Mini has now officially ruined its’ own name single handily. They have announced the release of their new SUV, the Countryman, to hit UK stores in September.
Things come in fours with this Mini. It is the first Mini to get four doors, four seats and a new four-wheel drive system, but the ‘ALL4’ drive system will only be available to those who purchase the Cooper S and Cooper D. With this option the torque will be split 50-50 between front and rear wheels, with the choice to send it all to the rear if things get slippery.
This Mini is still in touch with its smaller, original brother as all five launch engines, two diesels and three petrols, are all taken from the existing line-up. The Countryman has been designed to be road-focused allowing customers various options to improve the ride and grip available, armed with a sufficiently deep wallet of course.
While many SUVs on the market at the moment are packing high litre engines that are full of grunt, the Countryman stores a weak 181bhp 1.6 litre turbo, which is only available with the fastest model in the range, the Cooper S.
With all the extra space in the Countryman provides compared to other Minis, Mini has produced a glamorous interior. The first thing that will catch your eye is the rail that runs right through the middle, which Mini has named, well, the Centre Rail (genius). The rail allows you to attach a multiple array of moveable storage boxes to it. The two rear seats can replaced for a three-seater bench at no extra cost, which is nice of Mini as the other optional extras are certainly not for the people who are tight with their money.
While this may all sound glamorous for a new big Mini, prices for the basic model are expected to start at £17,000. Yes you read that correct. That is without any of the optional extras.
It is certainly a sexy looking car and a different approach from the bosses at Mini HQ, but it is certainly not a Mini that first made its name for its lack of size.
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