Next Mini Cooper to be inspired by 2001 'R50' – and could go RWD
Shift to BMW's Gen6 platform would be a landmark moment for the Mini; brand will choose "optimum" layout
Mini has started work on the next-generation Cooper, which is due in the coming years bearing the most significant transformation since BMW took charge of the marque three decades ago: a shift from front- to rear-wheel drive.
Bosses promise, however, that the new car will remain rigidly true to the brand's roots.
The current hatchback arrived in 2024 with the choice of both petrol and electric power - the latter then one of the few small EVs on sale. Its only true rival was the Fiat 500e, but it was also priced to compete with larger alternatives such as the Peugeot e-208 and Cupra Born.
A whole swathe of electric superminis have arrived since, however, with many - such as the Renault 5 and Fiat Grande Panda - offering comparable style, dynamics and kit plus more range for similar money.
Mini has responded with price cuts, and a facelift is due in the next couple of years to freshen up the Cooper - but the pressure is piling on as a wave of new entrants muscle in on the small EV segment, with models including the Volkswagen ID Polo, Cupra Raval and Kia EV2.
Combined with the might of Chinese newcomers such as BYD and Geely, that competition has forced the most radical rethink of Mini's trademark model in generations.
"We have started to work on the next generation of Mini, and what follows now is a look at the entire portfolio," new design chief Holger Hampf confirmed to Autocar, explaining that he will use a wave of facelifts and new derivatives in the meantime to set the tone for the British brand's future.
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https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/electric-cars/next-mini-cooper-be-inspired-2001-r50-–-and-could-go-rwd