Official: BMW Confirms Combustion Engines Will Stay – What It Means for Future MINI Coopers

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“ICE and combustion will never disappear. Never.” It sounds like a comment in the MotoringFile comment section but it actually came from Jochen Goller, a key BMW leader on the BMW Group board who oversees all brands and sales globally. With that one statement, BMW has made clear its continued backing of internal combustion models sitting alongside EVs. So what does this mean for MINI? Let’s dissect.

The unlock for BMW is a plan to consolidate its global line-up onto just three platforms: an EV-only Neue Klasse, a combustion-only entry platform, and a flexible multi-energy platform. The strategy ensures BMW — and MINI — can adapt as governments rethink 2035 combustion bans, EV adoption proves inconsistent, and infrastructure struggles to keep pace.

How This Could Affect MINI

For MINI, this decision lands has major implications to its current and future generations.

MINI Cooper (Petrol): Built on the over a decade old UKL platform, it’s unclear how BMW will underpin future versions of MINI’s most iconic model. The platform has already been iterated on moving from the F56 to the F66 generation. Anchored on the ICE-only platform, keeping combustion Coopers viable in markets that still demand them.

MINI Countryman (Petrol): The current U25 rides on BMW’s FAAR platform, the same architecture used by the 2 Series sedan and X1 crossover. That makes its future closely tied to those models. Looking ahead, we expect the Countryman to eventually shift onto what BMW is now calling a combustion-only platform dedicated to entry-level cars. Across much of the globe, from India to the Middle East to Eastern Europe, combustion-powered vehicles will remain critical to profitability well after buyers in most western markets have moved toward EVs.

MINI Countryman (EV): The next generation Countryman will ride on the Neue Klasse platform and will come sooner than later. Alongside that it will make a massive switch to a rear wheel drive basis architecture meaning the entry-level models will be the first ever rear wheel drive MINIs. However in S and JCW configurations expect a dual motor all wheel drive set-up.

MINI Cooper & J05 Aceman EVs: This is one will be interesting. The current Cooper and Aceman EVs are based on a Spotlight Motors platform and built in China. It’s unlikely that BMW will continue down that path with the instability in the global markets. So what will BMW do? Can the Neue Klasse be shortened enough to form the basis of a new MINI EV? If not would BMW partner with another automaker on new platform? It’s still unclear.

Our Take

The brand’s dual-path strategy, extending ICE models while investing in cutting-edge EVs, isn’t just hedging, it’s now hardwired into BMW’s long-term product vision. MINI can continue to serve traditionalists with petrol Coopers and Countrymans while rolling out the J01 Cooper EV and J05 Aceman for those ready to go fully electric.

The message is clear: MINI’s future isn’t an all-or-nothing bet. It’s a both/and approach — and thanks to BMW’s platform consolidation, it appears to have the architecture to pull it off.

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