The yellow camouflaged vehicle you see here is the all-new 5th-generation 2023 Mini Cooper and it is a fully electric model. If you’re a fan of the rather excellent petrol engines, you do not need to be worried as they’ll continue to be offered for the all-new model.
Why are they in Sweden, you ask? There are many reasons actually. Firstly, the location is pretty remote and there’s little chance of prying eyes or masses of people. Secondly, there are purpose-built test centres owned by the car companies, complete with race tracks, snow-covered roads, and more. The cold conditions are also a good place to test insulation, engine durability as well as heating systems.
We suspect that most of the hard work has been done already and now the 2023 Mini Cooper’s driving characteristics are being refined with a focus on suspension, steering, and chassis setup. Strangely, as great as the petrol-powered Mini Coopers are, our time with the electric Mini was a grin-inducing affair. Despite its compromised range, it’s arguably the best-driving Mini in the city. If there ever was a brand whose products will be just as good with electrification, it’s Mini.
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The good news is that Mini is promising the all-new model will still be great fun to drive and retain all the entertaining traits that have made owners fall in love with their cars over 4 generations. Mini is also working on a new Countryman which is said to grow in size and we reckon it’ll be similar in size to that of the BMW X1.
Although teased today, the new Mini won’t be going on sale until the latter half of 2023. If you can’t wait that long, a leaked image surfaced recently, giving us some idea of the styling.
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