ON FRONT PAG E N O R T H E AST V I C TO R I A , A L P S A N D H I G H CO U N T RY
MARCH 24 - 30
| 2017
> available online - www.nemedia.com.au
NO SO MINI: Bigger and better than ever, the latest Mini Countryman has plenty of style.
Mini Countryman hits this country THE BMW Mini has been one of the most successful cars globally since its introduction in 2000. It began as a two-door that, while VLJQL² FDQWO\ ODUJHU WKDQ WKH RULJLQDO British design, copied its shape brilliantly. Customisation was a major feature in the new Mini’s success, offering buyers a staggering number of options. 7KH ² UVW PRGHOV ZHUH IROORZHG E\ various new types of bodies. Arguably the most interesting of these is the Mini Countryman. The latest version of ZKLFK KDV ² QDOO\ DUULYHG LQ WKLV FRXQWU\ Australian buyers have been keeping a close eye on overseas internet sites and
By EWAN KENNEDY there’s already an eager queue forming. New Countryman is at Mini dealers now, with prices ranging from $39,900 for Mini Countryman Cooper with a 1.5-litre threecylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission driving through the front wheels. From there it goes all the way up to the Countryman Cooper SD at $51,500 for a sporty model with all-wheel-drive and a turbo-diesel 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with an eight-speed auto. Front styling follows that of the newgeneration Mini hatch range, but has a different design for its grilles. The
wagon’s rear has a wide D-pillar (tagged ‘Aeroedge’ by Mini) and wide tailgate. Customisation, ahh, it’s all about customisation. The standard ‘Elegant’ exterior theme can be altered to an optional ‘Offroad’ style. Or there’s the sporty look dallied by the optional John Cooper Works (JCW) Chili Package. New Mini Countryman is big, almost 50 per cent longer that the original Mini. That’s not quite a fair comparison as there’s 58 years between the two. However, at 4299 mm long the secondgeneration Mini Countryman station wagon is 199 mm longer than the model it has just superseded. Almost pushing it
into a different compact SUV class. Width has increased by 33 mm to 1822 mm; height is greater by 13 mm, now 1557 mm. Most importantly, the wheelbase is VLJQL² FDQWO\ JUHDWHU EHLQJ PP XS WR give a total distance between the front and back wheels of 2670 mm. 1RW VXUSULVLQJO\ WKHUHV VLJQL² FDQWO\ more space inside: 59 mm more elbow room, 50 mm added shoulder room, nine mm extra headroom. Arguably best of all is the 50 mm increase in rear legroom making this a genuine four-seat wagon IRU DGXOWV ZLWK D ² IWK WKH FHQWUH UHDU without too much squeezing.
„ Continued page 2 n21d11337-v91/1217
Z ,Kd >^ Θ KEh^ K&& Z^ ' d Z ,Kd s >h EKt͊
Kylie Stevenson 0428 215 677 DÄ‚ĆŒĹŹ WĆŒÄžĹśĆ&#x;Ä?Äž ĎŹĎ°ĎŻĎł ώϳϲ Ď°ĎĎŽ EŽĞů 'Ĺ?ĹŻÄ?ÄžĆŒĆš ĎŹĎ°ĎŻĎ´ ϹϾϳ ĎŽĎŹĎŹ DĹ?Ä?ŚĂĞů ,ÄžĹśÄšÄžĆŒĆ?ŽŜ ĎŹĎ°ĎĎ´ ĎąĎĎŽ ϹϯĎ
(03) 5721 5677 10 Templeton Street, Wangaratta www.onemilemotors.com.au LMCT1060