MINI has revealed the production version of the new Paceman, ahead of its Paris Motor Show debut.
The Paceman will become the eighth model in the ever-growing -- and increasingly bewildering -- MINI line-up, and is essentially a three-door version of the Countryman.
However, the Paceman gains a number of distinctive features which differentiate it from its five-door cousin, the most notable of which are the horizontally-mounted rear lights, a first for MINI. On the inside, 2+2 seating comes as standard and the controls for the electric windows have been moved from the centre console to the doors.
Seven variants of the Paceman will be on offer, the cheapest of which will be the entry-level Cooper with a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine developing 119bhp. The more powerful Cooper S develops 181bhp and is available in both two- and four-wheel drive.
Two diesel models are also on offer -- the Cooper D and the Cooper SD -- and a John Cooper Works model is reportedly in the pipeline.
The Paceman is designed to offer a sportier drive than the equivalent Countryman and features lower suspension and retuned springs and shocks.
Practicality, however, has taken a hit. Although the Paceman shares the Countryman's wheelbase and track, the boot is around 20-litres smaller, offering just 330-litres.
The Paceman will cost from £18,970 when it goes on sale in the UK next March.
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