F56 Mini surfaces ahead of official unveiling; Interior teaser video launched

The next generation Mini hatchback which is due to be launched today in London at 21:00 GMT (03:30 am IST) has been unofficially previewed along with an official video of the interiors. We have already seen the new hatchback thanks to a host of spy shots that emerged in July. The interior video does not reveal much and is likely to be have been shot in this manner to build up interest in the hatchback ahead of the unveiling.

The F56 Mini is the first major redesign for the Iconic British-German premium hatchback since it was launched in its new avatar in 1998. While this car retains all the important design cues that define the range, it has become longer, wider and by the look of it quite a bit sportier. The car in the pictures is the Cooper S which has sporty overtones, larger wheels and a two tone paint job for the exteriors. The design cues are also a sign of what the other cars in the Mini range will look like in the future.    

Not much can be said about the interiors (see video below), but we do know that features will include leather seats, a Mini version of the iDrive system, push-button start and much to the sadness of Mini enthusiasts no central speedo. It (Central speedo) will be replaced by a touchscreen system set in the middle of the dashboard.

However, the most important detail is that this is the first vehicle to be launched under parent company BMW’s UKL 1 front-wheel -drive platform which is expected to underpin the next generation X1 and 1 Series.  It also gets a new set of 1.5-litre three cylinder engines sourced from the BMW. The engine will have a twin-scroll turbocharging unit with variable valve timing and direct injection. The exact performance figures are not available yet but the power is expected to be between 120 and 200PS. The engine will also be further beefed up to a tri turbo for the high-performance variants and will produce up to 300PS.

We expect that BMW will bring the new Mini to India by the end of next year via the CBU route and should price it significantly higher than the current line-up. 

Know more about the F56 Mini

Read about Mini's Vision D Concept 

Source: Paultan