Mini Becomes Maxi - First Mini Countryman Drive and Review

By Henny Hemmes
Senior European Editor
Amsterdam Bureau
The Auto Channel

MELK, Austria. May 21. At the Wachauring, that serves as a driver safety center and racetrack for Austrian series, Mini organized the first meeting between the Countryman and the media and The Auto Channel was the only NA web site here.

Although the Countryman was still a little bit ‘in disguise’, which means it was a pre production model, its underpinnings and engine were ‘final’.

Mini choose this location for the first driving event, since it is in the country where the Countryman will be built: in the Magna Steyr plant in Graz. Yes, indeed, it is the first Mini to be produced outside the UK!

The Beachcomber Concept, that was unveiled at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit (see video), was giving away styling cues about things to come. Magna Steyr was responsible for the virtual development and the implementation of the design of the Beachcomber.

The concept was built in Magna Steyr’s prototyping facility in Graz together with the Mini Model Construction Unit.

The development of the Beachcomber took only four months, mainly due to the fact that Magna Steyr made new parts by means of its rapid prototyping process.

Four, is a significant number.

Just three months later, the Countryman bowed at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show. It is the fourth Mini model, with four doors, longer than four meters (or 157.5 in.), four seats and four wheel drive available.

Compared to the Mini One the Countryman is 16.2 in. longer, 6.2 in. higher, 4.2 in. wider and 6.2 in. higher, while its wheelbase increased with 5.1 in to 102.2 in.. The l/w/h of the Countryman are 161.3 in. (161.8 in. for the Cooper S Countryman), 70.4 in. and 61.5 in. Back to the Wachauring, where several preproduction models were available for the first media tests. But not before we got a closer look into the design of the new four door model by Mini’s chief designer Gert Hildebrand.

“In 2008, there were many discussions if Mini had to do this. Lots of pro’s and contra’s,” says Hildebrand. “The Beachcomber already showed a lot of the interior. A mini car with a maxi interior. That is what it is about: its big space.”

It indeed has been a big step for Mini. The Countryman has more shoulder room, leg room, rear seats that can move back and forth over 5 inch distance and 12.4 cu.ft. of luggage space.

“But it is not a blown up Mini,” according to Hildebrand. “We have made a different car.” the design chief said, that those were the two visions within the company. “After we made and showed both, it was quite clear that we had to go for the different model.”

The Mini design team applied some well known ‘tricks’, such as big wheels (they make a car look smaller). Standard the Countryman comes at 16 inch wheels and the Cooper S has 17’, while the largest ones available are 19 inch.

Hildebrand: “Size does not make a car necessarily big, it is the perception.” He also explains why there are surfaces with convex forms: “It looks muscular.” Other measures are for aerodynamic’s sake, the raked wind shield .But also the sticking out rear lights influence the coefficient of drag.

“Chrome belongs to a Mini,” said Hildebrand. “It is so British. We tried a Mini without any chrome and it did not look right.

The helmet roof is to emphasize the four doors and helps to get the head in when entering the rear seats. With a lifted seating position and ride height that is more than that of the Mini One, crossover lovers will feel more in control behind the wheel.

Mature

There is a lot more to tell about the Countryman, such as the power trains that got slight modifications and with EfficientDynamic measures are efficient and fast. Or about the All4 all wheel drive system that is available as an option on the Diesel model and the Cooper S.

But, of course, we were most curious about its driving fun. Will the handling of the bigger, higher car still provide a lot of fun…?

On the wet surface of the Wachauring we were going to get the answer behind the wheel of the Countryman Cooper S. Our test vehicle is the top version with four wheel drive, the 184 hp 1.6-liter turbocharged engine and the six-speed stick shift.

Fun it is indeed. But different. Gone is the kart like feel of the Mini One. The Countryman has a more grown up character. Steering is sensitive, but not as sensitive as of other models. Handling is agile, but friendly and leaves a safe impression on the soaked track. Body roll is minimal, an achievement of the development team, with a car that is over 6 inches higher.

The Countryman is not as much fun as the normal Mini, but this was not meant to be.

What is interesting is the behaviour of the All4 system. Under normal circumstances it drives 50/50 front and rear wheels of the Countryman and the torque can be sent to the rear wheels up to 100 per cent. The system reacts quickly and precise to the changing surface (lots of water, or less). But when you are entering a fast bend and have to lift the throttle, all-wheel-drive changes into front wheel drive. That makes drifting only possible by braking and applying more gas, but then the car gets a little unpredictable.

The engineers say that this is done, because people are not used to handle cars that go into a rear wheel slip. So it is safety first.

But to be honest, the Countryman is nice to play with on a wet track and will be even more fun on a dry surface. People who will buy this model, will have grown out of the normal Mini and may have a family or friends to take along. The extreme fun factor of the original new Mini is gone, but you get more practicality in return.

The Countryman will also attract people who like the Mini looks, but did not like the down-right-sporty handling.

In a couple of weeks, we will know how the Mini Countryman feels and behaves under normal circumstances in the city and on the highway. So stay tuned!