Official - New Mini Countryman

Following the leaked pictures that we reported on yesterday, today the Global BMW group have announced that they are to release a new Mini.


Still without a confirmed name, ‘Countryman’ is one of the names that the new Mini will be released under, different names will follow depending on global markets. The pictures shown are the Mini Cooper S Countryman (in white) and a Mini Countryman (grey).

                      

BMW have confirmed that they will release the crossover vehicle to go between the classic Mini and a new wave of modern sports activity vehicles such as the Honda CR-V.

      

The Countryman will be a front wheel drive car, with an optional all-wheel-drive system (ALL4) with raised suspension to give that elevated viewing platform in higher cars. The shape of the body is somewhat similar to the Mini Clubman, but with the extra 2 doors, you can still tell it is a Mini.

The new Mini Countryman will come with four seats as standard, a 3-seat rear bench is available for no extra cost and the load capacity a massive 1170 litres. Also with standard start/stop technology and a gear change indicator. A new feature in the Mini Countryman is the ‘CentreRail’ where the prolonged dashboard runs all the way down the centre of the car for extra storage, combined with ambient lighting; this becomes a feature of the interior

     

Three petrol engines and two diesels will be available in the new Mini - all mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox or an optional Steptronic 6-speed automatic gearbox. Keeping with tradition, the engines will be BMW units. Starting from a 90bhp Mini One D Countryman to the 184bhp Mini Cooper S Countryman, with the infamous twin-scroll turbocharger, but also with the new Cooper S Countryman, the engine has Variable Valve Management, which is similar to Honda’s VTEC and VVT-i found in Toyota engines.


Optional permanent 4-wheel-drive is available on Mini Cooper S Countryman and Mini Cooper D Countryman. This system uses a centralised differential, where under normal use, the vehicle uses 50% of the engines power to power the rear wheels, under extreme usages, the ALL4 system will use 100% of its power. Combined with DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) and optional DTC (Dynamic Traction Control),(standard on Cooper S and Mini Cooper D) the new Mini Countryman will be a safe and a stable drive.

                      

As usual the Mini Countryman range will come with usual Mini options, so you can customise your Mini to suit your personality. New interior colour options will give the customer a wider range of customisations. High end audio components and satellite navigation systems are also available from Mini as are telephone preparation. On the exterior adaptive xenon lights with adaptive lighting, a panoramic glass roof, alloy wheels ranging from 16 to 19 inches are also available. As usual with Mini, the John Cooper Works performance components are also available.


The new Mini Countryman will be officially launched at the Geneva Motor Show in February.

20-Jan-2010
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