The next MINI Hatch 2023 with electric powertrain, returns to be seen, this time among the snowy streets of northern Europe. The fourth-generation version of the BMW MINI will be smaller as part of the redesign and is based on a new electric platform designed in collaboration with Chinese manufacturer Great Wall.
BMW hopes its more compact redesign of the MINI will allow it to steal market share from the purely electric Fiat 500 that dominates this particular segment. These images show that its style will not have the same retro charm as the Fiat “little one”, as it will be an evolution of the current generation of the MINI Hatch rather than a faithful return to the original Issegonis design.
The headlights and front bumper are quite similar to the current model, and it shares the same bulb style. However, the windshield has been tilted back slightly, likely to help improve aerodynamics and maximize the amount of range for the electric variant.
MINI has given the rear of the model a much more thorough overhaul. There is a new set of trapezoidal taillights that hide under the camouflage (which are unlike anything we’ve seen before on a MINI), connected by a new decorative piece that runs across the tailgate.
The front and rear overhangs seem considerably shorter than on the current model, but it’s entirely possible that the car’s wheelbase is the same as its predecessor. The distance between the front wheels and the driver seems more or less the same as before, which leaves a pretty important clue to the size of the car.
The interior of the upcoming 2023 MINI Hatch has also been changed, thanks to a few shots of a completely non-camouflaged prototype that was recently spotted in China. MINI has made another evolution from the current model by mounting a larger circular infotainment screen in the center of the dashboard.
The brand’s toggle switches survived the update, but the digital instrument cluster attached to the current car’s steering column has been replaced with a head-up display mounted on top of the dashboard. The eccentric two-spoke steering wheel is also totally new.
The new MINI Hatch 2023 will not be just electric
The next MINI Hatch will be available with a choice of gasoline and electric powertrains, at least in the early stages of its life. As mentioned, the electric version will be built in China on a jointly developed platform between BMW and Chinese SUV maker Great Wall. The petrol model will remain in production across national borders (to be precise in Oxford), but it will be based on the BMW Group platforms and layout. The chassis will most likely be an updated version of the UKL platform of the current car, which will be given the new FAAR code name.
This version of the car will also be offered other variants in addition to the classic three-door model. MINI and BMW have in fact recently confirmed that the MINI Convertible will come to the next generation and will be built in Oxford starting in 2025.
Before prototypes even began to be spied on, MINI made public its plans for the fourth generation Hatch. The head of the company, Bernd Koerber, declared at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show his desire to propose a smaller model than the current one. His vision is to reverse the significant growth in size of MINI since the introduction of the first BMW MINI in 2001 and to bring the brand back to its roots as a supplier of small and functional vehicles.