The MINI Aceman SE may very well be a stroke of genius on MINI’s part. It occupies the same portion in the MINI line-up that the Clubman did, but it is by no means a station wagon.
And as such, it isn’t truly a direct replacement for said iconic nameplate. After the BMW Group took over the MINI marque in the 2000s, the Clubman name was revived, and remained in continuous production for over 17 years.
2024 MINI Aceman SE Technical Specifications
It spawned two different generations, each with their own facelifts, and despite selling over 550,000 units in the modern era, was never really deemed a commercial success. Which is why it has since been replaced by an electric crossover.
But is said electric crossover any good? And what is the Aceman really about anyways?
It’s Familiar Enough
The Aceman is an all-new nameplate, which means MINI had no legacy model to draw inspiration from when it came time to design the car. It probably explains why MINI really took their time with the styling of this car, with it first being unveiled as a concept car in 2022.
The Aceman Concept not only debuted a new era of MINI design, but gave the brand an opportunity to gauge public response to this new vehicle. It even made an appearance at the 2024 Singapore Motorshow too.
And yet there’s no mistaking this for a car from any other marque – it looks distinctively MINI at first glance. The wheels are in the far corners of the car, and it has that now-iconic front fascia. There’s a good mix of funky, quirky and sensibility to the overall design of the Aceman, making it undoubtedly a modern MINI product.
Our test car is finished in MINI’s Rebel Red, which weirdly works very well with the bronze highlights scattered throughout the exterior of the car. This hue has also been applied to its wheels, which have a retro-esque design that, again, suits the rest of the car to a tee.
And Even More So Inside
With a general standardisation of interior designs across its line-up, there’s no stronger link to the rest of the MINI family than in the Aceman’s interior. As with the regular Cooper and Countryman SE, the dashboard is finished in a patterned fabric.
You no longer get an instrument cluster. Instead, the head’s up display serves to display all of your driving information, with everything else displayed on its 240mm diameter round OLED screen. It looks excellent – all new MINIs look and feel properly up-to-date, though the infotainment screen can be a touch laggy should you scroll through its sub-menus a little too quickly.
You sit surprisingly low in the Aceman, with seats that offer excellent bolstering. I also really like the materials used here, which feel really premium to the touch. Space up front is good for the driver and the passenger, and as an added bonus, both front seats are fully electric.
In the back, the Aceman has more room than in the rear of the J01 and the F65. But you’d expect that, considering it is more than four metres long. For some context, the J01 is 3,858 mm long, and the F65 is 3,876mm long. Headroom and knee room is superior here too, with a better overall seating position than in the Cooper E.
It’s Familiar on The Go Too
Peel back that compact crossover body and you’d find the same general chassis and platform that was also used to build the J01. This means that the two cars feel very similar to drive. They are both very stiffly sprung, though the ride in the Aceman is marginally better, perhaps due to its longer wheelbase.
Powering the Aceman SE is a front-mounted 215 bhp electric motor. It has a 54.2 kWh battery pack, which MINI claims is good for a range of 407 kilometres. Throughout my four-day test drive, I averaged around 7.4 km/kWh, which works out to be around 400 kilometres of total range.
Keep in mind that this is inclusive of some spirited driving. And on that front, as a result of its sporty Cooper base, the Aceman actually drives very well. It retains that agile, dartiness that MINIs are known for, though there’s a general lack of sensation when you try and center the steering wheel.
One-pedal driving works solidly in the Aceman, with the friction brakes really only needed in an emergency. All in all, it is a very mechanically impressive vehicle, and a fantastic addition to the MINI line-up globally.
An Ace Up MINI’s Sleeve
Which is a very important thing, as it ensures the iconic British marque can weather the automotive storm that we are experiencing right now. With plant closure plaguing other car makers internationally, and with sky high COE prices deterring new car buyers here, even storied marques are struggling.
The move to replace a wagon with a crossover makes financial sense, as car buyers are more ready to accept a compact SUV over a wagon. Usually, I’d be sad to see a wagon go, but in this case, the Aceman is a compelling enough product that I don’t even mind it replacing the Clubman.
MINI has packaged a car that is practical, fun-to-drive and is already fast becoming a staple in its line-up globally. The Aceman then, is really an Ace up MINI’s sleeve.
