PressClub South Africa · Article.
The MINI Countryman
Tue Dec 04 13:36:14 CET 2012 Press Release
1. Fun has no limits. The MINI Countryman. The MINI Countryman will take the hallmark driving fun of the brand into a new dimension, when it goes on sale in South Africa in the fourth quarter of 2010. This is the first MINI to come with four doors and a large tailgate as well as a versatile interior offering space for up to five people. The MINI Countryman is the first member of the MINI family with a body measuring more than four metres in length and which can be ordered as an option with all-wheel drive. With these features, in addition to the Countryman’s raised seating position and optimised ride comfort, the world’s only premium vehicle of its kind crosses the boundaries of urban mobility to take the trademark MINI feeling into new dimensions and win over additional target groups.
Press Contact.
Edward Makwana
BMW Group
Tel: +27-12-522-2227
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Author.
Edward Makwana
BMW Group
The latest generation of petrol and diesel engines.
When the MINI Countryman goes on sale in South Africa in the fourth quarter of 2010, two petrol engines will be available at launch. Both the MINI Cooper Countryman (90 kW) and the 135 kW MINI Cooper S Countryman, whose 1.6-litre four-cylinder engines are the most efficient units in their displacement class, meet the EU5 exhaust gas standard in Europe and the ULEV II standard in the USA.
MINI ALL4: Breaking new ground in driving fun.
Optional MINI ALL4 all-wheel drive allows the driving fun you
expect from the brand to be experienced off the beaten track as
well. The permanent all-wheel-drive system’s quick and precise
responses to changing conditions provide
a new, traction-led
expression of the handling talents for which MINI is famed. An
electromagnetic centre differential positioned directly on the final
drive varies the distribution of power seamlessly between the front
and rear axles. The ALL4 system is available for the MINI Cooper S
Countryman only.
Newly developed suspension combines quintessential MINI
agility with outstanding ride comfort.
With its precise handling and captivating agility, the MINI
Countryman transplants the driving characteristics associated with
the brand into a new vehicle concept. These attributes are
complemented by outstanding ride comfort, equipping the Countryman
perfectly for a wider range of usage. Underpinning this is
sophisticated new suspension technology, which includes a front axle
with MacPherson spring struts and forged track control arms,
multi-link rear suspension and the electromechanical power
steering system EPS. The MINI Countryman comes as standard with the
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system.
Design: Undeniably an individualist, unmistakably a MINI.
The MINI Countryman exudes an air of originality, robustness and
versatility. Four doors and a large tailgate, a striking roof shape
and an upright front end reinforce its status as an individualist
within the MINI ranks. Other distinctive features are its MINI
proportions and design cues. Short overhangs, a high window line,
the wrap-around look of the windows and the car’s powerful
over-the-wheel stance create a familiar appearance
transplanted onto larger exterior dimensions. Elsewhere, the
Countryman provides a fresh interpretation of characteristic MINI
features, such as the hexagonal radiator grille, large headlights
set into the bonnet, side indicator surrounds, voluminous wheel
arches and vertical rear light clusters.
Versatility and innovative details deliver cutting-edge functionality.
The rear three-seat bench of the MINI Countryman slides
fore-and-aft individually or in a 60 : 40 split, the angle of the
backrests can be adjusted, and the backrests can be folded down
either individually or in a 40 : 20 : 40 split –
all of which
allows luggage capacity to be increased from 350 litres to a maximum 1,170 litres.
Top-class standard equipment.
The MINI Countryman includes a high level of standard equipment and, in typical MINI fashion, a wide range of customisation options are also available. These include exterior paint finishes and interior colours designed exclusively for the Countryman, a host of upholstery variants, trim elements and model-specific equipment items, and high-quality audio and navigation systems.
2. Description in brief. |
• With the addition of the MINI Countryman as the fourth variant in its model family, MINI is taking the inimitable MINI feeling into a new dimension. The MINI Countryman crossover bridges the gap between the classic MINI concept and a contemporary Sports Activity Vehicle. Its broader range of abilities in both urban use and beyond paves the way for larger and evolving target groups with a greater need for space and flexibility to experience the driving fun that comes with a MINI. The brand’s first model to feature four doors and a wide-opening tailgate, the Countryman offers more space – which can be used in a wide variety of ways – to go with its raised seating position and optimised ride comfort. Plus, the “go-kart” feeling for which MINI is a byword has been preserved and takes on a new dimension with the optional MINI ALL4 all-wheel-drive system. The MINI Countryman expresses the defining virtues of the brand in terms of design, premium quality, handling, efficiency and the scope for customisation – and does so in an absorbingly individual way.
• The MINI Countryman manifests an effective and
assured development
of the brand’s design language. The new
model combines larger body dimensions, increased ground clearance and
four side doors with the hallmark features of MINI design. Short
overhangs, a high window line,
a commanding over-the-wheel
stance and the wrap-around look of the windows – extending all the way
around the vehicle – create typical
MINI proportions. The
Countryman provides a fresh interpretation of classic MINI features,
such as the roof line, hexagonal radiator grille, large headlights set
into the bonnet, side indicator surrounds, capacious wheel arches and
vertical rear light clusters.
• Using the MINI design language as a starting point, the stand-out features of the MINI Countryman are showcased in fitting style. The upright front end exudes presence and helps to optimise pedestrian protection. The increase in interior space is emphasised by large glass surfaces, the four-door layout by the distinctive contours of the roof. The extra-wide border around the lower part of the body and powerfully bolstered wheel arches are a nod to the robustness of the vehicle and its all-wheel drive. The precise transposition of the MINI style into a new vehicle segment ensures that the MINI Countryman comes across as a totally new type of vehicle and yet is instantly recognisable as a MINI.
• The interior of the MINI Countryman is very much in keeping with the brand’s familiar style but boasts a selection of new design and functional elements. The slightly raised seating position allows easy entry, optimises the driver’s view over the road and reinforces the powerful character of the new model. The Centre Speedo and air vents are bordered by coloured rings.
• The MINI Countryman comes as standard with a three-seat bench at the rear, making it MINI’s first 5-seater. Its interior enhances comfort over long journeys with generous legroom, headroom and shoulder room. The rear seats can be moved forwards and backwards individually or in a 60 : 40 split, the angle of the backrests can be adjusted and the backrests can be folded down either individually or in a 40 : 20 : 40 split, all of which allows luggage capacity to be increased from 350 litres to a maximum 1,170 litres.
• The MINI Countryman will be available with two petrol engines at launch. All the drive units are sourced from a new generation of engines optimised using the BMW Group’s development expertise. And they all meet the EU5 and ULEV II exhaust emission standards. Output ranges from 90kW in the MINI Cooper Countryman to 135 kW in the MINI Cooper S Countryman. With its twin-scroll turbocharger and direct injection now complemented by fully variable valve management, the 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in the range-topping model offers by far the best balance between output and fuel consumption in its displacement class. A six-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic is available as an alternative to the standard six-speed manual.
• The MINI Cooper S Countryman can be ordered as an option with MINI ALL4 permanent all-wheel drive. Here, an electromagnetic centre differential positioned directly on the final drive varies the distribution of power seamlessly between the front and rear axles. In normal driving conditions up to 50 per cent of the drive is sent to the rear wheels, in extreme situations as much as 100 per cent. The result is a new, traction-led expression of the agile handling for which MINI is famed. This ability is underpinned by sophisticated new suspension technology, which includes a front axle with MacPherson spring struts and forged track control arms, multi-link rear suspension and the electromechanical power steering system EPS.
The MINI Countryman comes as standard with the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system. Available as an option are Dynamic Traction Control (DTC, standard on the MINI Cooper S Countryman – both with front-wheel drive and ALL4 all-wheel drive) and an electronic locking function for the front axle differential.
• A crash-optimised body structure with precisely defined load paths and deformation zones ensures exceptional passive safety. Standard safety features include front and side airbags, plus side curtain airbags for the front and rear seats, three-point inertia-reel seat belts on all seats, belt tensioners and belt force limiters at the front and ISOFIX child seat attachments in the rear. A Tyre Defect Indicator also comes as standard, while runflat tyres are also available as standard.
• New model-specific equipment features have been
added to the usual extensive selection of exterior and interior
customisation options available for the MINI. A newly configured range
of interior colours, trim elements and upholstery materials allows for
particularly harmonious combinations. Air conditioning, the MINI
Centre Rail and an audio system with CD player are all fitted as
standard, while the model-specific array of optional equipment items
and accessories available for the MINI Countryman includes
high-quality audio and navigation systems as well as mobile phone
interfaces with full integration capability for the Apple iPhone or
other smartphones. Customers can also specify a large panoramic
sunroof, Adaptive Headlights with xenon light, a heated windscreen,
a trailer coupling, 16- to 19-inch light-alloy wheels, sports
suspension (with the vehicle height lowered by 10 mm / almost
0.4") and
John Cooper Works performance components.
• Engine variants:
MINI Cooper S Countryman: Four-cylinder petrol engine
with
twin-scroll turbocharger, direct injection and fully
variable valve management based on the BMW Group’s VALVETRONIC
technology.
Displacement: 1,598 cc,
output: 135 kW at
5,500 rpm,
max. torque: 240 Nm at 1,600 – 5,000 rpm
(260 Nm with Overboost).
Acceleration 0–100 km/h:
7.6 seconds,
top speed: 215 km/h.
Average fuel consumption
according to EU standard:
6.1 litres/100 km,
CO2
emissions: 143 g/km.
MINI Cooper Countryman: Four-cylinder petrol engine
with fully variable valve management based on the BMW Group’s
VALVETRONIC technology.
Displacement: 1,598 cc,
output: 90 kW at 6,000 rpm,
max. torque: 160 Nm at
4,250 rpm.
Acceleration 0–100 km/h: 10.5 seconds,
top
speed: 190 km/h.
Average fuel consumption according to EU
standard:
6.0 litres/100 km (47.0 mpg imp),
CO2 emissions: 140 g/km.
• Exterior dimensions:
Length:
4,097 millimetres (MINI Cooper S Countryman:
4,110 millimetres)
Width: 1,789 millimetres
Height:
1,561 millimetres
Wheelbase: 2,595 millimetres
• Pricing will be announced closer to launch.