Mini isn’t known for its brave facelifts and the same applies for the upcoming 2018 Hatchback; however the updated version will bring important changes under the bonnet.
It’s fairly obvious that the 2018 Mini five-door hatchback will change as little as possible in terms of its exterior. The miniscule amount of camo tape the company has applied to the prototype tells pretty much all the story. An updated motif for the lights all around is the biggest change you should expect, on the outside at least.
The Union Jack lighting signature of the rear lights, first seen on the JCW GP concept, looks like its heading to normal production, and that’s the visual highlight of the new model.
Under the skin however, Mini is busy updating its powertrains for better fuel efficiency and performance. The turbocharged 2.0-liter petrol engine found in the Cooper S for example is expected to have the exhaust manifold and turbocharger housed together in the cylinder head rather than being separate.
Cooper models fitted with the three-cylinder 1.5-liter petrol unit will get turbos with aluminum casing while Mini will improve the cooling system across the range for lower CO2 ratings. Every variant is also expected to get a slight bump in its horsepower figure.
There’s also an unconfirmed rumor that talks about Mini working on its first dual-clutch transmissions, but that remains to be seen at the moment. Other revisions include the usual 2 or 3 new colors to the available palette as well as a few new wheel designs.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops
PHOTO GALLERY
