MINI's upcoming electric hatchback has already been revealed on the Internet without any disguise last week. Curiously, the British marque is testing an entirely different prototype back in Europe, and this one comes with an internal combustion engine and maintains the design of its rear lights.
28 photosWith the uncovered model on one hand and the spy shots of a prototype that looks like a significant facelift of the ongoing F56, what is the deal with MINI's upcoming hatchback? Well, the marque owned by the BMW Group will build two different versions of its signature hatchback, each with a dedicated platform. The all-electric model that was spotted in China is one of those versions – and comes with an all-new platform, while the prototype seen in the gallery is the other variant. Naturally, this one is an evolution of the existing platform, and that is why its design is not following the trend of its distant relative from China. The pictured version of the MINI hatchback will continue to be built in Europe and sold on this market for a few years after its debut, but it might become the swansong of the MINI with an internal combustion engine. Despite the thick layer of camouflage that we have on here, the next hatchback from MINI, expected to be launched in 2023 or even 2024, has revealed some of its design changes. First, it will keep its “Union Jack” design for the taillights, as well as their shape, while the headlights will continue to be round. The front grille is modified, as is the bumper that it is fitted to, and the headlights do seem different as well. The side mirrors come with integrated turn signals, which does not happen on the ongoing model.
On the inside, the next hatchback from MINI will come with a round touchscreen display, while most of the buttons beneath it are expected to be eliminated, as is the custom with most newly released models.
Keyword: MINI Hatchback Spied With ICE, Looks Different Than Its Chinese EV Cousin