All posts tagged mini countryman
Mini Moke revival and Mini Canyon to production
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
Mini Countryman WRC live at 2010 Paris Motor Show
The Mini Countryman WRC model is live at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, not only introducing the competition version of the new Mini compact SUV but also marking Mini’s return to rally car racing. The Countryman WRC has been developed by Prodrive and is equipped with a 1.6-litre turbo engine with all-wheel-drive. The WRC model will debut in some competitions in 2011, with full participation in the championship in 2012.
The Paris show has also proved an important opportunity for Mini to announce the initial interest and future popularity of its Countryman model. Perhaps considered a risky straying from the well-developed Mini niche, the Countryman is proving to appeal to customers who have traditionally been outside that niche but are attracted by the Mini brand. Specifically, Mini has announced that all models planned for production until February 2011 have been sold and so we can wait for more news about production increases in the new year.
Continue reading: Mini Countryman WRC live at 2010 Paris Motor Show
Mini Countryman test drive from Autocar
While clearly a more practical car to sit in, the Mini Countryman may prove a little disappointing for Mini afficionados who bought their car because it was great to drive and not necessarily great to look good in. We’re placing our bets though that the Mini Countryman will still win hearts through its cool design, superior marketing and overall general driving characteristics. The model itself marks Mini’s first venture out of its safe little niche (more on the Mini niche later) but the Countryman is still essentially Mini. Not an easy line to walk but one which Mini seems to have achieved, although the big question mark here is how much you’re getting for your money.
Mini Countryman viral videos: Doctor Bem
Do these new viral videos of the Mini Countryman work? I can’t help thinking that they’re a bit too out there for the offroad corporate market Mini had originally targeted as its first niche expansion but then that’s what happens when marketing gets out of the hands of the marketing department and into those of the viral video producers of the worl. The Doktor Bem & Ini videos are certainly quirky and perhaps in the Mini style we’re used to, but I would have liked something just a bit more sophisticated. Your thoughts? We’ve included just a few examples but go to YouTube for the whole lot if you’re interested.
Mini Countryman more pics
More Mini Countryman pics have been released where we get a closer look at the new super-compact SUV and some of its optional accessories. The Mini Countryman will be available in One, Cooper and Cooper S models and has various chrome combinations and tints including Light White, Pure Red, Bright Yellow, Light Coffee, Cosmic Blue and Oxford Green among others. We like the sound of the last one purely for its British overtones.
The Countryman One is equipped with a four-cylinder, 1.6 petrol engine with 98 hp and 153 Nm of torque. It comes with either a manual or automatic transmission with sprint times of 11.9 and 13.9 seconds respectively. The more sports Countryman Cooper has the same engine but with a powerstep of 122 hp and torque of 160 Nm. It is also available with the two types of transmission and has the same average fuel consumption and emissions as the One model.
The Countryman Cooper S has a 1.6 turbocharged engine with Valvetronic technology and direct injection. It reaches 184 hp and 240 Nm of torque, though we can imagine some Countryman tuning efforts coming up that may have even more fun with these figures. An overboost function achieves 260 Nm and acceleration to 100 km/hr takes 7.6 seconds. There is also an ALL4 four-wheel-drive version which, while slower on the road, should give that added offroad touch to those wanting it.
Mini Countryman coupe and commercial: developing the Mini niche
Could the Mini Countryman get to be as big as the original Mini revival itself…? This fantastic ad shows the Countryman’s ‘getaway’ slogan well and we can only say what a great response to the Audi A1 the car has been. Fresh and different, it shows that Mini might be able to take on other segments with all the fun it’s famous for.
In the meantime, rumours of a possible Mini Coutryman coupé have emerged. Described as one of Mini’s new ‘niche models’, the two-door Countryman is apparently already in design stage and could appear in 2013. It would be a kind of coupé-offroad model building on the success of the BMW X6 and providing some competition to the Range Rover Evoque. See below for the Countryman commercial which was filmed in Milan and around Lake Como in Italy.
Continue reading: Mini Countryman coupe and commercial: developing the Mini niche
Mini rally history video: Countryman takes on the WRC
As Mini takes its new Countryman model into the World Rally Championship with Prodrive, here’s a video on the history of Mini in rallying. It’s the seventh episode in the “WRC Access All Areas” series, and shows Mini in rallies of the 1960’s. Mini’s roots in rallying lie in its classic and small Cooper model, competing across all surfaces and enjoying much success despite its size.
In fact, seeing this video you might wonder why it’s taken Mini to get to the Countryman model before re-entering the championship. Hopefully the new compact crossover/SUV will prove it’s not just a trendy attempt to expand Mini’s participation in other segments. It’s not a lot to go by, but as we learned from the AutoExpress test drive, the Countryman still drives like a Mini should. With that and Prodrive’s experience, we could be looking at an exciting start for Mini in the WRC.
Mini Countryman test drive video
Here’s one of the first test drives of the Mini Countryman from the guys at AutoExpress. We’re not completely sold on the Countryman as a Mini but we get we’re their coming from with the need to play outside their own niche. The Mini brand is a very healthy one but in the face of any possibility that it might have a short life, the company is developing other models that expand the range.
The Mini Countryman is a kind of soft off-roader that may also give birth to a three-door model called the Canyon, designed to be an Evoque competitor and aimed at those wanting a funky corporate look. The Mini Countryman is not necessarily a ‘proper Mini’ in its looks or style, but apparently it drives like one.
If you want fun and quality together, but the regular Mini is a bit on the small side, this could be for you. It builds on the retro cool of the Mini brand, but expands its appeal to other prospective customers. We like the Mini Countryman less than a standard Mini model, but if the brand can pull this off, they might not have a best seller on their hands, but they’ll certainly be keeping the brand interesting and prosperous in the future.
Mini to enter World Rally Championship: the Countryman gets dirty
Mini could be set to enter the WRC in a partnership with Prodrive which could be announced this week. The rumours state that the new Mini rally car will be based on the recently released Countryman crossover and will be prepared at Prodrive’s Banbury base. While yesterday we questioned just where Mini was going with its brand image and models like the Countryman and slated three-door Canyon model, but all of a sudden the Mini crossover just got more interesting.
According to the rumour, the new rally entrant won’t be ready before the first four rounds of the 2011 World Rally Championship, but that it would enter in May at the Rally Italy. Prodrive hasn’t released any statements, previously denying partnership with Mini but revealing that it would re-enter the WRC from next season.
Source | Autocar
Mini three-door Countryman: where is Mini going?
The Mini Countryman crossover could be followed by a three-door model, currently dubbed ‘Canyon’, based on the Countryman platform but aimed at a slightly different market, described as the ‘corporate image’ demographic. The Mini Canyon would be a compact, four-wheel-drive vehicle and takes on the BMW ‘SAV’ label as a small, Mini sports activity vehicle.
According to reports, the Mini Canyon would compete with the Land Rover Evoque, although we were expecting it to be a much smaller vehicle than the new English SUV. It’s clear that the SUV market is developing and its corporate appeal has been ensured ever since luxury brands such as Porsche, with its Cayenne, entered the market.
Where, exactly, Mini wants to go with its image though, is anyone’s guess. It has been able to maintain its cute, quirky British image and is still considered and icon of retro style. But the new Countryman has radically changed that and a possible Canyon version shows that Mini is serious about expanding its product line-up.
Continue reading: Mini three-door Countryman: where is Mini going?
Three Mini Designer Cars for Life Ball 2010
Mini will again be taking part in the Vienna Life Ball, Europe’s biggest AIDS charity event that takes place ahead of the 18th edition International AIDS Conference, and this time it won’t be one fashionista Mini offered as a prize draw, but three different designer Mini models.
Francisco Costa of Calvin Klein will be designing the Mini Countryman, Diane von Furstenberg the Mini Hatch, while Kenneth Cole has the Mini Convertible to help the red ribbon cause.
The proceeds of the evening will go to amfAR (AIDS research fondation) and up to now the fashion liveried Mini’s designed by Missoni (2003), Ferré (2004) and Versace (2005), followed by Diesel in 2006 and Agent Provocateur (2008) and The Blonds for Katy Perry have totaled around 500,000 euros.
Mini Countryman live pics from Geneva and Countryman promo video
The 2010 Geneva Motor Show afforded us our first glimpse of the Mini Countryman live, and we’re a little nonplussed about this new Mini crossover and the departure from the core of the Mini brand. The Mini Countryman is a five-door Mini with the possibility of ALL4 all-wheel-drive and a differential with DSC which manage the torque distribution of the vehicle. We don’t have a problem with any of this technology per se, we just don’t really understand its inclusion on a Mini. We guess the only explanation lies in the pressure to frequently create something new for the Mini image, not to mention jumping on the SUV band wagon.
The Mini Countryman appeared with the new Mini One petrol engine line-up, and the Mini One cabrio model. The Countryman is available in the following engine options: One 98 hp, Cooper 122 hp, Cooper S 184 hp, One D 90 hp, and Cooper D 110 hp. The ALL4 option is available only with the Cooper S and Cooper D. After the jump is the first Mini Countryman video, where the philosophy behind the model begins to make more sense. Only time will tell whether that translates into sales or not.
Mini Countryman live at Geneva motor show
Continue reading: Mini Countryman live pics from Geneva and Countryman promo video
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