Back in 2011, Mini introduced what was then the Mini Paceman Concept at the North American International Auto Show and not long after, the British automaker brought this subcompact, three-door crossover SUV to production. The production model was unveiled in 2012 with similar choices as those of the Countryman, ranging from a two- or four-wheeled version to a 1.6-liter petrol or diesel engine and a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder diesel-powered engine.
BMW then announced in early 2015 that the Mini Paceman will no longer continue its line of quirky crossovers. It was reported in September that this unconventional crossover SUV will go out of production by the end of this year, leaving behind only three generations.
However, a new report from AutoExpress says that a “spiritual successor” of the Mini Paceman might be introduced in 2018. We learned this after an interview with BMW Group design chief Adrian van Hooydonk hinting that the British automaker is considering a new lineup for the Countryman which will serve as an “indirect replacement” for the Paceman and will be named the Countryman coupe.
Once the higher ups give the go signal for the creation of the Countryman Coupe, it will take on a bolder and interestingly different approach on a coupe-SUV formula. The Countryman coupe will take on a four-door design instead of the usual two-door model, and will also have a slightly longer wheelbase compared to the Paceman.
BMW took so many things into consideration including their five-door BMW SUVs. Why? Because as much as people love to drive alone or with one more person, there’s always that comfort that comes along with an extra set of doors. The extra space (and doors) allow passengers to carry extra stuff as well as take more people for a road trip. This is where the issue on the Paceman’s three doors came into surface which the Countryman coupe will hopefully address.
So how will the new Countryman coupe look? Well basically, it will come with a sloped roof and some minor visual changes. On top of that, this coupe-SUV Countryman will be based off the same UKL1 platform with a range of three- and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines as that of the recently revealed Countryman.
Two years after the Paceman was released, it received a facelift. However, despite all efforts from Mini to make it look attractive and even after adding a range-topping JCW version, the crossover SUV never became a big hit. In 2014, Mini only managed to sell 8,730 units in Europe and the numbers kept dropping in 2015. Hopefully, BMW recovers its sales once the production and release of the Countryman coupe is set in motion.
