Unsurprisingly (at least we think so) the Mini Countryman has had a gunning start to sales as it commences its campaign to expand the Mini niche while still being that funky icon. On sale since mid-September, already 1,763 units have been delivered to customers. Mini brand sales are up this year by 3.8 percent, with a late boost from the Countryman contributing to that increase.

BMW hasn’t given a market breakdown of those Mini Countryman sales but you can bet it’s likely to be big in Europe. The Countryman has everything going for it in this market; it’s stylish, cashes in on great brand image, is compact and fun to drive. We know that the Countryman on the Italian market, for example, has already experienced orders of about 1,563 units of which 60 percent of customers are male.

If we take that market as an example and calculate that the 1,763 figure is for deliveries, not just sales, we can assume that this model’s success will only get better. Take the news that 60 percent of customers are male and we wonder that Mini won’t achieve the corporate offroad image it was aiming for (this was specific to the three-door Mini Canyon expected to be developed but we think it’s a better fit than the family feel for the Countryman, anyway).

Continue reading: Mini Countryman sales and expectations

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The Mini Beachcomber concept will go into production and will most likely become a Mini Moke revival as it does so. According to reports, two versions of the Beachcomber concept are being developed, one of which will be the Moke and the other will be the new Mini Canyon Coupé.

The latter is a shorter, three-door version while the Moke will be very similar to the original Beachcomber concept. The current Mini Countryman platform is expected to be used although it will have a pillarless design to allow for rear-hinged rear doors on both sides of the car, adressing criticisms of the current single-rear-doored Clubman in right-hand drive countries.

The five-door Moke is expected to have the same aggressive styling and higher ride height as the Beachcomber concept and may even take inspiration from the Honda Element Crossover. The idea is to create a real open-air feel, though, and to that end we could see additions like lift-out roof panels, frameless doors and wind-down hatch window. That should be enough briny air to satisfy anyone.

Continue reading: Mini Moke revival and Mini Canyon to production

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