ON FRONT PAG E N O R T H E AST V I C TO R I A
AUGUST 18 - 24
| 2017
> available online - www.nemedia.com.au
UPSIZED: Customisation has always been the name of the game in the Mini. New Countryman is a class act in this area.
Mini Countryman is no longer mini
NEW Mini Countryman is no longer mini sized. At 4299 mm long it’s 199 mm longer than the Countryman it succeeds. Width has increased by 33 mm to 1822 mm; height is greater by 13 mm, now 1557 mm. By way of a fascinating comparison, fellow-Brit the iconic LandRover Defender 90 is shorter and narrower than the upsized Mini Countryman… Most importantly, the Countryman’s wheelbase is significantly greater, being 75 mm up to an impressive 2670 mm which makes for significantly more legroom inside. There’s also 59 mm more elbow room, 50 mm added shoulder room, even another 9 mm extra headroom. More about all this added space in our Driving section
By EWAN KENNEDY of this feature. Customisation continues to be a major feature in the BMW Mini’s success, something it carried over from the original iconic Mini Minor / Austin 7 of the late 1950s and into the swinging sixties. New Mini Countryman joins the rest of the Mini range in offers offering potential buyers a staggering number of options. Our road test Countryman came in a deep chocolate brownish orange with ‘racing’ stripes and a black roof, perhaps not to all tastes, but to a chocoholic like me… Frontal styling follows that of the latest
Mini hatch range, with different design for its grilles from model to model. The wagon’s rear has a wide D-pillar and wide tailgate shaped to give it a large style. The standard ‘Elegant’ Countryman exterior theme can be replaced with an optional ‘Offroad’ style. Or there’s the sporty look with the optional John Cooper Works (JCW) Chili Package. There’s absolutely no doubt this is a Mini, it stands out from the others in this crowded market segment even when viewed from hundreds of metres away. Love it. Inside it’s the same. The large central dial is a carryover from 58 years ago, though these days the central speedo
has been pushed aside to make way for the infotainment screen. While the circular central screen housing is huge the screen itself is tiny. It’s clear enough, but using the satellite navigation (which impressively is installed in all models) at a quick glance isn’t easy. You can pay extra and get a bigger screen and some other goodies, though. There’s DAB+ digital radio, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming and voice control. You can also use the BMW-style iDrive controller. There’s an Aux jack, but surprisingly there’s just one USB port. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can’t be used at this stage, but surely that can’t be too far away? Continued page 2 n21D11337-V111/3217
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