2013 Mini John Cooper Works Countryman Driven: The Un-Mini Gets Un-Screwed Up

At the Geneva auto show in March, Mini will unveil the John Cooper Works Countryman. But this week, high in the Austrian Alps, the company gave us the opportunity to try one ahead of its official debut. After flogging it through ice- and snow-bathed roads winding through the mountains, we have good news to report: This is the best Countryman by far, and it may very well be the best John Cooper Works Mini.

Something Old, Something New

Much of the John Cooper Works Countryman is carried over directly from the Cooper S Countryman with the Sport package. The ALL4 all-wheel-drive system, which drives the front wheels under normal circumstances but can direct up to 50 percent of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels, is identical here. ALL4 is also will be the only powertrain offered in the JCW model—unlike lesser Countrymen S, which are available with front- or all-wheel drive. The Sport-packed Cooper S Countryman already is 0.4 inch lower than the regular Countryman, and as we've experienced in our long-termer, rides plenty stiffly. With this in mind, we're relieved that Mini didn't give the JCW version an even harsher suspension setup. Our dental plan only covers so many repairs per year for chipped teeth.

A JCW aero kit adds a sportier front fascia and a new rear bumper. The snout is big in person, but when paired with the JCW Countryman’s lower stance, it removes some of the hatchback-on-stilts look of lesser models. Score one for the styling team.

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2013-mini-john-cooper-works-countryman-drive-review

MINI Dealers near Chicago

2012 Mini Cooper Roadster Priced: Base, $25,050; Cooper S, $28,050; JCW, $35,200

Mini recently revealed its new 2012 Roadster, a convertible version of its rakish Coupe, and now it has announced pricing. The base Cooper Roadster starts at a fairly reasonable $25,050. Next up is the turbocharged Cooper S, which rings in at a pricey $28,050. Finally, the range-topping John Cooper Works version will set you back an eye-watering $35,200. Those prices are between $2750 and $3300 more than an equivalent Mini Coupe.

The two-seat Roadster’s pricing is actually $600 cheaper in each spec than the Mini Convertible (which has two vestigial rear seats); we’d have expected it to cost more, given that Mini charges between a $1300 and $1800 premium for a Coupe over the standard Hardtop. Plus, the Roadster looks way cooler than the conventional Mini Convertible, so we’ll award points for avoiding a style tax. It must be noted, however, that a 412-hp, rear-drive 2012 Ford Mustang GT convertible costs just $305 more than the 208-horse JCW. If you prefer your top-down motor to be tiny and front-wheel drive, though, your first opportunity to purchase a 2012 Mini Roadster will be in February.

Read More: http://blog.caranddriver.com/2012-mini-cooper-roadster-priced-base-25050-cooper-s-28050-jcw-35200/

www.automobilemag.com: 2012 Mini Cooper S Coupe

Well, what do you get when you leap $10K in price from the Hyundai Veloster and the Volkswagen Beetle? You get a much sportier chassis, for sure, a much more energetic powertrain, and the best steering of the trio. You also get an incredibly harsh ride and lots of torque steer. This car scores high on performance and style, very low on value and utility. The equivalent Mini Cooper hardtop (the original, base car) is just as good to drive but has enough room for four people in a pinch or, say, four wheels and tires so you can drive to track day and swap them out. That said, I just checked the trunk again and this Mini does actually have a decent amount of cargo room.

Is the toggle switch new with this car? I don't recall using it on my drive in Vienna, but that was all on the track and we really didn't use many secondary controls. In any case, it's intuitive and it reminds me of similar multi-layered menus in other BMWs.

Harman Kardon stereo is great. Seats are great.

While sitting in the coupe on the first floor of the parking structure, I've just been accosted by an AATA bus driver, who loves this thing, says "they got it right. it's very sporty." Plus a woman and a couple who just got out of their stock Mini hardtop. The woman part of this couple asked, "Is it a convertible? Does the top come off?" It's interesting that this is her perception. The man was impressed that there's a movable rear wing "Oh, that's like on Porsches!" I told them that there is a roadster version coming next year and that I think it will be more popular.

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/editors_notebook/1110_2012_mini_cooper_s_coupe/viewall.html#ixzz1ckRiG6eV

Wisconsin MINI

Rumor: MINI Countryman Prodrive

Recent spy photos reveal that Prodrive is working on a production version of the MINI Countyman. The Banbury-based engineering firm developed the MINI Countryman WRC that runs in this year’s rally championship.

MINI WRC is powered by a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder Di turbo-charged engine. The power transmission takes place via an Xtrac 6-speed, sequential gearbox. For its outings on the rally stages, the MINI Countryman chassis has been fitted with a roll cage developed by Prodrive, which exceeds the strict safety.

But now, the company wants to bring a road-legal version of the Countryman WRC. According to Autocar UK, team principal and Prodrive boss Dave Richards has previously mentioned that Prodrive-tuned MINI road cars were possible.

The spy shots reveal a heavily modified all-wheel-drive Countryman Cooper S featuring a muscular body kit that includes a large fixed carbon fiber wing, along with custom unbranded alloy wheels.
Under the hood, the MINI Countryman by Prodrive would sport a Superchips-tuned version of the Cooper S’s turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine. A Prodrive-branded Milltek exhaust is fitted to the car. Sources close to Autocar reveal have indicated that the car outputs 230 hp on the dyno, but additional power can be squeezed out of the Superchips.

Read More: http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/10/24/rumor-mini-countryman-prodrive/

MINI Illinois Dealers

MINI E Meetup: End Of The Line For Electric Car 'Experiment'

After a two-year run, BMW’s MINI E adventure is nearing its end.
 
The car may seem old hat to people like Tom Moloughney, who has clocked over 65,000 miles on his MINI E--and who hosted the event at his restaurant.

But to the passers-by who stopped in to check out the cars, it’s still all new.

The top three questions remain, “How far can it go?”, “It really doesn’t take any gas?” and “How long does it take to charge?” We still have a long way to go before no one takes a second look at electric cars like the MINI E.

MINI E pioneers - the name that BMW have given to the few hundred of us who leased MINI Es - are both sad and happy. It's sad to see the end of the program that delivered us one of the most fun-to-drive cars we've ever used, but we're happy that its replacement will be here soon.

That car, the BMW ActiveE, promises even more refinement, even better driving dynamics and… this is a big one… four seats. Hurray!

We tell onlookers the MINI E is a “science experiment.” And as much as we love it, it has been just that: an experiment.

BMW took 450 standard MINI Coopers for the U.S. market and adapted them with a battery and drive system from AC Propulsion. The drive system is an adapted ‘tzero’ drive train that can also be found in a handful of low-volume specialist conversions: the ACP EBOX (a converted SCION xB), the Wrightspeed Arial Atom, and the Yokohama HER02 that just finished attacking this years Pike's Peak hill climb.

Read More: http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1067036_mini-e-meetup-end-of-the-line-for-electric-car-experiment

REVIEWS: First Drive: 2012 Mini Cooper S Coupe

Looking at the size of its lineup, Mini's portfolio is anything but mini. Currently, the automaker sells twelve different models based on four different body styles. By the end of the year, those figures will swell to fifteen and five, respectively. Come 2013, new additions like the Roadster, the Paceman, and the Goodwood will increase the model count to a Porsche 911-like twenty-two.

Is that overkill? It depends who you ask. Mini USA vice president Jim McDowell doesn't think that the firm is "slicing the salami too thin," but rather, launching new products catering to the unique wants and needs of different customer bases. In the case of the 2012 Mini Cooper Coupe, however, that base may be quite small.

All-New From The Waist Up
In some ways, the Coupe steps on the toes of other Mini models, particularly the standard four-passenger hatchback. From the beltline down, the two models -- in Cooper, Cooper S, or John Cooper Works (JCW) form -- are virtually identical, sharing powertrains, bodywork, and most chassis components with one another.

But when it comes to styling, the Coupe steps out from the hardtop's shadow. Much like the 2008 concept car of the same name, the Mini Coupe adopts a rakish, low-slung roofline, inspired in part by vintage tuner Minis like the Broadspeed GT. According to product planner Vinnie Keung, this not only is supposed to lend the car a more masculine feel, but also lure in buyers who long for the likes of an Audi TT or a Mercedes-Benz SLK but who may not have the means to acquire one.

To enhance that boy-racer feel, the Coupe's windshield rake is now thirteen degrees lower, while a rounded roof -- painted either black or silver -- breaks away from the two-box form traditionally associated with Minis. A spoiler is integrated into the trailing edge of the roof, and helps direct airflow towards another spoiler, which pops up from the stubby decklid at speeds above 50 mph.

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/driven/1109_2012_mini_cooper_s_coupe_first_drive/index.html#ixzz1ZMPkXHE6

REVIEWS: 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 - Four Seasons Update - September 2011

Months in service: 2
Miles to date: 4326

When we last left off with our Mini Countryman, New York Bureau Chief Jamie Kitman was about to set out in it on his annual family pilgrimage to PNC park to see the Pittsburgh Pirates. He reports:

"Well, the sales figures are in, and the Countryman is a winner, accounting for a third of Mini's worldwide volume, almost instantly. The purist in me is mildly offended -- the thing weighs 3300 pounds fer chrissake -- but I can understand why it's so popular: four doors, four-wheel drive, and the sort of usability that buyers of ordinary Minis and even the Clubman forego. As easily accessed back seat made possible a trip to Pittsburgh with my octogenarian parents (also Mini owners) in tow. And we averaged 30 mpg on the trip home, which is not too bad for a crossover with all-wheel drive."

Kitman gave props to the powertrain ("peppy and tractable, acceptably linear for a turbo"), the seats ("pretty supportive and comfortable"), the brakes ("peachy"), the roadholding, and the economy. In the debit column, he put the steering ("eager at first swipe, but in fact over-eager -- too alert"); visibility ("you'd have thought the extra height would result in improved visibility, but no"); the dash design ("Mini keeps mixing it up, but it's not getting any better"); the L-shaped handbrake ("pointless"); and, of course, the ride quality.

Oh, and the Pirates won both games, beating the Saint Louis Cardinals.

After Pittsburgh, the Countryman went on another road trip, this time to the Adirondacks, to escape the impending hurricane Irene (a plan that ultimately didn't work out so well). We had the car packed pretty full with three people, two coolers, and all the attendant luggage. There's a handy bit of extra storage space under the cargo floor and we also folded down one of the rear seatbacks (they do not fold flat). The biggest road-trip packing challenge, though, is up front, where there's almost nowhere to put anything.

On the empty rural roads in the Adirondack foothills, the Mini was really in its element, barreling up and down the inclines and zooming through the sweeping curves. Not so fun was the oxcart ride quality, which requires the driver to keep an extra-vigilant lookout for even the slightest road imperfections. When the rain finally arrived, we were impressed with the ALL4 all-wheel-drive system's ability to apportion the torque, such that we never saw the flashing indicator of the traction control system.

Back home, we gave the Countryman a well-earned wash in the driveway, and discovered that the chrome beltline molding isn't really chrome at all. It's plastic with a chrome-colored sticker on it. That sticker is too short in places, doesn't sit flush around corners, and is already coming unstuck.

Over the next few days, we made a couple runs into the city, where the Mini's tidy size was, predictably, a boon for slipping through Manhattan's clogged streets. Rear-seat riders continue to be impressed with the space back there, but the rear compartment would be more comfortable if the door armrests weren't molded plastic.

Read More: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1109_2011_mini_cooper_s_countryman_all4_september_update/index.html

MINI Coupe: “Another Day. Another Adventure.”

The “Another Day. Another Adventure.” international campaign will be launched to coincide with the world premiere of the new MINI Coupé at the IAA International Motor Show. MINI fans will be able to experience not only the sporty two-seater but also real driving fun through TV, print and the social web.

The new MINI Coupé is the latest member of the MINI family. The two-seater has a license for everyday adventure – as shown in the campaign. The “Another Day. Another Adventure.” slogan itself clearly signals that MINI is taking an unconventional approach with this campaign.

TV and print
The three TV commercials showcase the new MINI Coupé as the ideal companion for every adventure. The three locations of Rio de Janeiro, Iceland and Hong Kong promise fascinating landscapes and cultures.

In the “Sunday in Rio” TV spot, the MINI Coupé accompanies dancers to the legendary Carnival in Rio and transports viewers to a colourful world of samba. In “Tuesday in Iceland”, the MINI Coupé and its somewhat suspicious passenger are driving across a remote winter landscape; in the third, “Wednesday in Hong Kong”, a MINI Coupé driver “kidnaps” an attractive young woman in a breath-taking car chase. Acclaimed cameraman César Charlone, who was nominated for an Academy Award for best cinematography for his work in “City of God”, was brought in to shoot the films under the direction of Kevin Thomas of THOMAS & THOMAS Films.

The corresponding advertisements and billboards will also instil a thirst for adventure with the MINI Coupé. The locations used in the TV commercials also provide the background for print advertising.

Read More: http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/08/30/mini-coupe-%E2%80%9Canother-day-another-adventure-%E2%80%9D/

REVIEWS: 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 - Four Seasons Update - August 2011

Months in service: One
Miles to date: 1957

After taking delivery of the Mini Countryman at Mini HQ in New Jersey, our Cooper S Countryman All4 spent its first month in New York, where first impressions were formed and where we began to evaluate the relative merits of the equipment we'd ordered.

Right off the bat, we're liking the turbocharged engine, which seem more essential in this car than any other Mini, if only because of the Countryman's greater size and weight. It being mid-summer, all-wheel drive hasn't yet been able to show off its winter-weather advantages, but it's welcome even on dry, sunny days because it effectively vanquishes torque steer.

When pulling away from a stop, it takes a moment before the turbo kicks in, so if you don't rev the engine when you're slipping the clutch the car can bog down for a second (at that point, the hill-holder feature is often quite welcome). Then the turbo kicks in, and the Cooper S Countryman scoots ahead with characteristic Mini verve. Mini claims the 0-60 time to be 7.3 seconds (with all-wheel-drive and the manual transmission), significantly quicker than the base engine's 9.8 seconds (with the manual and front-wheel drive). So far, in mostly around-town driving, we're averaging 29 mpg, which is not bad at all -- although that is on premium fuel.

The shift action and clutch are getting full marks, as is the electric power steering. Mini does electric assist better than just about anyone. Despite its larger dimensions, the Countryman is nearly as zippy through traffic as the standard Mini. Alas, the ride is pretty harsh, which is also very much like the standard Mini. At this point, we're glad to have skipped the sport suspension, but we're thinking that the upsized, 18-inch wheels were probably a mistake. Impacts are sharp, and the car can skip sideways when you hit a bump on an off-ramp.

We used the Countryman to go out to dinner with another couple, which is not something you would do with any other Mini. There were no complaints from those riding in back. In fact, they were ooh-ing and ahh-ing over how cool the car was. That is, until we hit our first sharp-edged bump, which caused a very different expletive -- and a mumbled apology from the driver.

As to other features of this particular Countryman, opinions are still forming on the navigation system. It comes with a Mini version of BMW's iDrive, which is somewhat cumbersome to use. We have not, however, dialed in to all the system's features, so more on that anon. There is a little cell-phone cradle thing on the center console, but it's poorly located (under the center armrest); if you just drop your cell phone into one of the two cupholders instead, you've effectively used up half your stowage space.

As its first month was drawing to a close, New York bureau chief Jamie Kitman grabbed the keys and was setting off for Pittsburgh with his family to take in a Pirates game. Since our Countryman wears Pirates colors, maybe they got preferential parking. In any event, check back next month to see what Kitman had to say.

Read More: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1108_2011_mini_cooper_s_countryman_all4_august_update/index.html

Win A Trip To Cape Canaveral With MINI’s 10th Birthday Celebrations

MINI marks a decade of fun and stylish motoring with a launch into space and the chance to win a trip of a life time. Over a third of a million Brits have bought one, they’ve clocked up an estimated 15 billion miles on UK roads and have driven enough miles to go around the world 600,000 times or take 33,000 return journeys to the moon and back*…


In the summer of 2001 the very first BMW built MINI rolled off of the production line in Oxford, 10 years later MINI is celebrating a decade of motoring by taking its owners on a virtual trip into space.

MINI is inviting its owners and enthusiasts to log the details of their car into a virtual space world called ‘MINI Lunatics’ (www.mini.co.uk/lunatics). Using the car’s mileage, their MINI will be blasted into the depths of virtual space before being docked in the MINI space station.

Exclusive prizes are available for lucky owners who randomly dock in a part of the MINI space station where a prize is hidden. A trip for four to Cape Canaveral is also up for grabs for any ‘MINI Lunatics’ who find seven hidden words which have been carefully placed around the site. Users can enter the prize draw by clicking on the moon.

Extra special prizes are also up for grabs for drivers who have driven the equivalent distance to the moon. Drivers with 252,000 miles or more can register their MINI’s details to be in with a chance of winning special limited edition MINI memorabilia.

Read More: http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/08/11/win-a-trip-to-cape-canaveral-with-minis-10th-birthday-celebrations/

REVIEWS: 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 - Four Seasons Introduction

The Countryman is a big deal for Mini. It's likely to be the biggest selling of all the body styles added since the original hatchback. It's also the variant that most stretches the definition of what a Mini is. For these two reasons, we wanted to take an in-depth look at the Countryman, so we ordered one up for a Four Seasons test.

We went to the Mini configurator to spec it up, which was a lot of fun. All-wheel drive, a first for Mini, seemed important, and that necessitated stepping up to the Cooper S, with its 181-hp, turbocharged 1.6-liter engine. So that started us off at $27,650, which is $4300 more than the base, front-wheel drive, 121-hp Cooper Countryman.

To that we added the Cold Weather Package (heated seats, power folding mirrors, heated mirrors and washer jets, $750), because there's plenty of cold weather where we live. We went for Gravity Leather ($1500), rather than the even swankier Lounge Leather ($2000). We did, however, add chrome interior trim ($250) to replace some of the gray plastic, and a center armrest, which seems like it should be standard but also costs $250.

To report on Mini's latest in-car electronics, we ordered Mini Connected with Navigation, for $1750. Automatic, adaptive, and Xenon headlamps were actually three separate upgrades that in total swelled the bottom line by $850.

Finally, as is so tempting with a Mini, we inflated the sticker still further with visuals. The contrasting roof and mirror caps are no-charge items, but not the 18-inch anthracite 5-star double-spoke wheels, which were $1250. We also couldn't resist twin hood stripes, at $100.

All that brought the total for our Countryman to $34,350, which sounds like a lot, but it could have been more, much more. To give just a few examples: We skipped the automatic transmission ($1250) and rear park aid ($500), both of which seemed anathema to a Mini. We avoided the sport suspension ($500) because of the wretched condition of our roads. And we bypassed the dual-pane sunroof ($1000) and the automatic climate control ($500), in an uncharacteristic bit of self-denial.

The Countryman's popularity meant we had to wait several months for our car to arrive, and when it finally did we were so anxious to get it that we went to BMW/Mini headquarters in New Jersey to pick it up. Mini product planner Johnly Velazquez took some time to show us how the Mini Connected systems works (a lot like iDrive, as it turns out), and to show us features like the two-position rear cargo floor panel that also can snap into place behind the rear seatback, and the center rail that serves as an attachment point for cupholders, a cell-phone bracket, and a sunglass case.

Read More: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/12_month_car_reviews/1108_2011_mini_cooper_s_countryman_all4_introduction/index.html

MINI USA Shows Latest Models at Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2011 is just around the corner and starting on August 18, car aficionados from around the world will meet to celebrate the classiest, richest and most luxurious car event of the year.

Last year, the concourse gathered 255 cars and motorcycles, with an estimated 15,000 people in attendance and more than 650 volunteers helping with the logistics. Concourse d’Elegance Pebble Beach 2010 has also drawn cars from 33 different states and countries, including Asia, South America and Europe.

MINI, the Goodwood-based automaker, will put up an impressive display at Pebble. The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD will be on display for the first time in the US at the Peter Hay Display on 17-Mile Drive.

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