Mini Countryman Panamericana PHEV will tackle 16,000-mile trek

Wed, Mar 28 2018

In addition to the electric version of the classic Mini, the cheeky British BMW subsidiary has another battery-powered offering to electrify attendees of the New York Auto Show. This one is a special version of the Mini Cooper SE Countryman ALL4, slated for a particularly impressive journey. The Mini Countryman Panamericana Plug-In Hybrid — or, rather, three of them Â— will traverse the world's longest north-south roadway route, traveling from North America to Tierra Del Fuego, at the very southernmost tip of South America.

The biggest Mini gets a just a couple of upgrades for the high-mileage adventure, including tires with "emergency running characteristics" and a roof rack to carry a spare. The trip is meant to serve as a demonstration of the plug-in Mini's durability and performance, highlighting the benefits of a car combining electric mobility with traditional gasoline versatility. Its electric and gasoline motors provide a total of 224 horsepower, putting power to the front and rear wheels as needed.

Mini notes that the Pan-American Highway, or the Panemericana, covers a total of about 16,000 miles, and requires a boat ride to cross the incomplete inter alia near the border between Panama and Colombia. The journey covers a number of different climatic zones, mountains and jungle and a range of surfaces ranging from smooth highways to gravel roads.

Mini will be documenting the journey to the bottom of the world on its Instagram account. We'll be watching.

Related Video:

Featured Gallery Mini Countryman Panamericana Plug-In Hybrid

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News Source: Mini

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By John Beltz Snyder