The Mini Countryman is a compact crossover SUV, and is the first such car to be launched under the Mini marque by BMW. The car was announced in January 2010, and formally launched at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show as the first Mini crossover SUV, and the first 5-door model. It is offered with a choice of two- or four-wheel drive (known as ALL4), and with 1.6 L petrol or diesel and 2.0 L diesel Inline-four engines in various states of tune. Sales started in September 2010 as a 2011 model-year vehicle.
The Countryman has a longer wheelbase, more interior room, and higher ground clearance than the Clubman. It uses the same engines as the Mini Hatch / Clubman range, but with an optional all-wheel-drive powertrain (marketed as "ALL4") to allow minimal off-road and rugged terrain driving. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on all models, with automatic transmission available on all petrol and diesel models except the 90 bhp One D.
| Mini Countryman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | BMW (Mini brand) |
| Production | 2010-present |
| Assembly | Graz, Austria (2010-) Chennai, India (2013-) Rayong, Thailand (2013-) Kulim, Malaysia (2013-) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Mini SUV |
| Body style | 5-door SUV |
| Layout | Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive |
| Related | Mini Paceman |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1.6 L I4 (One/Cooper) 1.6 L Prince turbocharged I4 (Cooper S) 1.6 L BMW N47 diesel I4 (Cooper D and One D) 2.0 L BMW N47 diesel I4 (Cooper D Automatic and Cooper SD models) |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual 6-speed automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,595 mm (102.2 in) |
| Length | 4,097 mm (161.3 in) Cooper S: 4,110 mm (161.8 in) |
| Width | 1,789 mm (70.4 in) (excluding mirrors) |
| Height | 1,561 mm (61.5 in) |
| Kerb weight | 1,265 kg (2,790 lb) (DIN), 1,340 kg (3,000 lb) (EU) |
Models[edit]
The model derivatives follow a similar pattern to the Mini Hatch, with a choice of One/One D, Cooper/Cooper D, Cooper S/Cooper SD and John Cooper Works derivatives. Countryman One is available with the 1.6 L petrol 98 bhp (73 kW; 99 PS) engine or as the One D with a 1.6 L 90 bhp (67 kW; 91 PS) diesel engine. The Cooper petrol 122 bhp (91 kW; 124 PS) and the Cooper D 112 bhp (84 kW; 114 PS), the Cooper S petrol 184 bhp (137 kW; 187 PS), the John Cooper Works 208 bhp (155 kW; 211 PS) and the Cooper SD diesel producing 143 bhp (107 kW; 145 PS). The availability of models varies between markets, with the USA and Russia not taking the One versions or any diesel powered models. The All4 all-wheel-drive option is available on variable models, again depending on the country.
Safety[edit]
| Euro NCAP test results | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mini Countryman (2011)[4] | ||
| Test | Points | % |
| Overall: |  | |
| Adult occupant: | 30 | 84% |
| Child occupant: | 41 | 83% |
| Pedestrian: | 23 | 63% |
| Safety assist: | 5 | 71% |
Production[edit]
Unlike the normal Mini range, the Countryman is not manufactured in Oxford, but in Graz, Austria by Magna Steyr, making it the first of the BMW era Minis to be manufactured entirely outside the UK.[5]
From April 2013 the Countryman is also assembled at BMW's plant near Chennai, India.[6][7] and at the BMW Manufacturing Thailand plant in Rayong from August 2013.[8] In Malaysia, the factory BMW to launch the Mini Countryman and S series Inokom Corporation plant in Kulim, Kedah in early 2013[9]
Marketing and reception[edit]
Pulitzer Prize winning automotive journalist Dan Neil suggested the Countryman had jumped the shark – that is to say the car pushed the Mini ethos beyond relevance, marking the zenith of popularity and the start of decline. Neil suggested that by making a vehicle that is longer, wider and taller, the company had forsaken the inner logic of the brand: excellent handling in a tiny size. In a March 2011 review titled What Part of 'Mini' Did You Not Grasp, BMW? , Neil wrote "with the Countryman, tiny sharks have been jumped."
Motorsport[edit]
In July 2010, Mini announced plans to enter the World Rally Championship (WRC),with the Countryman. Prodrive were selected to prepare the Countryman WRC and the factory team had its first test outing of the 2011 WRC season at the 2011 Rally d'Italia Sardegna, before taking on the full calendar in 2012 and 2013. In the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the RRC version had its first win at the 2012 Tour de Corse, driven by Dani Sordo.[12]
No comments:
Post a Comment