Mini has never produced a production rear-wheel-drive car, but BMW’s Neue Klasse platform could alter this in the coming years.
- Future mini electric vehicles will transition to the BMW Neue Klasse architecture.
- BMW developed the Neue Klasse platform considering both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive options.
- There are no plans for a more affordable front-wheel-drive variant of the platform.
Mini vehicles have historically been compact and enjoyable front-wheel-drive automobiles known for their agile, go-kart-like steering. Regardless of whether they were produced before or after BMW acquired them in 2000, all Minis have maintained this front-wheel-drive configuration. However, recent reports indicate that this could shift as upcoming Mini models transition to the new Neue Klasse architecture.
Autocar indicates that once the present electric Mini models have reached the end of their life cycle, they will be succeeded by vehicles based on the Neue Klasse platform. When questioned about the potential shift towards rear-wheel-drive configurations with Joachim Post, who serves as a BMW board member for procurement and supplies, he did not dismiss this idea but instead commented, "We shall see what the future holds. Our aim is clear: delivering pure driving enjoyment."
Although this doesn’t confirm anything definitively, it seems like he suggested that transitioning to rear-wheel drive is definitely part of Mini’s plans for the future. In contrast to Hyundai-Kia or Volkswagen, who offer less expensive front-wheel-drive variants of their E-GMP platform (found in models such as the Kia EV4 ) and MEB platforms (utilized in entry-level VW EVs ), BMW does not intend to create a front-wheel-drive variant of its Neue Klasse architecture for use in more budget-friendly vehicles. This could necessitate making subsequent Minis rear-wheel drive instead.
BMW Blog I contacted BMW regarding the possibility of front-wheel-drive models built on the Neue Klasse platform, but they stated that they do not intend to produce such vehicles. Every car from the Neue Klasse lineup will feature at minimum one permanent magnet electric motor located at the rear. Models equipped with all-wheel drive will include an extra asynchronous motor for driving the front wheels. Additionally, high-performance versions featuring three or four electric motors—likely allocating two motors per axle—are planned using this architecture. However, standard variants will retain their status as rear-wheel-drive vehicles.
The original Mini Cooper SE remains one of the top three most enjoyable electric vehicles I've ever experienced, despite being a petrol model converted to electric power. It utilized the electric motor typically found in rear-wheel-drive configurations. BMW i3S , yet it turned out to be more enjoyable to drive than the BMW, despite having the engine powering the front wheels.
Around the same period when I was driving the Cooper SE, I also tried the Honda e , an exclusive rear-wheel-drive electric vehicle intended for agile urban driving. Despite my strong inclination to enjoy this car and acknowledging its numerous positive attributes, I found myself unexpectedly impressed with the front-wheel-drive Mini, which proved far more engaging and enjoyable to pilot compared to the Honda.
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If BMW opts for a rear-wheel-drive setup for future Mini electric vehicles, significant modifications would be necessary to distinguish these models from those sharing the same platform under theirBMW lineup. Despite shared characteristics, BMWs and Minis offer distinct driving experiences largely due to differences in power delivery between front- and rear-wheel configurations across both brands.
Although this may become reality, Mini’s transition to rear-wheel-drive is still several years off. The company only relatively recently unveiled a new three-door electric Cooper and a five-door crossover named the Aceman which are constructed based on a revamped iteration of the Great Wall Motor's front-wheel-drive architecture associated with the platform that supports the Ora Cat These new electric Minis are expected to remain available until towards the end of the decade, giving BMW sufficient time either to develop a front-wheel-drive EV platform or maintain Mini’s characteristic handling with a rear-wheel-drive setup.