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MINI Cooper Countryman ALL4 MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 MINI John Cooper Works Countryman

any kind soul knows when mini SG will launch the countryman model?

Mini says that it has stepped out of the ‘retro’ design philosophy and is embarking on a new era of design that will see the brand progress with a new distinct flavour that still maintains the core DNA of the brand’s iconic styling. Speaking to the Australian media at the Frankfurt motor show last week, the senior vice president of Mini, Sebastian Mackensen, said that with the appointment of a new head of design, the company is embarking on a new design challenge, one which remains critical to the brand as the styling of its vehicles are hugely important to its customer base. “The design is of utmost importance because Mini is a lifestyle brand,” Mackensen said. “I don’t like that word too much… but in the meaning of that word it is a lifestyle brand you don’t buy transportation, if you purchase a Mini if you want to drive from A to B, you can buy many different vehicles if you want to do that for smaller cost… so if you drive a Mini you buy emotion and driving fun and you also buy a certain statement and belonging to a brand, and part of that brand statement is not just the heritage and history of the brand but clearly as well the design.” According to Mackensen, changes coming to the brand will be noticeable however even a six-year-old child should be able to tell what is a new Mini from having been able to identify the current and older vehicles. “If he wouldn’t see a Mini driving around a corner and wouldn’t say a Mini, we would’ve made a mistake in the design but that doesn’t mean a Mini needs to look the same for 20 years in a row, that’s a fine line and I think we need to progress, every brand every design needs to progress but you need to have certain anchor points and staples that you shouldn’t play with.” As of this month, Mini has appointed Oliver Heilmer as its new head of design, having taken over from the previous boss Anders Warming who set off to design for the reborn Borgward marque. Meanwhile, any plans of Mini creating a larger model in the future appear to have been shelved, with the brand focusing on its core models and even further reducing its model range going forward. “We have no plans to stretch that further right now… We have reduced actually the complexity of the portfolio in recent years, because the Mini Paceman, the Roadster and the Coupe didn’t get successor models and we are happy with that decision because it’s the niche of the niche.” Mackensen admitted that whilst markets such as Australia may be able to absorb large Mini models, it’s still not on the brand’s agenda. “When we go into size, you might be able to absorb a bigger Mini but we have no plan to do a bigger mini beyond a Countryman.” Changes to the Mini design philosophy under Heilmer will become more apparent and visible with upcoming concept vehicles and future models.

Dear guys, Do you experience exhaust smell from your Mini countryman? My sis countryman bought slightly less than a year has this exhaust smell. It's not always but on and off. Went back to agent but couldn't detect anything. Appreciate any feedback. Tks!

Tuning company Carlex Design has decided to give the MINI Countryman a little steampunk makeover. Wait steam who? Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction characterized by a setting in which steam power predominates as the energy source for industrial technologies. A good example will be the movie Wild Wild West. The Poland based company coated the crossover in a hardened matte black with bright copper detailing on areas like the roof, wheels and other places. If you thought the outside looks 'normal', wait till you get in. The center console and dashboard have been retrimmed in brass, copper and brown leather. The copper theme continus on over to the hazelwood-rimmed steering wheel. There also seems to be an antique 19th century clock fitted in place of an airbag. It took nine months to complete the project.

Just a couple of months ago, Mini announced that they will expand their line-up with a new model and that model will be the all new Mini Paceman. The Paceman is styled as a coupe interpretation of the Countryman and it is set for a launch in the United Kingdom in March 2013. Four versions of the Paceman will be made available when it arrives, including the Mini Cooper S Paceman which will have a 0-100km/h timing of around 7.5 seconds. The seventh unique member of the Mini family will sit alongside the Hatch, Clubman, Convertible, Countryman, Coupe and Roadster. The Paceman has been created to appeal to a new type of design-conscious customer. The prominent horizontal lines and dynamic curved surfaces give the promise of sporting performance, yet there is an elegant simplicity to the overall form of the car. The three door Paceman is built on the Countryman platform. Bumper to bumper the car is 4,109 mm (4,115mm for the Mini Cooper S Paceman and Cooper SD Paceman), which makes it almost identical in size to its sibling. The upright front grille, complete with hexagonal radiator grille and broad chrome surround, gives the Paceman genuine presence. Its coupe-style stretched side profile features long doors, while the blacked-out pillars create a 'floating' roof concept, as already seen on the Mini Coupe. Available in either black, white or body colour, the roof gently slopes towards the rear of the car, ending at the spoiler. The horizontal arrangement of the rear lights, which accentuates the car's width, is a first for Mini. The Paceman is the only member of the brand's line-up to be identified by a rear nameplate. The car's interior has been designed specifically for this model. Its highlight is the innovative rear seat, which has been styled around a lounge concept. Two individual chairs provide generous levels of head, shoulder and knee room with outstanding comfort and support. Armrests have been integrated into the rear trim. A two section version of the Mini Centre Rail storage and attachment system (first seen in the Countryman) comes as standard. Paceman customers will have the choice of four powerful four cylinder engines, two petrol and two diesel. All come with a six speed manual gearbox, or the optional six speed automatic with Steptronic function for manual control. The base model will be fitted with a 1.6 litre engine that generates around 122bhp, with a 0-100km/h timing of 10.4 seconds. The Mini Cooper S Paceman will get a similar engine but tuned to deliver 184bhp and a 0-100km/h timing of 7.5 seconds. There are also two diesel engines offered. First is a 1.6 litre unit that makes around 112bhp and the flagship diesel model will get a 2.0 litre unit that churns out 143bhp. Mini

[extract] Lately, Mini is moving forward with the announcement of a commercial model, the Mini Clubvan. And now it seems that the Mini model range is expanding even further. Mini has announced that they will release the Mini Paceman next year. The announcement was made during an annual road trip event which is known as the

[extract] When the new Mini first emerged around 10 years ago, it was only available in one body type. In other words, there was only one model; the Mini hard-top hatchback. It was offered in several engine variations and trims (Cooper S, John Cooper Works, One, etc.). Five years later, the new Mini was offered in convertible form. Consumers did not have much choice when they look at the new Mini. It was either a hard-top version or a convertible. But starting from 2008, Mini has added two new models. Firstly, it was the Mini Clubman which was basically the estate or elongated version of the Mini hard-top hatchback. Two years later came the Mini Countryman. It was a crossover SUV and the company

definitely not girly! http://sharpautomobile.blogspot.com/2010/0...tryman-wrc.html http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/mini-wrc-2010-12-08

Young families who want a dash of chic in their choice of cars can rejoice, for the Mini Countryman has arrived in Singapore at last. The Countryman is the latest addition to Mini's burgeoning range of cars, and is the most practical model of all the Minis yet, which should suit couples who have just started easing into parenthood, yet want to experience the coolness of Mini ownership, for the Mini brand is now no longer restricted to the free and swinging singles. Personally, I am all for Mini expanding their range to cater to more market groups. There is no doubt that Minis are the epitome of style, and it's refreshing to see that they are now reaching out to even more people, which can only help to boost its brand image further. Of course, the Countryman is not the first Mini to be designed for families, for the Clubman saw to that. But the Countryman features four standard opening doors, as opposed to the Clubman's single rearward opening door on the right side of the car, and a tailgate that lifts open upwards, like a typical hatchback, against the split rear doors of the Clubman. So in that aspect, the Countryman is a more 'normal' family vehicle than the Clubman. The Countryman also has a longer wheelbase, and a raised ride height, so this will further enhance its appeal to families, with its SUV-like stance offering an added sense of security. As a young single myself, having space for the family might not be that much of a priority, yet I can see how the Countryman can appeal even to me. Driving around with the cachet of the Mini name, yet having the space and practicality of a family car, capable of ferrying people or things with ease. Certainly sounds good to me.

The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS 2011) that is to be held at Detroit early 2011 will be where BMW Mini launches its new Mini Paceman coupe concept.This 'maxi' Mini, is based on the Mini Countryman, a crossover SUV that looks like a Mini, but is really not very Mini in size (in reality closer in size and type to the Nissan Qashqai). Nowadays the lines between a coupe and an SUV must be so blurred that you can actually design a coupe from an SUV. These are indeed troubling times we live in. Anyway, the Countryman coupe or Paceman is a showcase that should appeal to the