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Visit autoexpress.co.uk for all the latest new cars news I’VE always been a big fan of MINI, from the very first time I drove a pretty ropey original back in the eighties. There’s just something very cool, charming and, ultimately, fun about every MINI I’ve ever come across. I’m also a big fan of what BMW has done with one of the greatest British car brands. I love the fact that it has stayed true to the style and character of the cars – if not the engineering ethos behind the original. I know there are plenty of traditionalists who rightly point out that MINIs aren’t very mini any more. But try and make a MINI today that does what the Mini did way back when and you’ll struggle to…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn Visit autoexpress.co.uk for your daily news updates • MINI hatch set to shrink, while Countryman grows • Electric SUV on way, but Clubman and Convertible face axe MINI has confirmed a major model shake-up that includes plans to develop a smaller three-door hatchback, a new electric crossover and a larger version of the Countryman. At the same time, slow-selling models such as the Convertible and Clubman, as well as plug-in hybrids, will be dropped as MINI takes the first steps to becoming an all-electric brand. The plan for MINI’s next generation of cars is ‘80 per cent’ complete, according to the Head of MINI, Bernd Körber. The first of the company’s three ‘core’ cars to arrive in 2023 will be a smaller three-door hatch, designed to take MINI back…

ELSEWHERE at MINI, the company’s boss has revealed to Auto Express that it intends to turn John Cooper Works into its own electrified performance sub-brand, which could even have its own dedicated model. JCW models currently account for around five per cent of MINI sales, but are among the most profitable models in the portfolio. The firm’s boss Bernd Körber believes that as MINI expands its EV offerings, there’s an opportunity to develop John Cooper Works into something more than it is today. “The next phase of our portfolio is also about the next generation of John Cooper Works,” Körber explained to Auto Express. “The perception, I would say, when you look at John Cooper Works, it’s not the perception of a full-blown sub-brand. People very often perceive it as our…

Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson • Fresh looks for small SUV • Plug-in power joins line-up “Jaguar has refreshed the cabin, adding a new drive selector and a reshaped transmission tunnel” JAGUAR has launched an updated version of the E-Pace crossover. Exterior styling tweaks mask a switch to the same PTA platform as the latest Range Rover Evoque, allowing an all-new infotainment system and a fresh plug-in powertrain. On the outside, the facelifted E-Pace features a redesigned front bumper, a new mesh radiator grille and a fresh pair of LED headlights, which feature Jaguar’s latest ‘Double J’ lighting signature. Jaguar has also fitted a new undertray at the rear, along with revised LED tail-lights that are inspired by the units fitted to the all-electric I-Pace. The changes to the cabin include a new…

A flurry of updated Jaguars over the past few weeks – four in total – means the company will now be turning its attention to its next generation of products. One model tasked with leading the British company in a new direction is the all-electric Jaguar XJ saloon (above). rather than mildly evolving its Mercedes S-Class rival, Jaguar has taken the bold step of completely reinventing the model in the hope that it will capitalise on consumer appetite for high-end EVs, as well as give the Jaguar brand an image overhaul. The luxury saloon will be produced at Jlr’s Castle Bromwich site, which has been adapted to accommodate the Modular longitudinal Architecture (MlA) on which the XJ will be based. The platform is entirely new and can accept petrol, diesel,…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods • SUV moves to electric power • Style and tech from Taycan EXCLUSIVE IMAGE PORSCHE will soon introduce a radical reinvention of its best-selling model: the Macan SUV. It will adopt an all-new platform that will turn the car all-electric, making it Porsche’s second EV following the recently released Taycan. These spy shots are the first images of the second-generation version of the brand’s breadwinner, and they tell quite a story. A massive design overhaul is coming, with the Macan moving to a more coupé SUV-like silhouette as well as taking clear inspiration from its Taycan sibling. Porsche designers are looking to put a lot of distance between the old and new Macans for one very important reason: both the current car and the second-generation model will be…