Love it!! Except for the tail lights and tombstone HUD. Massive circular center display is on brand for MINI, both original and next gen but maybe a tad too dominating of a presence on the dash?

I knew this was coming up a degree and I’m still floored by what I see. I love the minimalism here - such a welcome departure from where MINI has been. And it CLEARLY differentiates the brand from BMW given the direction there.

Inside it’s even more breathtaking. Cannot wait to see more.

I am excited for this clean interior, do you have any thoughts on how closely the Gxx ICE will mirror the exterior design of the electric (different platforms and proportions)?

Also, I had to really zoom in on the rear lights, but can seen the Union Jack now

I think this will look better in darker colors where the taillight cluster won't stand out so much. Also a Black roof will hide that shutline going across it. Overall I am somewhat optimistic.

Tail light cluster looks pretty good to me. The front is what need some work, and a different color may go a long way there, too.

Can't help but wonder if US tail light area will be a bit different. US license plates will leave a lot of just flat painted surface between the plates and tail lights. Euro plates are long and horizontal so they will look better.

The attached rendering based on the spy shot of the next generation MINI Electric, courtesy of Nicholas Cavero FutureCars, shows wheelarch and lower cladding similar to the present F56 MINI.
Studying the spy shot taken from overhead, however, reveals what appears to be little or no body cladding, which suggests an overall cleaner look for the new MINI.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

Here is the new MINI Cooper S EV rendered in traditional Monte Carlo Rally winning Mini two tone red and white: https://uploads.disquscdn.c...https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

First impressions are good. I agree that the tail lights are going to divide opinion, assuming that they are the final design, but they certainly look production ready. The interior recycled materials look very 'politically correct'.

Btw, BMW has now passed one million sales of electrified vehicles, around 70% of which are hybrid models. The BMW Group (BMW, MINI & Rolls Royce) is aiming to sell two million fully electric vehicles by 2025.

I don't like the Spiderman taillights one bit.

Perhaps MINI has simply outlived the capitalist benefits of exploiting my Generation X's fetish for mid-60's Swinging London, but this ain't it.

This design is gross. I am happier than ever that I bought the 2022 JCW hatch.

I'm hoping and planning to buy one of the last gasoline-powered JCW's and drive it to my grave. (I've gotten 21 years combined out of my last 2 cars so it's not completely unrealistic.) I will wait for the first look at the next gen "refreshed" hardtop before I decide whether to get a last-of-line F56 or the new one. But yeah this is bad. I can't be too mad at MINI.... when the Chevrolet Citations showed up in the early 80's they were bad too -- the worst -- but in fact they were ahead of the curve in predicting the future of automobile design. I'm just a relic of the past.

And there's always used R56's and always will be. (My favorite design... not as pure as the first gen but I just never liked the interior of those 2002ish MINIs). I'd be shocked if MINI ever produced anything again that looked that good to my eyes. (The first one I saw was in Sparkling Silver (i.e. faded gold), with a black top and black stripes, and red lounge leather seats. It was truly stunning.)

https://uploads.disquscdn.c... Here is my 2022 JCW hatch.

beauty!

Thanks. She's a very fun ride.

I have always been partial to white stripes on chili red but I think black works a lot better on this model because it ties in with the assertive black ring around the grill....

That was my thought, too.

👍 That's your Christmas sorted!

Indeed :-)

Blah, MINIs used to have character. The exterior is beyond bland. We have owned seven MINIs and our current Clubman will definitely be the last. Glad I have moved on to a Tesla.

I’m on my 4th Mini and now I’m between a tesla model 3 and a mini SE. ignoring the range, what are your thoughts between the two?

The Tesla I have ridden in has fantastic acceleration without any of the pleasure one normally associates with that aspect of driving. It's like the electric train shuttle at the Atlanta airport.

I like the Tesla for technology and the incredible acceleration. I have the 2019 Model 3 AWD which was rated at 310 miles of range. I purchased the FSD and while I am still waiting for the final version of the software, I have enjoyed having the car do most of the driving when on the interstates. My wife would still prefer to be driving something more MINI in size but I really enjoy the Model 3. The remote software updates can't be beat. We are recently retired and I am looking forward to becoming a one car family by selling the Clubman and Model 3 and getting the Model Y. The MINI SE would be too small for us for a single car but would be fine for a second car to drive around locally. A big plus if you intend on traveling a lot is the Tesla Supercharger network. We have traveled from Delaware to New Hampshire several times and have no issues with charging on the road. I would be more hesitant on long distance traveling if I had to depend on other companies chargers. Of course at home, I have the Tesla 48 amp charger.

Do you have roundabouts near your home? My 2021 MINI Cooper SE is the most fun car I've ever owned (including Fiat 1500 Cabriolet, Fiat Abarth OT1000, Austin Healey 100-6, Triumph TR4, Porsche 914 2.0, Mazda RX7, two Honda CRX Si's, and two gen-1 Honda Insights). Not as quick as a Model 3, not as much range as a Model 3, but as I always say, "Exchange the range for a ton of fun." Even the interior is more fun.

Update! I picked up my SE yesterday and I'm loving it. The Tesla just didn't do it for me. - it has great acceleration, but otherwise, I've always just loved the way a MINI is built around you. Completely different experience. My plan is to keep the SE for a couple of years and then move on to the Updated electric

Kinda weird to complain about bland then move to Tesla. They're great cars in many ways, but they're far more bland than MINI, inside and out, and with just a few paint color options and 3 wheel options, it's likely to see other cars that look just like yours on a frequent basis.

In fact, that's one of the reasons we no longer own a Model 3.

If you owned a 2005 or 2006 Cooper S you would know MINI has just gotten more bland and less spirited with every new generation. Besides a bland front end, this electric MINI is downright ugly in the back. MINIs used to have character, BMW has stolen their souls. MINIs should be fun and youthful, Teslas are more grown up.

I've driven R53s, and I've owned (and tracked) an R56. I've also owned an R55 and an F56.

Have MINIs typically gotten less "raw" as time goes on? Yes. They've also gotten better in some ways, too, like the engines.

But that's really irrelevant to my point. Teslas are pretty bland in their styling and definitely in their interiors. They also have VERY few options that differentiate between vehicles, so many of them are near-identical to each other.

Point being: Teslas are relatively bland, so while there are definitely good reasons to switch to Tesla, avoiding bland styling isn't one of them, IMO.

I like it. I like the proportions. Now if I can get my high mileage R53 to hold on until the gas version comes out.

I think the glass roof will slide open – look how short the shark fin antenna is

Also I’m not convinced in the back… yet. Intrigued by the interior though – looks like a massive HUD?

And now the infamous in the middle of nowhere hood line of FWD BMWs comes to MINI 🤦🏻‍♂️ It’s disgraceful. The hood should end at the grille, not before.

Also… the cheap HUD solution (reflecting on a separate ‘screen’ instead of on the windshield) is still here again. It’s been enough time for them to find a way of changing the placement, angle of whatsoever to ‘reflect’ the image directly on the windshield.

I hope the center round display will be a full round screen and not something smaller hidden behind some black panel, like the current digital speedometer which only has screen in the middle.

Pathetic! Design team at MINI continues to get worse. Hood line stopping short and down the tops of the front fenders. WTH! MINI designers...this is not a BMW. Stop moving away from the classic design that lasted 50+ years. Stop with the faux plastic decorations allow allow form to follow function. Hopefully I continue to find great R53's out there, because the MINI continues to move away from its heritage from a design perspective.

Nonononono. Looks like a freaking KIA in the back, that's the most hideous thing I've ever seen!

I'd say other than the taillight shape, I like it. The proportions look good. It looks wide and like it has the "bulldog" stance MINI likes to talk about.

The interior being minimalist is the right direction, too. The quality of the F56 interior is good, but it's gotten too busy.

Now, "does it *drive* like a MINI?" is the next question. And the other elephant in the room: built in China.

I love it! This is the first redesign of MINI since Gen 1 that I have actually liked & gotten excited about. Any word on if they will finally rethink the omission of Android Auto while they are rethinking the infotainment center?