Skip advert
Advertisement

MINI won’t go bigger than Countryman

Forget MPVs or larger SUVs, MINI has no plans to build anything bigger than the Countryman

The new MINI family might be larger model-for-model than the outgoing range, but it won’t include anything bigger than the Countryman, according to chief designer Anders Warming. There had been rumours of a seven-seater MINI MPV in the product plan, but not anymore. “We won’t build anything bigger than the Countryman, not at this moment,” Warming told us. “You should be able to park a MINI in a city, so a Countryman or this new Clubman is as big as it should be.”

Advertisement - Article continues below

• Geneva Motor Show 2014: live  

Warming was keen to point out that the Clubman has grown significantly over the “Polo-sized” outgoing car and was now in the “Golf segment.” The Clubman concept, revealed at the Geneva show is in fact 260mm longer and 187mm wider than its predecessor, and wider and longer (with a longer wheelbase) than the new hatch too, thanks to the flexible new UKL1 platform shared with BMW. MINI is entering into a phase of “focusing more on the individual characters of the cars, so whether there’s five, six or seven different models, each will tell it’s own story,” according to Warming. At the other end of the range, the MINI Rocketman concept is still a hot topic of debate and has yet to be ruled out. “At this point we’re still investigating it, it’s still an emotional topic for us,” Warming revealed. “We’re happy with the reception the Rocketman got but we still have to make ends meet on that one – it’s a numbers game. We’ll have to get back to you on that one.” 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

New MINI Aceman EV leaked online: honey they shrunk the Countryman!
MINI Aceman - front
News

New MINI Aceman EV leaked online: honey they shrunk the Countryman!

The first images of the all-electric MINI Aceman have surfaced online, ahead of the official reveal on 24 April
13 Mar 2024
Best new cars coming in 2024
Best new cars coming in 2024 - header image
Best cars & vans

Best new cars coming in 2024

There are some big new models from the likes of BMW, Citroen, Dacia, Ford, MINI, Skoda and more on the way in 2024
12 Mar 2024
Best-selling cars 2024: the UK’s top 10 most popular models
Best-selling cars 2024 - header image
Best cars & vans

Best-selling cars 2024: the UK’s top 10 most popular models

These are the country’s most popular cars of the year so far, but which is in pole position?
5 Mar 2024
"BYD, Dacia, MG and Renault are among the most impressive and in-touch car brands in the world"
Opinion - MG3
Opinion

"BYD, Dacia, MG and Renault are among the most impressive and in-touch car brands in the world"

Mike Rutherford is confused as to why so many car manufacturers avoided the 2024 Geneva Motor Show
3 Mar 2024

Most Popular

Huge Audi new car blitz to bring us 9 models in 2 years
Upcoming Audi models - four-way image
News

Huge Audi new car blitz to bring us 9 models in 2 years

After a quiet few years, the German giant is gearing up for its biggest product onslaught to date
25 Mar 2024
Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power
Dacia Sandero - front
News

Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power

Both the Sandero and Sandero Stepway ranges have been tweaked, gaining more safety features to meet the latest regulations
26 Mar 2024
Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Road tax documentation
News

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay

Drivers with newer cars can expect to be paying roughly £10 more per year, a although the biggest gas guzzlers will fare the worst
26 Mar 2024