Mini will offer the Paceman in seven variants. The base-spec Cooper is driven by a 119bhp, 16.3kgm version of the turbocharged 1.6-litre, four-pot petrol motor. The more powerful Cooper S has 181bhp and 24.5kgm of torque, and can sprint from 0-100kph in 7.5sec. It is available in front-wheel drive and four-wheel-drive ‘ALL4’ variants, as are both the diesels on offer.
The cheapest diesel option is the front-wheel-drive Cooper D, which produces 110bhp and 27.5kgm of torque mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The Cooper SD produces 141bhp and 31.1kgm of torque in two-wheel-drive form.
The Paceman aims to deliver a sportier drive than the Countryman, while providing more space than the standard Mini hatch. The springs and shock absorbers have been re-tuned to offer more direct handling. Lowered suspension is part of the Paceman’s standard specification, but the car can be ordered with regular suspension and ride-height as a no-cost option. It sits on the same floor structure as the Countryman and shares the five-door’s wheelbase and track. The four-seater’s roof is 40mm lower at 1518mm, but headroom is only reduced by 10mm, in part because it also rides 10cm closer to the ground than its bigger brother.
Boot space is 330-litres – about 20-litres down on the Countryman – increasing to 1080-litres when the rear seats are folded flat.