do you need a translation?
bmw munich has a big press article about the countryman....but it*s german for sure. maybe i can find a english version.

btw: i love the countryman


http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigblog...7623247827688/

 

Great link! I like the MINI latch to lift the rear gate = )

I wonder what the fuel economy will be on this vs the Clubman.

 

Y'all missed the announcement I think

Here's the facebook link, with 25!!! pictures!!

http://www.facebook.com/mini.countryman

 

I actually really like it, I have been waiting for a nice looking manual crossover with some power.

The only negatives are that it wont be out until fall 2011 and it will start at least 28k, probably too expensive for me.

 

On CNN today:

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/...ex.html?hpt=T2

 

What a missed opportunity this was. When the concept first came out I feel as though I was one of the few people who defended it and liked it. Now that I've seen the actual thing though, whoa was I wrong.

The design is off and that is what's wrong with it. The Cooper, Clubman, Cabrio and Roadster all look like Minis. This one is off though. It looks Mini inside and to an extent outside, but not enough on the outside. It's too square and not rounded enough. The bonnet is too high and the grille doesn't look Mini like the rest of the fleet does. The tailights from the close-up photo of them look just awful. The back end cuts down. Those side turn signals on the white one look really bad, but then that white one as a whole looks bad and not even like a Mini.

I'm all for a Mini SUV and an AWD Mini. Hell, they could make a Mini RV for all I care so long as it retains the Mini design. Sadly this design is off. It's as if a male Countryman in the design of what a Mini Countryman should look like had a one night stand with a 1st gen Rav 4 floozy at the NoDesign Hotel.

If this spells the death of the Clubman I'll offload my 09 Clubman that year and get the last of the Clubmans.

 

I think it's a good thing MINI is introducing a variant on the current MINI design theme.

The fact that every MINI variant to this point looked exactly the same from the A pillars forward was getting kind of boring, and made MINI look lazy in my opinion.

The Roadster for example would benefit greatly from a more streamlined front end, vs. the 'chop' job they did to the windshield and roof line. Looks like they took an eraser to the current MINI and left it at that.

I was frankly disappointed at how similar the Countryman's interior is to current MINI's, especially if it's a 2011 model. Does this mean all MINI's will remain as-is for the next couple of years?

After 8 years it's about time they introduced a new face (literally) to the MINI lineup, and I hope it isn't the last.

 

Agreed.

 

might replace my audi s4 wagon.......ugh maybe not.

 

More pictures...

Cooper S in white and Cooper in braun/grey... presentation at Geneva Motorshow in March !! I will be there for the Press days...

 

Not in love with this design. I would like AWD, but just add it to the current Clubman ala Subaru and convert the Clubman barn doors to a hatch. Save $$$ millions in development costs and have a vehicle that fits that niche. If this comes in at $26K for a base model, and $35K for a stripped S, they will not sell very well.

 

Was driving through town last night and I was like "Is that a Countryman??!?!?!?" Then I took a second look and noticed it was just a Tuscon.

 

FUGLY vehicle

 

Me too! Very cool!

 

It's not that simple

Subaru didn't just "add" it to the current design.

Hell Subaru is a oddball all the way around, a FWD/AWD longitudinal crankcase with transmission/transaxle behind the motor. The very design of the shorter boxer motor lent it to such things.

But Mini's more traditional transverse crankshaft FWD chassis doesn't lend itself to such things nearly as easily.

Besides, they were looking to increase ground clearance which comes in really handy with an AWD vehicle. So that was going to lead to some styling and chassis changes too.

I still like it, but it was a day or two late...

 

After looking at the pics over and over again, I see hints of Kia Soul on the front end. The downfall of this car may be the pricing, if the rumors of it starting at 30k MSRP are true with the normally aspirated engine without AWD. Add automatic, AWD, upgrade to S and add a couple of packages and we would be looking close to 40.

 

No I don't think I agree on pricing.

It has to slot between the Clubman and the BMW X1 (which has to come in below the X3).

CURRENT BASE MSRPs

Clubman - 21k
ClubmanS - 25k

X3 - $38k

Reports say the X1 will likely have a base MSRP around $33k....

That means the Countryman and Countryman S should be in the high 20s. My Guess would be $24 NA and $28 turbo give or take. Even loaded neither is going to get anywhere near $40k...maybe $35k wildly equipped.

Which makes sense compared to enthusiast AWD vehicles like the WRX or the Audi A3 Quattro.

It's still a niche vehicle that is hard to pigeonhole.