Mini Cooper Five-Door: Prototypes Spotted Testing Ahead of 2024 Launch

Introduction

The highly anticipated Mini Cooper five-door has been recently spotted testing in Germany. The car is set to hit the UK market in the summer of 2024. Although heavily disguised, the prototypes reveal some noticeable design changes compared to the previous model, including a new front bumper, grill, and rear lights.

The Future of the Mini Five-Door

Mini is currently undergoing a major overhaul of its lineup as it transitions into an electric brand. The launch of the new electric version of the three-door hatch marked the beginning of this transformation. Mini has not officially confirmed plans to replace the five-door hatch, leading to speculation that the upcoming Mini Aceman compact electric SUV will fill its place in the lineup between the Cooper and the larger Mini Countryman SUV.

During the Munich Motor Show, Mini’s representative, Wurst, hinted at potential future expansions to the Mini lineup. She mentioned the upcoming five-door model, as well as the introduction of John Cooper Works variations and a convertible. The new Cooper models, both electric and combustion-engined, are built on separate platforms dedicated to each powertrain. This opens up possibilities for go-faster John Cooper Works variants, with the hot JCW versions of the three-door hatch confirmed to arrive in 2025.

However, Wurst emphasized that the Mini range will not dramatically expand in the future. She described plans for a production version of the Mini Urbanaut MPV concept as “in the freezer.” According to her, Mini’s simplicity and ease of understanding are key factors in its success. The brand aims to maintain a clear use case, size, and limited variants to avoid complexity and confusion.

Wurst concluded by stating that Mini does not aspire to become a second BMW. The brand values simplicity and wants to ensure that its range remains easy to understand and distinct from its parent company.