New MK3 Mini Unveiled

Published Date: 21st Jan 2013

The first of the New MK3 Mini vehicles will be rolled-out in 2013 with the first model expected to be a restyled 3 door hatchback.

The new-generation Mini will be built on a brand-new BMW-engineered platform called UKL1 and planning is already in place to also use UKL1 for the compact BMW series (3 and 5 door hatch models and a compact SUV).

Also in the pipeline for the MK3 is a combination of electro-hydraulic steering (EHS) and electro-mechanical brakes (EMB) which together make the vehicle more efficient.  

All the new MK3 Minis are expected to make use of a brand-new advanced 3 cylinder engine with power output predicted to be 120bhp to 160bhp across the diesel/petrol models and further down the line it's understood that a 185bhp edition (Mini Cooper S) and an even speedier 230bhp turbocharged petrol GP model will be rolled-out. There is also a hybrid version of the Mini expected to roll-out probably sometime in 2014.

In the longer-term BMW plan to roll-out probably 10 new Mini models based on the new platform, with probably 5-6 models likely to be unveiled in 2013/2014.