The practical new MINI Cooper
NOTE the twin tailpipes signifying this is a MINI S
The MINI Cooper has always been identified as a nimble, fun-to-drive, hip little car for young, trendy car enthusiasts who can afford its premium price. But as the years go by and lifestyles change, MINI customers— mostly dudes—begin to look for a bigger, more practical vehicle that can accommodate their kids, the wife’s shopping and groceries in the back.
INSIDE, concave forms and elliptical rings dominate.
Enter the Countryman, the first four-door MINI and the brand’s fourth model, 10 years after BMW took over and reinvigorated the British marque. The Countryman debuted at the March 2010 Geneva Auto Show. Longer, taller and wider than the MINI Coupe/Cabriolet and Clubman, the 2011 Countryman also sits higher off the ground and weighs more than its siblings at 3,042 pounds. It is a far cry from the original MINI Countryman of the 1960s, which was a wood-sided estate wagon with only two doors.
Recently, British United Automobiles, the official Philippine distributor of MINI cars, delivered a surf blue MINI Countryman S (P2,880,000) to my doorstep for a five-day test drive. Willy Tee Ten’s Autohub at the Fort also offers two other Countryman variants: the basic, naturally aspirated 120 hp model (P2,380,000) and the all-wheel-drive Countryman S All4 (P3,150,000.), which can only seat four, including driver, because of the center rail running lengthwise through the middle of the cabin. Except for the All4, MINIs are front wheel drive.
TOUGHER MIEN
THREE adults on the back seat would be a tight fit.
Having previously driven a MINI Cooper S hardtop and a MINI Clubman at different times last year, I was prepared to be impressed by the Countryman S although I was initially turned off by its pugnacious snout. But I guess the Countryman S, as the MINI crossover, has to show a tougher mien than the other MINI models. Besides, the Countryman retains the brand’s trademark softly rounded body tub, with a black border around the lower part to emphasize the raised ground clearance and the sporty 18-inch wheels. The wheel arches protruding from the car’s body hint at its solid roadholding.
Viewed from behind, the Countryman looks less quirky, if not actually cute. The MINI logo at the rear, when pressed, releases the upward-opening tailgate of the cargo area, which has a capacity of 350 liters increasing to 1,170 liters when the rear seats are flipped down—the biggest cargo space in the MINI lineup. The rear bumper has a chrome strip and underneath, twin tailpipes that denote this is a Cooper S, not just the basic.
The Countryman S I drove is powered by BMW’s enhanced 4-cylinder, 1.6-liter direct injection petrol engine with twin-scroll turbocharger and Valvetronic delivering 184 hp max output (versus 172 hp last year) and 240 Nm / 1,600-5,000 rpm max torque through a 6-speed automatic transmission. It is touted by the manufacturer to sprint from stoplight to 100 kph in 7.9 seconds, with top speed reaching 210 kph—all this you can check out on a traffic-free expressway by stepping on the gas and pressing the Sport button as judiciously needed. The average fuel economy claimed is 13.3 km per liter.
LARGER
SURF Blue, the exclusive color for the MINI S Countryman.
Because it is larger, taller and heavier than its siblings, the Countryman S is not as quick and has lost some of the MINI brand’s famed kart-like agility and flat-out roadholding when whipping through corners. But it nonetheless handles better than most other cars of its size and still is fun to drive due to BMW engine innovations and the well-engineered suspension. The raised ground clearance and consequently higher sitting position give the driver a semi-commanding view of the road that the other MINIs don’t offer. The twin-scroll turbocharger’s separate cylinder exhaust streams minimize turbo lag and keep the turbo spinning at constant speed, while the advanced speed-sensitive electric-assist power steering is weighted just right. The ride quality of the Countryman S is firm, to put it mildly.
Although the Countryman’s exterior design language may turn off some people, its interior offers a welcoming, cool retro styling with the center console’s matte black, soft-touch finish, chrome rings, large side air vents, concave forms, toggle switches, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters and audio controls and the traditional elliptical door ring around the armrests and door pulls. The center rail storage system between the front seats has cupholders, elbow rests, cables to connect a cell phone and MP3 player and space for small items under the big, sporty handbrake lever. But there is no Bluetooth connectivity and app integration is limited to the iPhone.
AN upward-opening tailgate for the trunk.
On the other hand, the cabin is roomy enough to comfortably seat two 6-foot-tall passengers in the back while ingress/egress is much easier due to the four doors. Larger cargo capacity is available and accessible, thanks to the longer wheelbase and the forward-folding rear seats.
Bottom line, does the Countryman S impress by successfully providing more space and utility without sacrificing the inimitable driving character of the MINI S? By being both a family-friendly and fun to drive little crossover at the same time? In the case of the Countryman S, I would answer yes. But only for the present, while worthy competitors like the Nissan Juke and Volkswagen Tiguan are not yet available here.
TODAY’S BUMPER STICKER DEFINITION: Conference: The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present.
