MG Motor

What: MG5 BEV small wagon
Variants: SW EV 
When: H1 2021
How much: S$116,000 

No single model has provided the electric car market in Singapore its big bang moment, but if you believe in choice, the MG5 EV is good news. It joins the ZS EV (an SUV) in providing battery-only motoring at nearly the same price as a petrol equivalent. The MG5 has 115 horsepower and its 52.5kWh battery serves up 344km on a single charge according to WLTP ratings, although MG says it could travel more than 440km if driven only in the city.

Although it has a slightly smaller footprint than, say, Toyota’s Corolla Altis, the wagon shape means its boot is a useful 464 litres in capacity, rising to 1,456 litres if you drop the rear seats. Like other electric cars, it’ll be quieter, smoother, more responsive and cheaper to maintain than a petrol rival. Will it tempt the average car buyer to make the switch?

What: HS midsized SUV
Variants: PHEV
When: H1 2021
How much: S$125,000 without COE

MG Motor’s relaunch in Singapore a year ago has gone well — in one particularly solid month last year it put more than 90 new cars on the road. It’s the HS that has brought the bacon home for the brand. The 1.5-litre turbo SUV is well-equipped, decently put together and offers tremendous value for money.

A new plug-in hybrid electric version joins the lineup here this year. It combines battery and petrol power to give the driver 258 horsepower to play with, but if you’re keen on its zero emissions abilities the 16.6kWh battery should deliver around 50km of pure electric range. 

Mini

What: Paddy Hopkirk Edition small hatchback
Variants: 3 Door Cooper S, 5 Door Cooper S, John Cooper Works
When: Q1 2021
How much: From S$180,000 

Mini loves its special editions, to name just two in recent times there was the 60 Years edition in 2019, and the Sidewalk edition in 2020.  This one for 2021 bears the signature of Paddy Hopkirk, the plucky Northern Irish bloke who slung a Mini Cooper S home in first place at the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally, leaving rivals in more powerful but less nimble machinery flummoxed in his wake. The moment made Mini, but follow-up victories at Monte Carlo over the next two years set the car’s iconic status in stone.

The Paddy Hopkirk Edition celebrates that first victory with various design flourishes, such as a white stripe that bears Hopkirk’s autograph and a 3D graphic that reads “33 EJB”, the number plate of his original winning Mini. Decals display Hopkirk’s competition number prominently on the doors. Other flourishes include piano black trim inside and out and a keycap with the number “37”. Eye-catching stuff, to be sure, but the real reason Mini comes up with special editions is that they simply sell well. 

What: John Cooper Works GP Inspired Edition hatch
Variants: 3 Door 2.0 turbo
When: Q1 2021
How much: S$206,000

Last year saw eight units of the hardcore John Cooper Works GP blaze into town… and promptly get snapped up. Here’s your chance for another crack at the car… sort of! The JCW GP Inspired Edition is a styling homage to the proper GP, and does without most of the go-faster mods. It has the same 2.0-litre turbo engine as the regular Cooper S, but ‘only’ 230hp compared to 306hp of the JCW GP.

It does however try to capture that car’s raciness, so it gets exclusive Racing Grey Metallic paint with a Melting Silver Metallic roof, along with the mirror caps and JCW rear spoiler in piano black. The 18-inch JCW Cup Spoke two-tone alloy wheels come with GP-badged wheel hub caps.

The lamps, door handles, filler cap, front grille surround and Mini badges are an orgy of piano black, and inside you’ll find sporty seats, plus you’ll have the chance to play “count the GP logos”. Some cabin bits are 3D printed, because they’re low-volume. Just like the car itself, although the final allocation for Singapore hasn’t been decided yet.

What: John Cooper Works performance hatch facelift
Variants: 3 Door, Convertible
When: Q3 2021
How much: S$200,000

Likewise, the hot-to-trot John Cooper Works models get a second facelift. Mini has yet to show off how the revised cars will look, but spy shots suggest the cars will see their looks toned down and simplified, especially in the chin area. A larger front grille is coming, too. It should let the requisite amount of air into the engine bay as the existing scoops on the bumper are either slimmed down or eliminated. If you’re curious, CarBuyer.com.sg test drove the current model back in 2018 to see what the fuss was about.

What: Mini small hatchback facelift
Variants: One, Cooper, Cooper S /3 Door hatch, 5 Door hatch, Convertible
When: Q2 2021
How much: From S$117,000 with COE (estimated)

UPDATE: Here are all the details of the refreshed MIni line-up, and our test drive of the revised Mini One 5-Door

The classic “new” Mini hatchback (meaning the F56 3 Door and the F55 5 Door) and Convertible (F57) family get a facelift this year — or “Life Cycle Impulse”, in BMW-speak. Waitaminute, I can hear you say, didn’t they just get their LCI in 2018? They did indeed, but they’re getting a second one. BMW said last year that the current platform that supports these cars is getting its life extended (translation: the next Mini has been delayed). Part of the blame lies with Brexit (the cars are made in England and BMW didn’t want to commit to the huge costs of tooling up the factory for a new model until the dust settled on UK-EU negotiations).

Anyway, the second LCI for these Minis will see light changes: expect new bumpers (again), and likely the addition of the semi-digital instruments now found in the Countryman. More important, it seems likely the Cooper S models will see their 2.0-litre engines drop from 190hp to 178hp as they trade power for cleaner exhaust. Wonder what the current models are like? CarBuyer.com.sg has reviews of the Cooper S Cabriolet and One 5-Door. 

What: Cooper SE BEV hatchback facelift
Variants: 3 Door
When: Q3 2021
How much: S$157,000 with COE (estimated)

UPDATE: The facelifted electric Mini has arrived, and you can check out our review here

Only a year after its launch here the electric Cooper SE (sometimes called the Mini Electric) will also get a facelift, although it’ll be the first one for this particular model. Expect changes to bolt-on parts such as bumpers, the front grille, wheels and wing-mirrors. What’ll be more interesting is whether the electric Mini will get a bump to battery capacity. Currently its batteries have 28.9kWh of net capacity, which is good for 242 to 270km of range. A 20 percent jump would make 300km possible and broaden the Mini’s appeal, if you ask us.

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