Report: Next Mini to undergo major styling overhaul

Mini Paceman Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

The minds at Mini may be itching to stretch their design legs with the next generation Cooper. According to Autocar, BMW design guru Adrian van Hooydonk said that the third-generation hatchback will be a bigger design leap than the current generation, though he wasn’t exactly willing to dive into more detail on the look of the vehicle. Hooydonk did say that his army of artists is approaching the car with a clean sheet of paper, with a special focus on the interior and its central-mounted speedo. Still, we’d be surprised if the company decided to walk too far away from the brand’s core image.

The original Cooper soldiered on with nary a design change for 40 years before finally getting the axe. To some degree, Mini has chained itself to that legacy, and while the addition of new models like the Clubman and Countryman have helped the brand distance itself from the Mini mold, we’re guessing that future iterations of the Cooper will still be easily identifiable as members of the pint-sized family.

Gallery: Mini Paceman Concept