Mini Countryman goes down BMW's SAV route

The Mini Countryman - a four-door 'sports activity vehicle' (SAV) for those who want a BMW X1 that looks vaguely like a Mini. Or something like that...

 

The BMW-owned Mini is now adding a crossover variant – the Mini Countryman – to its line-up of cars. ‘As a genuine crossover, the Mini Countryman bridges the gap between the classic Mini hatchback and a modern sports activity vehicle,’ says a press release from the company.

While some (okay, us…) will dismiss the Countryman as ugly, ungainly and a corruption of the basic Mini ethos, this crossover is the first Mini to have four doors, which might be handy for those who’re willing to live with this abomination...

According to Mini, their new crossover offers the same brand of driving pleasure as the regular, two-door Mini, but has the added advantages of extra space and flexibility, a slightly elevated seating position and optimized driving comfort. To complete the ‘sports activity vehicle’ experience, even 4WD is available as an optional extra on the Mini Countryman. (But then, if you really want a 4WD SAV from BMW, why not just get an X1, X3 or X5…?!). Oh, and the Countryman will be offered in four-seater and five-seater versions.

Engine options on the Countryman include three petrol and two diesel engines, all of them developed by BMW and fully compliant with the latest emissions norms worldwide. The top end Mini Cooper S Countryman will come with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that makes 184 horsepower, mated to a six-speed manual (standard) or six-speed Steptronic automatic (optional) transmission.

Honestly, we think the Mini Countryman is a completely unnecessary car. People who want a four-door German-engineered SAV have had, we're sure, enough options already without the Mini going down that road...