MINI launches the Paceman – it’s a mini Evoque!

Story: RALPH MORTON  

Wow! Just look at this. It’s called the MINI Paceman.

Based on the MINI Countryman – that’s the larger four-door MINI with four-wheel drive ability – the Paceman is a coupe version of the Countryman, but still with space for four adults.

With a steeply sloping rear roof, the new three-door MINI Paceman looks like a shrunken Range Rover Evoque.

And with prices starting at £18,970, the cost is shrunken too in comparison with the Evoque.

There will be four models available when the MINI Paceman goes on sale in March 2013.

• MINI Cooper Paceman: petrol 1.6-litre 122bhp, 0-62mph time of 10.4 seconds, economy 47.1mpg, CO₂ emissions 140 g/km, company car tax band 20%
• MINI Cooper Paceman S: petrol 1.6-litre 184bhp, 0-62mph time of 7.5 seconds, economy 46.3mpg, CO₂ emissions 143 g/km, company car tax band 20%
• MINI Cooper D Paceman: diesel turbo 1.6-litre 112bhp, 0-62mph time of 10.8 seconds, economy 64.2mpg, CO2 emissions 115g/km, company car tax band 18%
• MINI Cooper SD Paceman: diesel turbo 2.0-litre 143bhp, 0-62mph time of 9.2 seconds, economy 61.4mpg, CO2 emissions 122g/km, company car tax band 19%

MINI says  the Paceman has been created to appeal to a new type of design-conscious customer – that will be most small business owners, then.

But with company car tax rates as low as 18%, we reckon business drivers will be wanting one of these as their next company car!