Mini has confirmed its all-new Aceman, first seen as a concept in 2022, will be on sale in New Zealand before the end of this year.
But what's an Aceman? It's a new supermini-sized SUV (just over 4 metres long) that fits in between the new Mini Cooper hatch and Countryman models.
It's built in China, part of a joint-venture project between BMW and GWM called Spotlight.
It's also notable for being the first Mini to be available exclusively as a battery electric vehicle (BEV): both hatch and Countryman come with electric power, but both are also still available with combustion engines.
Mini is promising a blend of "truly enjoyable immersive digital experience" with an on-brand fun-to-drive character.
The entry Aceman E has a 43kWh battery giving a WLTP range of 310km. The Aceman SE gests a larger 54kWh pack and a range of 406km.
The SE also gets more power, with a 160kW/330Nm electric motor (0-100km/h 7.1sec), compared to the E's 135kW/290Nm (7.9sec).
It'll come in two trims, distinguished by an oblong badge on the front sill: Classic and Favoured, with the latter offering a greater variety of colour options and more equipment.
Classic Mini inspiration for Aceman
Mini says inspiration for the interior has directly from the 1950 original: large steering wheel, 240mm round display in the centre and a simplified toggle bar. The knitted dashboard covering (in which a the lower colour shows through the top one) is intended to give a "homely" feeling.
However, it's really all about the tech. Aceman is the first Mini to feature a fully integrated voice assistant, which it calls Spike. It learns continuously and can even get the stage where it will open the window at the correct point for an often-visited carpark.
Mini Experience Modes allow the user to customise the interior: two projector units beam illuminated graphics onto the dashboard, in a variety of designs and colours.
There's plenty of customisation available for the infotainment display, including the ability to download an image from a phone to use as the wallpaper.
Drive modes include Go-Kart, Vivid, Core, Green, Timeless, Balance and Trail. And yep, your guess is as good as ours for some of those.
