All We Know About the 2023 4th Generation MINI
If you’ve been following comments on MotoringFile recently you’ll now there’s been some great discussion about the 2023 4th Generation MINI. The original intent was for BMW to replace the current F56 in 2020. Seven year product cycles is how BMW does business and deviating from that is very rare for the Bavarian automaker. However due to a number or reasons BMW will do just that with the current generation MINI and will extend its life by at least three years.
Why BMW is Delaying the 4th Generation MINI and Keeping the F56 Around?
BMW needs to drive costs down. They also need to create a platform that will better suit small MINIs and the brand. The current UKL platform work if only just. While the F56 is a great car and the highest quality MINI ever produced, it’s expensive to produce and oh man that front overhang. In other words it could have been a bit better tailored for the MINI brand and price-point.
The follow-up to the UKL is BMW’s FAAR platform which will be slightly larger and even more sophisticated. Because of that it simply isn’t ideal as the basis for the next generation of small MINIs. Therefore BMW needed to either continue to revise the UKL platform for a second generation (not ideal given the need for MINI to become electric) or produce an entirely new small platform.
The problem with the latter is that even a revised platform cost hundreds or millions of dollars to bring to market. With annual sales of under 400,000 units that just doesn’t make sense. Because of this BMW is partnering with Great Wall Motors to build a future platform for small MINIs.
Enter the Chinese – BMW to Partner with Great Wall Motors on Next Generation Small MINI
The thinking goes that this will give BMW the economies of scale to create something both better suited to the MINI brand and offer more technology and performance than they could have afforded to create on their own. It also gives them additional production capability in China for the upcoming F Series electric MINI hatch (due in late 2019/early 2020). These cars will be built in China for the Asian market vs electric MINIs built in Oxford meant for all other markets.
It also gives MINI a partner to push into the very expensive world of small car electrification. What this means is that MINI will likely develop an all new electric first platform for MINI and Great Wall Motors on a single electric focused platform. This platform will also form the basis of other vehicles in China – not sold under the MINI brand.
Will All 4th Generation Small MINIs be Electric?
We believe that BMW has made the strategic decision to make the next generation of small MINIs all electric. However (and this is important) that could change depending worldwide trends. Currently many brands are in a wait a see mode with electric vehicles. They know they’re the future but they’re not exactly sure when that future will be a reality. And they also know that that reality will be different for different regions/countries. Porsche for instance has announced that he next generation Macan will be all electric. Yet they’ve also said they’ll continue to sell the current ICE version alongside until demand wanes.
Over the past year BMW has been very consistent with their messaging around a strategy to basically do it all in the mid-term. That means the FAAR and other platforms will be able to accept electric, hybrid and ICE powertrains. In other words the next generation Countryman and its derivatives will be sold with an ICE powertrain along with a hybrid and electric model.
The reason is that the global markets are inconsistent and unstable in their demands all-electric cars. There are some regions/countries (Scandinavia and China for instance) that are aggressively supporting electric cars through legislation. There are others (the US and Russia) that are moving away from that support. Then there’s the constantly fluctuating gas prices which are expected to remain quite low for North America in the near future that are impacting the thinking as well. All this is pushing BMW’s strategy of wait and see in most models.
Except it would seem the small MINI range.
How Long Will the F56 Live-on?
This is where are crystal ball gets cloudy. If BMW sticks with a late 2022/2023 launch of the next generation MINI hatch, that would mean the current F56 generation of small MINIs (the F55 five door, F56 three door and F57 convertible) would end production in 2022. However we could see the current range live-on even longer if the electric cars adoption rate slows in the next few years. In other words we can imagine BMW watching the market very closely before as it gears up to make such a big bet on an all electric future of the small MINI.
The good news for fans of the F56 is that this means we’ll likely see even more refinement of the current car. More power and other upgrades are already planned for the JCW range. We could also see slightly styling tweaks as as well to keep interest in the current car alive and well.
<p>Georg Kacher, one of the most influential automobile journalists in the world, is Automobile Magazine’s longtime European Bureau Chief, and was the first person to break the news that BMW was in discussion with Great Wall Motor regarding a proposed joint venture to build an all-electric City Car, a proposal subsequently confirmed by BMW.</p>
<p>Georg is now reporting that a BMW insider has told him to expect the next generation MINI to go big on Crossovers, and that the clock is ticking for the 5-door Hatch, the Cabriolet and the slow selling Clubman. Their departure will make room for the next Countryman to have two sister models.</p>
<p>According to the insider, all three will be based on BMW’s FAAR platform, due to make its first appearance with the all-new BMW 1-series 5-door Hatchback later this year. The MINI Sportsman, described as a “dramatically dynamic and stylish 5-door Coupe” will replace both the Clubman and 5-door Hatch. The third model, possibly named MINI Bushman, is said to be in concept, “one third Land Rover and two thirds Range Rover”.</p>
<p>The F56 3-door Hardtop will – subject to the joint venture with GWM – most likely be replaced by the proposed all-electric MINI Metro City Car. If the JV fails, it could also sound the death knell for a future 3-door Hardtop.</p>
<p>I’ve heard the same however there’s also consideration for a small crossover based on the hatch as well.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a Crossover version of the all-electric MINI Metro. Small Crossovers are the next big thing and GWM has after all built its reputation building SUVs.</p>
<p>There will in any case have to be a 4-door version of the Metro if it is to sell well in Asia and Europe. A good example is the Honda e Prototype – described by Honda as “98% production ready” – which now has four doors rather than the two on the earlier 2017 Honda EV Concept.</p>
<p>This Honda e Prototype is not a crossover</p>
<p>I didn’t say that it was. I was talking about two separate things.</p>
<p>My reference to the “98% production ready” Honda e Prototype was in connection with it now having four doors rather than two doors as on the 2017 Honda EV Concept. Nothing to do with SUVs.</p>
<p>Ok, i get it ;)</p>
<p>It nice to see BMW is thinking of the 4th gen but seems dicey if it will be a Mini in the traditional sense. Especially if the 3-door is an after thought.</p>
<p>The F56 while being a great car will be close to 10 years old before a refreshed model occurs so is disappointing. However on the bright side my current 2016 Mini will remain current until 2023. Hopefully sales of small cars pickup.</p>
<p>But with the trend in SUV and millennials not buying cars, it maybe difficult for BMW to want to invest in a new 3 door Mini. I only hope petrol prices go through the ceiling to make smaller cars popular again.</p>
<p>I do hope the Chinese deal is productive but I do worry about the quality of that platform being as good as the current F56. The current Brexit and Trumps trade war, it may only be available in China.</p>
<p>There a lot of if’s in this 4th gen and 2023 is really a long way away, around 5 years away. I worry the brand sales by that time will have dimished to far. I mean it will be difficult selling the current Mini model (2014) in the market. It be like selling last decade (2000) model now.</p>
<p>If BMW are going to stick with the current F56 platform, I hope they do a major “refresh” and call it the F56b or something different to distinguish it from the current F56. Also fix the front and back of the car the F56 has never been as pretty as the prior models.</p>
<p>It is funny I was considering waiting for the next generation of the Mini cause like many people I considered the F56 ugly in terms of the fat tail lights and the front overhang. But I decided to get one anyway. I am starting to think F56 could be the last 3 door Mini, which is shocking to think. So I may need to refresh in 2020 anyway on the expectation will be the last.</p>
<p>I do hope BMW do release more information on timeframe and their thinking on the models. My comments shouldn’t be seen as criticism of BMW, I do understand the motor industry is facing disruptions and they invest in models that make them money. My thoughts are more as a Mini owner looking at replacement of my current 3 door Mini, if it will be possible with the next gen. Or should I upgrade just before.</p>
<p>Will see, keep publishing any rumours please.</p>
<p>Am so desperate to see that front overhang gone that I would be okay if they just stopped producing the F56 altogether.</p>
<p>If it takes 10, 20, 30 years to get the overhang right, no problem. I’ll wait.</p>
<p>But my hunch is that the SUV trend won’t last forever, and that by 2025 a small electric will be very desirable. Especially if it’s reliable and competitively priced.</p>
<p>But am not sure if small, electric, reliable, and competitively priced fit with the future MINI brand. Reliable and electric seem to, but do the other two?</p>
<p>If MINI combines the F56 3 door with the styling of the Superleggerai would be tell8ng them to take my money now</p>