MINI Countryman – Official

It's the MINI Countryman. And it's official.

Well, we did say yesterday that now the first official pictures of the MINI Countryman have leaked out that BMW would have to get their act together and release proper information ahead of their scheduled reveal next month. And they have.

It’s the MINI Countryman. That’s official. Not the Crossman (which alwayseemed slightly unlikely) although MINI are saying it may be called something else in some markets. But they haven’t said what.

The Countryman is the first MINI to get four doors (we’re back to the ’4′ theme from the teaser) and optional 4WD – All4. The All4 system uses an electrohydraulic differential on the final drive which infinitely varies the drive front and rear. In normal driving the Countryman gets 50% of the drive to the rear wheels, but this can reach 100% if required.

Suspension up front is McPherson Struts whilst the back end get a multi-arm arrangement. Traction control is standard on the Cooper models which also get a limited slip diff up front. You also get a raft of ‘Eco’ stuff across the range, including brake energy regeneration, gearshift indicator and stop-start.

Choice of engines at launch will be three petrol and two diesel, starting out with the 89bhp diesel lump in the One D Countryman and going up to the 181bhp petrol in the Cooper S Countryman.

Back to the ’4′ theme, the MINI Countryman comes with four individual seats, although a three-seat rear bench is a no cost option. The back seats move back and forward and split 60:40. Load capacity is huge compared to every other MINI – up to 1170 litres with the seats down.

Inside it’s familiar MINI territory except for the full-length centre console. Standard kit includes AirCon and a CD player, with options including Panoramic Roof, SatNav, Sports Suspension and alloys choices up to 19″.

The MINI Countryman will start at around £17k in the UK when it launches in the Autumn. More detail in the MINI Countryman Press Release.

By Cars UK