New Mini Cooper Comes into Focus

Longer, wider and with styling cues from the Countryman, the third-gen Mini hatchback is just around the corner. 

BMW has been tinkering with the next-gen Mini Cooper for a while now and these latest spy shots provide more clues about what’s in store for the third-generation model. Apart from growing slightly longer and wider, no major changes are afoot, yet subtle styling upgrades are already apparent on the three-door hatch even with all that bumblebee-colored optical camo. The most obvious changes are to the lights, with its reshaped lenses taking design cues from the larger Countryman crossover.

Slimmer A-pillars, a longer hood and a smaller, more upright front grille are the other noticeable exterior enhancements. The most drastic changes are expected inside, with the cabin set for a major overhaul, and under the skin with the new front-wheel drive platform being paired with BMW’s new turbocharged three-cylinder engine family.