Images of the new Mini Cooper undergoing testing have been doing the rounds for some time now ahead of the car’s world launch on 18 November. The base Mini Cooper model will be the first to break cover but it seems it will spawn up to 10 variants, one of which is likely to be a plug-in hybrid. And we though that the seven models of the current-generation Mini was a lot.
The information was revealed by MINI boss Peter Schwarzenbauer, who spoke recently with Automotive News. “With the new UKL1 architecture, we currently have in mind eight to 10 models,” Schwarzenbauer said.
Expect all the current derivatives to be carried over to the new range. New versions will include a sedan, an MPV and a proper sportscar more focused and hardcore than the JCW models.
That new platform the Mini boss is referring to is a new front-wheel-drive platform that will underpin each of the Mini variants as well as several BMWs. It’s flexible enough to accommodate all-wheel drive as well as alternative powertrains such as the prototype Mini E (that we drove earlier this year).
