First look at all-new Mini hatch

Purer design ethos, fresh interior, bespoke EV platform and updated engines for 3dr

- FELIX PAGE

The all-new Mini hatchback has been seen for the first time, having shed its camouflage ahead of a launch early next year.

The second generation of Mini's small EV - now called the Cooper - will be built in China atop a new front-wheeldrive platform engineered by Spotlight Automotive, BMW's joint venture with Great Wall.

A petrol-engined version, evolved more obviously from the current car, will be built in Oxford, sitting on an entirely different platform but taking the same design direction.

Autocar has already reported in-depth details of the long-awaited 2024 Cooper, following a briefing from Mini boss Stefanie Wurst and a prototype ride in Sweden, but this is, at long last, our first look at the final production design.

The resemblance to today's car is evident, and indeed it still measures roughly 3800mm from bumper to bumper, but it's clear Mini's designers have worked hard to make good on a promise to bring "the iconic hatch back to its roots".

A wider track, shorter overhangs, a longer wheelbase and larger wheels give the Fiat 500 rival a noticeably more purposeful stance, while the company's vocal commitment to minimalism (and thereby sustainability) extends to a much purer and simpler overall treatment.