... on a 2018 MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4. It's one I built with the MINIUSA.com vehicle configurator. Will take roughly 8 weeks to get to me. Base price $31,700. I added

• Chestnut color, incl. roof and trim - $500
• Fully Loaded package, which includes the Convenience, Premium, Technology, and Wired packages - $6,000
• Sport Automatic Transmission - $1,750
• JCW Leather Steering Wheel (these last two are so I can have paddle shifters) - $250.00
• Rear spoiler - $250
• Chrome Line Exterior - $250
• Destination charge (of course) - $850

That comes to $41,500. That figure is about equal to what my total cost will be, once my trade-in (2008 MINI Cooper), discount, taxes & fees, etc. are included.

I love this car. I know, because I had one like it (albeit with fewer add-ons) as a loaner car while my 2008 MINI Cooper was getting some urgent repairs done. It's hard to compare the MINI Cooper with the Countryman, since they're both great cars. The MINI Cooper drives tight and even "gritty" compared to the Countryman. That's its basic character. They Countryman's basic character is to be a compact crossover SUV that minds its manners while also being fun to drive. I found it easy and enjoyable to go fast in the Countryman S. It doesn't have the "grunt" off the line of the Cooper, so you have to tromp on it to get quick acceleration. But once the turbo starts pulling its weight, the speedometer ascends fast. The steering (which is much lighter than the Cooper's) and handling are precise. The on-center feel of the wheel is good. Going around curves, it holds its line with no fuss or worries. Making sharp turns is easy and accurate. The brake pedal does its thing nicely and predictably. I did miss the paddle shifters on the loaner, but the one I've ordered will have them. The loaner had the 6-speed automatic, which worked fine. Mine will have an 8-speed auto. While I had the ALL4 loaner, there was no occasion for the rear wheels to do any of the driving of the vehicle, so I can't comment yet on ALL4. I liked the fact that the Countryman cabin is a lot quieter than that of the Cooper, but I also liked the rich exhaust note that could be heard. The bucket seats in front were comfortable for me as the driver. I liked the sitting height vis-à-vis being able to view the corners of the exterior for parking purposes. All in all, I had exactly zero gripes. Every aspect of the vehicle got a gold star.

 

Congrats! Love the build. The wait begins... Can't wait to see pictures!

 

 

Congrats!! There is a thread on here that shows you how to track the progress - including watching your ship move across the ocean once your MINI is built and loaded.

 

 

Congratulations you will have much fun tracking.

 

Waiting for the pictures too ..

Best thing I did was buying my CM .. I know you'll be as happy

 

 

Here is the thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ters-club.html

 

 

My CM is in production!

 

I picked up my CM yesterday. It was actually at the dealer at the end of last week, but I couldn’t pick it up then. So it only took a little over 5 weeks from order to arrival. That was much faster than I had been led to expect.

My CM is far and away the best of the many cars I’ve ever owned. That’s due in part to the advances in design and engineering that have made all cars better over time. The first car I ever drove was my father's 1959 Edsel. The first I myself owned was a 1972 VW Beetle. Since then I’ve owned, among others, a Toyota Supra and an early Honda CR-V. My 2008 MINI Cooper was the most fun to drive. The 2018 MINI Countryman S ALL4 has them all beat!

 

 

Photos of my new 2018 MINI Countryman S ALL4:

 

Yesterday, within 1 hour, I saw THREE other F60s. That was a first. Sales must indeed be picking up!

 

Nice! Where in Maryland?

 

That's a nice lookin' ride, fellow MDer. I too got the Bay tags. Enjoy!