2012 Mini Cooper S Base on 2040-cars

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New Mini Countryman shows its big bones

The latest crop of Mini models are larger than their predecessors, and these spy shots let us check out the upcoming Countryman, which could be the biggest vehicle from the diminutively named brand yet. This test car drops some camouflage from the previously spied examples, which gives us a much better look at the new design. Up front, the swirling camo panels do nothing to hide the Countryman's broad, mesh grille, and you can easily make out the shape of the oval headlights. These shots offer a clear look at the lower air dam, with round foglights flanking the central intake. At the rear, the Countryman gets Mini's traditional big taillights, and the exhausts poke out from each corner of the bumper. The next-generation Countryman grows longer and wider to increase interior volume, but the crossover rides on BMW's UKL platform like the rest of Mini's latest vehicles. We also anticipate it to share the same choices of three- and four-cylinder turbocharged engines. Like the recently revealed Clubman All4, expect all-wheel drive as an additional option. After the launch of the standard version, which could happen at the Paris Motor Show in October, the brand likely plans to fill out the Countryman range with a performance-oriented John Cooper Works variant and a greener plug-in hybrid model.

2014 Mini John Cooper Works Paceman All4

The One Mini Should Have Taken Rallying
It needs to be said: Mini using the Countryman as their World Rally Championship racer's bodystyle of choice has done them no favors on the marketing front. And that's what it's all about in motorsports these days: marketing and image. We have just driven the 2014 Mini John Cooper Works Paceman All4 through Frankfurt's surrounding rural areas, and even in thick snow where few souls dared to tread, it has singularly rekindled some faith in the John Cooper Works sub-brand - a glorious name whose credibility has been threatened by portly and somewhat pointless products like the JCW Countryman.
The JCW Paceman is a little quicker than its Countryman relative, a little lighter, hunkered down lower, and better looking. We can't say we're crazy anymore about the stock Chili Red details and black exterior they keep showing us at these launches, but that's just paint. Then there's that projected pricing of $36k-plus that puts us on the verge of yelling "¡No mas!" But the All4 system on our 215-horsepower Paceman worked extremely well when paired with a set of exceptional Pirelli Sottozero Winter 210 Serie II tires (sized 205/55 R17 91H all around). The combination of all-wheel drive and good rubber encouraged us to gradually up the average speed and enthusiasm the further we drove along.

2017 MINI Model Year Preview and Updates

The team at MINI, BMW's small car subsidiary, is taking its minimalist approach to motoring and – with the launch of the all-new Countryman (pictured above) – maximizing it. Built atop the same basic architecture as BMW's X1 crossover, the newest Countryman is larger in every dimension than its predecessor. And with the stretch, it becomes fully competitive in both space and performance (at least in Cooper S guise) with virtually all of its competition, including Audi's Q3, BMW's own X1 and Mercedes' GLA. Beyond the new crossover, for 2017 it's a proliferation of John Cooper Works performance models and the intro of Mini's first plug-in hybrid. It, too, plugs into the new Countryman, and is on showrooms in June, 2017. Finally, don't forget the countless ways you can personalize your Mini – or the countless costs when you've added that personalization to the window sticker. MINI HARDTOP: Mini's Media package is now standard on all Hardtops, while some packages previously standard – such as Mini Driving modes and Excitement lighting – are now optional within package groups. CLUBMAN: A high-performance John Cooper Works Clubman is where, according to MINI, 'race-inspired performance meets grown-up motoring'. It is also the first Mini to combine a JCW performance pack with Mini's ALL4 all-wheel drive. CONVERTIBLE: All-new in 2016, the new model year brings another application of John Cooper Works performance. This is the same 228 horsepower available in other JCW models; with the top dropped, however, it feels much faster. COUNTRYMAN: To hear Mini tell it, this is the biggest, most adventurous Mini ever. As noted, it's a stretched variant – in every direction – of its predecessor, and with the larger size comes more refinement. Also noteworthy: All trims and drivetrains include an expansive menu of standard equipment. Cooper and Cooper S versions are on showrooms in March 2017, while the plug-in hybrid – Mini's first in the US – arrives in June.