This is the all-new MINI Aceman, a new crossover that slots in between the latest MINI Cooper and Countryman in the carmaker’s line-up that recently made its debut in Beijing at this year’s Auto China. Unlike its stablemates, the Aceman will only be offered with fully electric powertrains across all variants.
The base variant is known as the Aceman E and comes with a front-mounted electric motor rated at 184 PS (181 hp or 135 kW) and 290 Nm of torque. This is enough to get from 0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds on the way to a top speed of 160 km/h.
Following this is the Aceman SE, which is also front-wheel drive but with higher outputs of 218 PS (215 hp or 160 kW) and 330 Nm for a 0-100 km/h time of 7.1 seconds and top speed of 170 km/h. The top-spec option also has a battery with an energy capacity of 54.2 kWh to give it a range of up to 406 km according to the WLTP.
By comparison, the Aceman E’s battery is 42.5 kWh for up to 310 km of range. Both variants can handle AC charging at a max capacity of 11 kW, but there’s a difference when it comes to DC charging. The Aceman E’s maximum DC input is 75 kW while it is 95 kW for the Aceman SE, with the company claiming a 10-80% state of charge can be achieved in just under 30 minutes.
In terms of dimensions, the Aceman measures 4,076 mm long, 1,754 mm wide, 1,515 mm tall and has wheelbase spanning 2,606 mm. This puts it firmly in the middle of the MINI Cooper (3,858 mm long, 2,526 mm wheelbase) and Countryman (4,433 mm long, 2,692 mm wheelbase).
The Aceman adopts MINI’s new reduced design approach referred to as ‘Charismatic Simplicity’. At first glance, it looks like a shrunken Countryman, with a front end that features a closed-off, octagonal-shaped grille and a small lower intake. The headlamps are unique to the Aceman and have a distinctive daytime running light signature, which can be switched to three different modes to be expressive.
Along the sides, you’ll find retractable door handles and prominent body cladding, the latter underscoring the crossover aesthetic, as do the standard roof rails and rear skid plate. The rear of the Aceman kind of resembles the latest MINI Cooper, although the Union Jack taillights are a lot less pixelated and the clusters are more rounded.
The Aceman is offered in four different trims that are identified by an oblong-shaped badge attached to the front area of the side sill. Each level comes with its own equipment and trim types, and buyers can choose from Essential, Classic, Favoured and JCW Trim – there are also various wheels ranging from 17 to 19 inches in size.
Moving inside, we find a familiar dashboard layout not unlike the MINI Cooper and Countryman. The star of the show is the large, circular touchscreen that sits just above a row of physical controls for important things (parking brake, gear selector, start/stop “key”, experience modes, media volume). The OLED display makes up part of a comprehensive ambient lighting system and provides access to vehicle functions.
Infotainment is powered by MINI Operating System 9, which includes the many MINI Experience Modes such as Personal, Go-Kart, Vivid, Core, Green, Timeless, Balance and Trail. Additionally, the system also includes support for phone connectivity as well as the MINI Intelligent Personal Assistant, the latter visualised as a stylied MINI or the character ‘Spike’.
Customers can option a head-up display to have vital driving information projected ahead on the windscreen if they prefer not having to rely solely on the centre display. For those concerned about practicality, the Aceman’s 60:40 split-folding rear seats provide up to 1,005 litres of space when put down, and there’s 300 litres available as standard.
On the driver assistance front, there are 12 ultrasonic sensors and four cameras to support the Driving Assistant Plus suite, which includes steering and lane assist in addition to assisted parking and autonomous emergency braking.
The Aceman was developed and will be produced by Spotlight Automotive, a joint venture between BWM Group and Great Wall Motor, at a manufacturing plant located in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, China. If the Countryman is too large and the MINI Cooper is too small for you, maybe the Aceman is the MINI for you. What do you think?
