Mini's got a new boss, and it's barreling towards a more electric future
Bernd Körber is a longtime vet of Mini and the BMW group, having done stints at both BMW and Mini in marketing, product planning and more.
Mini's got a new boss, and it's Bernd Körber, a longtime veteran of the BMW group who until recently served as head of global brand strategy for BMW. Koerber is taking over for Sebastian Mackensen, who is going to lead BMW's group sales in Germany, according to a press release from the brand on Monday.
Mini hasn't been what we'd call "thriving" in recent years, thanks to its uninspiring product line of cars of ever-increasing size and weight. We're quietly optimistic that some new leadership might give the company famous for its go-kart-like cars a spark of life.
Speaking of sparks, this transition occurs at an interesting time for the company, as it prepares to start production of its first fully battery-electric vehicle, the Cooper SE, at its factory in Oxford, England.
The brand's previous plug-in hybrid model, the Mini Cooper S E Countryman All4 wasn't a massive seller for the brand for several reasons. When we drove it, we felt that with just 12 miles of electric range possible, it was overpriced for what you got and even though the Cooper SE is expected to have ten times the range, that's still not much in a world where 200 miles is the norm.
"Bernd Körber is both experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to the Mini brand," said Pieter Nota, BMW AG management board member for Customer, Brands and Sales in a statement. "I'm looking forward to working with him as we drive Mini towards an electric, dynamic and urban future."
Körber is inheriting a tough job, but we're keeping some fingers crossed that he's able to right the ship and give us the fantastic little driver's cars that we've always loved from the brand.
