Skip advert
Advertisement

Bold MINI Countryman coupe SUV on the way

Design boss admits MINI Paceman could return as five-door MINI Countryman coupe-SUV

MINI Countryman Coupe - front (watermarked)

MINI is considering adding a coupe version of the all-new Countryman to its range as an indirect replacement for the old Paceman, Auto Express can reveal. Our exclusive main image shows how the new car could look – although it’s not known whether this model will be the fifth and final model in MINI’s product range or simply an extension of the Countryman line-up.

Advertisement - Article continues below

We spoke to BMW Group design chief Adrian van Hooydonk, who told us that the company was weighing up a different take on the Paceman formula. The new five-door coupe would likely launch in 2018, giving the all-new Countryman some breathing space when it lands early next year.

• New 2017 MINI Countryman revealed

“Part of the issue was the three doors,” van Hooydonk told us. “We have looked into a lot of things, but all of our [BMW] SUV coupes are five-door vehicles.

“As much as people probably drive the cars with only one or two people, they like the comfort of an extra set of doors. They want to carry extra stuff – throw a bag in the rear or take someone.”

The coupe will sit on the same UKL1 platform as the new Countryman, but as our image shows it will sit lower to the ground and feature a more aggressively raked roofline. It will be a direct rival to cars like the Range Rover Evoque, and offer a similarly compromised rear cabin and boot.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Due to its shared platform, the new Paceman is likely to lift the Countryman’s range of three and four-cylinder engines unchanged. That means the same entry-level 1.5-litre Cooper, more economical Cooper D and racy Cooper S. A flagship John Cooper Works hot SUV is also an option.

“At the moment we are laying the foundations for the next-generation MINIs,” van Hooydonk told us. “There are a lot of things that we are discussing. What type of technology, what type of design, and what type of vehicle line-up. I am involved in this on a daily basis.

• Best crossovers and small SUVs on sale

“We have turned MINI from one car into a brand. We have managed to attract people to the brand who knew the old car – but you can’t ask people to compromise any more.”

Elsewhere in the BMW Group, the X4 and X6 coupe-SUVs have enjoyed huge success, with a third model, the X2, due in dealers by 2018. A new MINI Countryman coupe would undercut the X2 despite sitting on the same platform, with prices likely to start at around £25,000.

What do you think of our exclusive image of the new MINI Countryman Coupe? Let us know below...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Deputy editor

Richard has been part of the our team for over a decade. During this time he has covered a huge amount of news and reviews for Auto Express, as well as being the face of Carbuyer and DrivingElectric on Youtube. In his current role as deputy editor, he is now responsible for keeping our content flowing and managing our team of talented writers.

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
New MINI Cooper testing takes next step as full reveal approaches
2024 MINI Cooper - front
News

New MINI Cooper testing takes next step as full reveal approaches

All-electric MINI will soon be joined by UK-built petrol version
23 Nov 2023

Most Popular

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
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
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