MINI is in a festive mood as the BMW Group brand is celebrating an important milestone after selling 125,000 cars in Latin America. Delivered to a customer from Colombia, the milestone vehicle is a Cooper SE belonging to someone who is on their second purchase from the British automaker. It’s the 254th electric hatchback sold by the company in Colombia where the EV was launched at the end of last year.
Interestingly, the Cooper SE is already the most popular model in Colombia, followed by the Countryman crossover and the regular Cooper in three- and five-door hatchback body styles. The convertible and spicy John Cooper Works models are also sold locally. MINI managed to deliver 14.2% more cars in 2021 compared to the year before, despite challenging times in the automotive industry what with supply bottlenecks and other constraints.
2022 marks the 20th anniversary of MINI’s presence in Latin America. The Oxford-based automaker is about to transition to a next generation of vehicles, some of which will be built in China. Take for example the Cooper SE pictured here, which will be assembled by Great Wall Motors per a tie-up with MINI’s parent company BMW. The Aceman small electric crossover will also be manufactured in the world’s most populous country.
There will be one final generation of MINIs with combustion engines, prior to the early 2030s when the company has pledged to sell only electric vehicles. Before that happens, gasoline-fueled performance cars with the JCW badge are in the pipeline. In addition, the next-gen convertible due around 2025 has been confirmed and will be built at home in Oxford rather than in The Netherlands where VDL Nedcar assembles the current model.
A recent report indicates MINI could develop a compact hatchback to rival the Volkswagen Golf, but a decision has yet to be made. If green-lighted, it’ll like ride on the FAAR platform (essentially an updated UKL) and offer a mix of traditional powertrains.
Source: MINI Brazil
