By Amanda Mfuphi

The British premium automobile manufacturer has unveiled the refreshed Mini 3-door, the Mini 5-door, and the Mini Convertible models with an intensive makeover to the exterior and interior. The global market launch will begin in March 2021 and South Africa is set to receive the vehicles in Q2 of 2021.

Exterior

The exterior gets expressive updates to the front and rear. Upfront, a characteristic radiator grille dominates with a hexagonal surround that now takes up significantly more space with hallmark Mini headlights.

The Mini range now also feature vertical air inlets placed far to the outside, which serve as an opening for the air curtains in order to optimise aerodynamics. LED headlights now come as a standard equipment in the new Mini models and the inner housing of the round lights is no longer in chrome, but in black. The central bumper strip is now in body colour rather than in black as in previous models.

On the side, the new outlines of the wheel arch surrounds stand out. The side indicators integrated into the redesigned side scuttles now feature LED technology. The rear features the rear lights in Union Jack design as part of the standard equipment for the range. The rear lights are in LED technology with the exception of the reversing light.

The new Mini models feature new colours for the multitone roof and the exterior body paint finishes. Multitone Roof: San Marino Blue, Pearly Aqua and Jet Black. Exterior colours: Grey metallic, Island Blue metallic and Zesty Yellow variant. As part of the Piano Black Exterior option, the door handles, side scuttles, fuel cap, Mini logos on the bonnet and luggage compartment lid and the model lettering and tailpipes of the exhaust system are now finished in high-gloss black in addition to the surrounds of the headlights, radiator grille and rear lights.

The new Mini models will ride on a new variant of light-alloy wheels being, a black version of the 17-inch Pedal Spoke variant that had been previously introduced exclusively for the 60 Years Edition models, and 18-inch light-alloy wheels in Pulse Spoke design, with a concentric bi-colour look, as well as John Cooper Works light-alloy wheels in Circuit Spoke black design.

Interior

The interior of the updated Mini range gets redesigned with the introduction of new sports seats in the light chequered colour variant. The familiar Black Pearl fabric quality is given a new, expressive check look in hallmark British MINI style. The range gets a newly designed sports leather steering wheel with multifunction buttons as a standard feature.

The central instrument cluster features an 8.8-inch colour touchscreen display, touch-sensitive favourite buttons and Piano Black high-gloss surfaces. The Mini models also get a multifunctional instrument 5-inch display screen.

Performance

The refreshed Mini models will be offered with either the 3-cylinder of 4-cylinder engines. The former with a capacity of 1.5 litres, available in two versions with outputs ranging from 75 kW to 100 kW. The latter will fire performance models and generate a maximum output of 141 kW in the Cooper S or 170 kW in the John Cooper Works models. A 7-speed Steptronic transmission with double clutch will be offered as standard with the John Cooper Works models will employing an 8-speed Steptronic transmission.