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Mini Cooper SE Prototype First Drive Review | This electric hatch is a suburban belter

MUNICH, Germany — A battery-electric Mini SE? Haven't we been here before? Well, yes: A decade ago, as part of its "i Project," BMW conducted a worldwide field trial of some 750 lithium-ion battery equipped two-door Mini Coopers. It was launched at the 2008 L.A. Show, and the lithium-ion battery pack took up most of the space normally occupied by the rear seats. Nevertheless, interest in the 450 lease vehicles offered in the U.S. (at $850 a month) was strong, with more demand than cars available. One result of the 2008-2011 trial was parent company BMW learned that the average owner of a two-door Mini drives about 25 miles a day, and the company is hoping the battery Mini will be an ideal (sub)urban-run-around for two- or three-car families. Now BMW is about to launch a production Mini EV (based on the two-door model, but with the full complement of four seats), which goes on sale at the end of the year. This will join the Mini Countryman All4 plug-in hybrid in the electrified Mini stable, but while the Countryman has an EV range of about 12 miles, this battery Mini will travel around 120 miles on a single charge. The reason we can't be too definite about the new Mini's capabilities is that BMW isn't allowed to "advertise" the car this far in front of its on-sale date. We caught up with the prototype model, mummified in camouflage tape, at an off-the-road driving event held at BMW's Munich driving center on the former military air base of Furstenfeldbruck, now known as Maisach. The drivetrain is based on the middle model of BMW's i3 range, the i3S, with its 135 kilowatt/181 horsepower motor and 94 amp-hour, 33 kilowatt hour battery. The battery is a 96-cell lithium-ion unit from Chinese supplier CATL instead of BMW's previous supplier, Samsung, and it weights 441 pounds. Unlike the team-built, mainly carbon-fiber i3, the Mini is a standard three-door model that runs down the production line in Oxford, with a metal subframe that houses the electric motor, inverter, transformers, and control electronics so they can be slotted into place like a conventional driveline. We can extrapolate a few things about the Mini from the BMW i3S. As well as its working range of 120 miles, the i3S has a top speed of 100 mph and will accelerate from 0-62 mph in 7.7 seconds. With over 360 pounds more to pull about, the 2,998-pound Mini EV will be slower, with less range, especially if used in cold conditions.

2023 Mini Countryman PHEV could pack 322 horsepower

After having seen the 2023 Mini Countryman in spy shots late last year, we knew the brand known for diminutive was going to step up a weight class. A report in Autocar says the hatch will grow by an estimated eight inches or so, to about 178 inches — just three short of the Toyota RAV4. The report claims as well that not only will the 2023 Countryman be the longest Mini out there, but the most powerful. Word is BMW plans to apply the same PHEV powertrain as in the 2 Series Active Tourer, which combines a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder with a 174-horsepower electric motor, producing a combined 322 horsepower and 353 pound-feet of torque. Such potency would put the coming Countryman beyond today's Countryman Cooper S E All4 banging out 221 hp and 284 lb-ft, and 21 ponies past the Countryman John Cooper Works. A battery with 14.2 kWh of usable juice, borrowed from the 230e xDrive, would make a healthy extension to the 18-mile all-electric range provided by the current Mini's 9.6-kWh battery. By increasing the vehicle's dimensions, Mini might be able to retain the 9.5-gallon gas tank in today's Countryman PHEV, despite the larger battery. Five more powertrains are said to complete the lineup, three of which might come here bringing 30 extra ponies over the present choices. The first is a less potent PHEV will be tuned to 241 hp., which might or might not make it Stateside. The next two could replace the engines already offered here. There's a a 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder with 168-hp, trumping the 134-hp three-cylinder on offer now, and a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder with 215 hp, outdoing the 189-hp in today's 2.0-liter. Both of those are aided by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. Other markets that still enjoy diesel grunt can take advantage of a 2.0-liter oil burner. And the evolved UKL1 architecture shared with the X1 and X2 will produce a battery-electric Mini, which we'd expect to get U.S. papers at some point.  Spy shooters have caught a prototype fitted with a beefy rear hatch spoiler, large rims, and quad pipes, so there will be some kind of performance option. However, we don't know if that prototype was the PHEV, nor whether Mini plans to put the JCW moniker on the most powerful PHEV. With Mini having already announced changes for the U.S. 2023-model-year lineup, it's not clear when the new generation will debut here.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences.

Mini Countryman Park Lane looks classy in Earl Grey

Wade through the very, very thick fluff of the press release that announces its entry into the premium compact market (see below for what we consider to be particularly artful prose in the presser), and you'll see that this is the first special edition Mini Countryman the British-born, German-owned brand has so far released. The Mini Countryman Park Lane is painted up in a striking shade of Earl Grey metallic (clever, boys) with contrasting Oak Red roof and accents. And, while it's possible to design a Mini of your very own with a seemingly endless array of colors, stripes and badges inside and out using the online configurator, the Park Lane is one of the classier jobs we've seen from the factory. For those keeping track, Park Lane refers to a street in the London borough of Mayfair, and this is the third special-edition vehicle from Mini that wears the name. See it in high-resolution above and below, and don't forget to read the press release below for a chuckle or two. Related Video: All-round talent with individual style: the MINI Countryman Park Lane. 03.03.2015 MINI Countryman Park Lane. Munich. Bold athletic flair and supreme versatility define the character of the MINI Countryman. As the first MINI with four doors, a large tailgate, five seats and optional all-wheel drive, it took on the role of an irresistible front-line force from the very outset - both in the conquest of additional target groups for the British premium brand and in the area of off-road driving. Its irrepressible forward thrust and flexibility are now expressed even more strikingly in an exclusive edition model. The MINI Countryman Park Lane sees its world premiere at the Geneva International Motor Show in March 2015. It will be available worldwide in up to four engine variants from July 2015. The MINI Countryman has enabled the brand to establish a secure standing in the premium compact segment. Unmistakable design, premium quality, an interior concept of exemplary versatility and typical MINI driving fun both on and off the road go together to create an overall package that is unique in this category of vehicle, meeting the multi-faceted mobility needs of demanding target groups in urban traffic and beyond. In this way the MINI Countryman has successfully asserted itself as an all-round talent with individual style. For the first time, this special status within the competitive environment is now underscored with an edition model.