MINI SUV: The Crossman

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:26 am

pics from Autoblog.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:39 am

Cline, your wife's new car has arrived. Time to call the sign shop!

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:53 am

Dang, I kinda like it. Way better than the Clubman, that's for sure.

--Donnie

Carl Fisher · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2010 11:46 am

I heard MINI plans to use this model as the basis for their WRC entry...

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2010 3:02 pm

press release: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/20/mini-countryman-crossover-officially-unveiled/

Officially Official: Mini unleashes the floodgates on Countryman crossover

Following yesterday's leaked images and teaser video, Mini has today officially opened the floodgates of pictures and information on its new Countryman crossover. According to parent company BMW, the Countryman is "a new dimension" and "genuine crossover [that] bridges the gap between the classic concept of the Mini and a modern Sports Activity Vehicle." Judging from the images, it's hard to argue with that assessment.

As you can see, the Countryman gets four regularly hinged doors plus one conventional tailgate. We can also see that the CUV sits a bit higher off the ground than other Mini models and the company says it's raised the seating position a smidge. The other big alteration from Mini's previous models is the addition of all-wheel drive that can send up to 100 percent of the torque to the rear wheels.

Speaking of torque, the Countryman seems likely to get the full suite of available Mini engines both here in the United States and abroad. That means we'll see both a normally aspirated 1.6-liter as well as a turbocharged 1.6 that will come with fully variable valve timing for the first time, bumping power to 184 horsepower. Unfortunately we can't say for sure if the U.S. model will get that power increase, or the Brake Energy Regeneration and Auto Start Stop features that Europeans enjoy.

Inside, the Countryman gets a typically Mini-esque dash, door panels and seat designs and is available with the brand's first-ever three-across rear bench. That back seat is a split-folding design, and cargo capacity jumps from 350 to 1,170 liters (12.2–41.0 cu ft) when it's down. There's plenty more to glean from the official press release – so typical of Mini (read it all the way through for a good morning laugh) – after the break, and be sure to check out our high-res image gallery below. We'll know more details, like pricing and availability, when the Countryman makes its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show in early March.

Keith Vail · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2010 3:47 pm

Wow! I actually kind of like it.

clinehall · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:08 pm

Vincent Keene wrote:

Cline, your wife's new car has arrived. Time to call the sign shop!

VK Fuv off. not really, been waiting for an excuse to say that. VK will understand, rest of you fuv off.

Anyway, I might like it, I tried to like the clubmen. Wife been in same car for 5 years, that's 25 in wife years, and is driving me crazy for something new. She wanted a clubman, I did not like it at all. Would have had to buy if the dumb*** salesmanger hadn't run her car into the one we were looking at.

clinehall · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:10 pm

Sort of looks like the love child of a Mini and Porsche Cayenne

Michael Czeiszperger · **Joined:** Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:35 am **Posts:** 861

Keith Vail wrote:

Wow! I actually kind of like it.

Yes, but will it be good for rallycross? I'm assuming it'd be too heavy for autocross compared to the Cooper or Clubman.

Michael Czeiszperger · **Joined:** Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:35 am **Posts:** 861

clinehall wrote:

Anyway, I might like it, I tried to like the clubmen. Wife been in same car for 5 years, that's 25 in wife years, and is driving me crazy for something new. She wanted a clubman, I did not like it at all.

The dealer loaned us a JCW Clubman for a few days, and we really liked the thing-- it handled better than our Cooper-S in my opinion and the JCW made it a little rocket.

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

clinehall wrote:

Sort of looks like the love child of a Mini and Porsche Cayenne

The Cayenne should ask for a DNA test - this is *way* better looking :lol:

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Thu Jan 21, 2010 5:26 pm

clinehall wrote:

VK Fuv off. not really, been waiting for an excuse to say that. VK will understand, rest of you fuv off.

LOL! I wonder if Chuck Lorre knows some people are actually reading that stuff?

Judi Westerfield · **Posted:** Thu Jan 21, 2010 5:51 pm

Vincent Keene wrote:

clinehall wrote:

VK Fuv off. not really, been waiting for an excuse to say that. VK will understand, rest of you fuv off.

LOL! I wonder if Chuck Lorre knows some people are actually reading that stuff?

Chuck Lorre has got to know. That stuff is priceless sometimes. Glad Sonya told me about it.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Thu Jan 21, 2010 5:54 pm

Judi Westerfield wrote:

Vincent Keene wrote:

clinehall wrote:

VK Fuv off. not really, been waiting for an excuse to say that. VK will understand, rest of you fuv off.

LOL! I wonder if Chuck Lorre knows some people are actually reading that stuff?

Chuck Lorre has got to know. That stuff is priceless sometimes. Glad Sonya told me about it.

Without a DVR there's no way you could read it though. I'll bet only 10% of the viewers have even noticed it.

Judi Westerfield · **Posted:** Thu Jan 21, 2010 6:33 pm

By the way, I like the looks of this car a whole lot better than the clubman.

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