manufacturer chose to mark "Hybrid Test Vehicle" on the door. And because parent company BMW is already known to be working on a PHEV system for the 2 Series Active Tourer on which the new Mini crossover will be based, it's fairly safe to say it won't be developing a separate system for the Countryman. Expect the hybrid mega-Mini to combine a 1.5-liter inline-three driving 136 horsepower to the front wheels, and an electric motor good for another 102 hp on the rear wheels for through-the-road all-wheel drive and a combined output of nearly 240 hp. That's more than even the John Cooper Works performance model has offered. Scope out the spy shots in the gallery above, where you'll also find an interior shot of a conventional next-gen Countryman.

Mini getting serious with next Countryman SUV

With the core Hardtop and new Clubman already revealed, Mini is moving along with its plans to expand its model lineup around five "hero" models. Next down the pipeline will likely be the new Countryman, which Autocar projects will be larger and more rugged than the existing model. According to the British publication, the new Mini Countryman is set to take more of a proper SUV approach than the outgoing crossover. That means an even larger form, and more serious off-road chops to better take advantage of the connection with the X-Raid rally machine that has been dominating Dakar for the past four years. It's expected to be based on the same UKL front-drive architecture as the Hardtop, Clubman, and BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, and offer the latter's all-wheel-drive system as well. Those underpinnings would still make it a crossover, strictly speaking, but with a more rugged approach. It could also emerge a good half-foot longer than the model it will replace, over a third of an inch wider, and offer considerably more cargo space. Although the existing Countryman was derided by many as a step too far for the Mini brand, it ended up accounting for a substantial share of the company's sales – making its replacement a no-brainer for the BMW Group. That's more than could be said for the quirky Paceman crossover coupe, which is not expected to follow this time around, however a slant-backed Countryman variant could be in the cards. The next question is what Mini might do next. Of the five core models it's anticipated to launch, the Countryman would be the third. The Superleggera roadster, a smaller hatchback like the Rocketman concept, and a larger minivan potentially to be dubbed the Traveller have all been rumored. Of course, whatever goes into production could be something else entirely. We'll just have to wait and see. Related Video: