Spy shots of the 2024 Mini Countryman: internal combustion engine and battery electric menus

Following Wednesday's preview of the next-generation Mini hardtop, the first spy shots of the premium small car brand's upcoming Countryman have been released.

Both redesigned cars are slated for the 2023 and possibly 2024 model years.

The Countryman prototype in the spy shots is a performance-oriented model, as indicated by the big wheels, braking package, and quad exhaust tips. We're probably looking at the "Cooper S" grade, as the more powerful "John Cooper Works" grade is traditionally not available at launch.

We see that the redesigned Countryman will be longer than the current generation. The longer wheelbase should increase cabin space. Speaking of the cabin, we get a glimpse of the dashboard, which appears to be a heads-up display unit in front of the driver.

The larger size of the redesigned Countryman is intended to increase the car's appeal in more markets, especially in the United States. This one will be an electric-only EV developed by Spotlight Automotive, a Chinese joint venture between Mini and Great Wall Motor established in 2019. It is also slated for 2023 and is rumored to revive the Paceman name.

Around 2024, Mini will add a third crossover. A possible name for this crossover is Traveler.

But back to the redesigned Countryman. The Mini is being developed based on BMW Group's FAAR platform for front-wheel-drive vehicles; it will be a close relative of the BMW X1, which will be unveiled in 2022, and the two vehicles will share a production line at the Leipzig, Germany, plant. The current generation has been in production since 2016 at a plant in the Netherlands operated by independent automaker VDL Nedcar.

Mini has confirmed that it will offer an electric version of the redesigned Countryman. There will be a gas engine version as well as a plug-in hybrid. The base Cooper is expected to continue with a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline 3-cylinder; a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder will be offered in the Cooper S and possibly the John Cooper Works.

Note that this will be the last generation of the Countryman with an internal combustion engine. Mini has confirmed that it will introduce only electric vehicles starting in 2025.