There are official photos, there are spy shots, and then there are "official" spy shots. Released by the automaker, these snaps provide an advance look at an upcoming model. And Mini has become quite fond of the method. The latest - released on the company's Facebook page - depict the Paceman, an upcoming new body-style in the Mini line-up. "Powerful and agile," the Paceman is essentially a coupe version of the Mini Countryman with a sloping roofline and unique tailgate.

Earlier this month Dr. Kay Segler, senior vice president of Mini brand management, informed 1,000 fans at the Mini Takes the States cross-country rally that "the Mini Paceman is the official name of the brand's seventh model, which will be launched next year in the U.S." A live debut of the car is expected at November's Paris Motor Show. Engine options are expected to carry over from the Countryman, so look for a 1.6-liter four-pot with 120 horsepower and a turbocharged version in two states of tune: 181 hp and 215 hp.