Autopoint Autonews

 

Autopoint Autonews

The New MINI Countryman

MINI is adding a sixth model to the the family, the MINI Countryman joining the MINI, MINI Clubman, MINI Cabriolet, MINI Coupe and MINI Roadster. The Countryman is a compact Crossover, the first 4-door MINI and the first with (optional) 4-wheel-drive. The extra ground clearance gives the Countryman a chunky appearance, whilst the overall styling retains the iconic appeal of the MINI. The Countryman is a lifestyle, fun vehicle with some off-road capability (4WD models).

The MINI Countryman comes with a choice of three petrol and two diesel engines, all new generation power units developed by the BMW Group and compliant with the EU5 and ULEV II emission standards. The power range extends from 66 kW/90 hp in the MINI One D Countryman all the way to 135 kW/184 hp in the MINI Cooper S Countryman. The 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in the top model comes for the first time not only with a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct fuel injection, but also with fully variable valve management offering by far the best balance of engine power and fuel consumption in its class. As a particular highlight of the MINIMALISM fuel efficiency concept, the MINI Countryman comes as standard and in appropriate combinations on each model with a wide range of features serving to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, among them Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start Stop, a gearshift point indicator, and on-demand management of the engine’s ancillary units. And as an alternative to the six-speed manual gearbox featured as standard, the petrol engine models are also available with six-speed automatic complete with Steptronic.

As an option the MINI Cooper S Countryman and MINI Cooper D Countryman are available with permanent MINI ALL4 all-wheel drive, an electrohydraulic differential positioned directly on the final drive varying the distribution from front to rear in an infinite process. Under normal driving conditions up to 50 per cent of the engine’s power goes to the rear wheels, under extreme conditions up to 100 per cent. The MINI Countryman features as standard: DSC Dynamic Stability Control, DTC Dynamic Traction Control coming either as an option or as a standard on the MINI Cooper S Countryman and the MINI Cooper D Countryman with ALL4, as well as an electronic limited-slip function for the front axle differential. There is alo a wide range of customisation options for both the exterior and interior, plus such options as an extra-large Panorama roof, Adaptive Headlights in combination with xenon headlight units, a heated windscreen, a towbar, light-alloy wheels ranging in size from 16 to 19 inches, sports suspension lowering the entire car by 10 millimetres or almost 0.4", as well as the wide range of John Cooper Works Performance Components.