Mini Minor revival

By: Unique Cars magazine

Date: 11.05.2021

German-Chinese deal to revive base model

In a world where a German company owns the Mini brand, it should come as no great surprise that China’s Great Wall motor company is involved in a resuscitation of the Mini Minor model name.

Once a continuation of the Morris Minor brand and attached to base-model variants of the diminutive Alec Issigonis design, the name is now expected to be attached to an all-electric vehicle.

BMW (owner of Mini) and Great Wall have stitched together a partnership to produce a new electric platform, with a ‘skateboard’ design that’s readily adapted to various bodies. Initially at least it will run a single liquid-cooled electric motor.

Though yet to be shown, the new project will be produced from a dedicated $1 billion plant in China’s Jiangsu province on the country’s central east coast.

A major part of the ambition is to produce a car that can manage a daily commute for a week without recharging, with a range of around 250-300km.

Mini already has a full electric vehicle in the range – the Cooper SE, launched 2019. Presumably the new Minor will slip under the SE as a lower-spec and lower-priced alternative.

From Unique Cars #452, April 2021 

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