A guide to the development of the Mini Countryman.
Find out more about how the Mini Countryman has been adapted and improved since its release in 2010.
It was 2010 when the Mini Countryman crossover was released onto the market and it represented a bold step forward on behalf of the BMW manufacturing and design team. The Mini Countryman is a 5-door crossover SUV model which combines the sporty features of a utility car with the comfort and dimensions of a hatchback. Mini drivers used to the diminutive dimensions of the usual Mini models were offered something entirely different when the classic styling of the Mini was met with the sizing options of a small family vehicle.
Two types of transmission were made available in the Countryman model with 6-speed automatic and a 6-speed manual giving drivers different options. Compared to the other Mini designs, the Countryman has a much longer wheelbase allowing it to have a much roomier cabin. It means that the dimensions provide a higher ground clearance than the Clubman model.
The production line started assembling the Countryman in Graz, Austria and the formal unveiling took place at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. It is the first Mini to be entirely manufactured outside of the UK. Two or four wheel drive options were made available and a 1.6L and 1.6L Prince turbocharged I4 engine comprised the petrol engine models while diesel drivers could take home a 1.6L BMW N47 diesel I4.
Certain off road style driving is permitted and the car allows for an optional all-wheel-drive powertrain to be added at extra cost. The safety standard of the Countryman automobile is high with the Euro NCAP system awarding it a 5 star crash rating in November 2010.
Some critics have complained that the Mini went too far in creating the Countryman model and that it is too far departed from what the brand does best. Others have praised the versatility of the brand in providing a vehicle that combines style with practicality.