[TusharK]

The second generation of the Mini Countryman has been launched in India at Rs. 34.90 lakhs (ex-showroom). It is available in three variants - Cooper S, Cooper SD and Cooper S JCW Inspired. Deliveries will commence from June 2018.



The new Mini Countryman has grown in size when compared to its predecessor. It is 202 mm longer and 33 mm wider. The wheelbase has also grown by 75 mm. The Mini has a luggage capacity of 450 litres, which can be increased to 1,309 litres by folding down the rear seats.

On the outside, the Countryman gets an inverted U-shaped grille, new headlamps with integrated LED rings and a dual-tone front bumper, which houses a set of fog lamps. The car has a silver trim along the door sills and comes with a contrast roof. The rear features a conventional tailgate and a 'picnic bench' which folds out of the luggage compartment and can seat two people. The LED tail lights are now larger.

On the inside, the new Countryman gets a redesigned dashboard with a circular centre console. It comes equipped with a 6.5-inch or an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 3-spoke, multi-functional steering wheel and circular dials for the instrument cluster. Some of the standard features include an automatic tailgate, front and rear parking sensors, rain sensing wipers, cruise control, and 2-zone automatic climate control.

The Cooper S JCW Inspired comes with a John Cooper Works aerodynamic kit which includes a rear roof spoiler and 18-inch JCW alloy wheels. On the inside, it gets a sport leather-wrapped steering, Harman Kardon audio system, MINI Find Mate and MINI Wired Package, which includes navigation and an 8.8-inch touchscreen with a touch controller and Bluetooth connectivity.

In India, the new Mini Countryman is offered with two engine options. The 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine is offered on the base Cooper S and Cooper S JCW Inspired variants. It makes 189 BHP and 280 Nm of torque @ 1,350 rpm. The Cooper SD is powered by a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine that produces 188 BHP and 400 Nm @ 1,750 rpm. All variants come equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission and have three driving modes - Mid, Sport and Green.

The standard safety package includes ABS with Brake Assist, cornering brake control, front and passenger airbags, dynamic stability control and crash sensor.

Variant-wise ex-showroom prices:

Cooper S - Rs. 34.90 lakh
Cooper SD - Rs. 37.40 lakh
Cooper S JCW Inspire - Rs. 41.40 lakh

Link to Team-BHP News

[reihem]

wait, so the brand new Mini Countryman costs 34.90 and the base Mini Cooper D 5 door costs 33.33 ?

Someone explain this to me ! These two had a 5 lakh difference not so long ago.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by reihem

wait, so the brand new Mini Countryman costs 34.90 and the base Mini Cooper D 5 door costs 33.33 ?

Someone explain this to me ! These two had a 5 lakh difference not so long ago.

Countryman is a CKD for sure. But i think the Cooper is still a CBU. That could be the reason for the price similarities.

[bansal.sushant]

I understand the fact that it is an enthusiast's car but due to its pricing, I think it might be selling <50 units per month. Why is Mini even introducing this in India?

How are they able to earn enough profits to take of the maintenance and marketing costs?

[reihem]

Mini needs to first and foremost get its act together with how it sells its cars. This buy the body and then pay for every damn creature comfort approach is irritating as hell. It also makes their ex showroom prices and OTR price estimates completely useless. Add basic levels of kit that any car in this price range should have and suddenly the prices sky rocket.

Another issue I have is charging for any colour other than grey. I have no problem with premium pricing, I own CBUs myself - but this every single thing is an extra approach really is quite ridiculous.

[Flyer]

BMW aims to double Mini sales in India.

The local unit of German luxury car manufacturer BMW is aiming to double the sales of its Mini Brand in India by penetrating into newer markets and expand product offerings.

"This year we are planning to double the sales of the Mini Brand. To achieve this we are aggressively working on to enhance the value of the existing products and expand distribution network. We will be adding two new showrooms of Mini this year taking the total footprint of Mini Brand to seven,” Vikram Pawah, MD, BMW India informed in an exclusive interaction.

Apart from this the carmaker will take the iconic brand to the potential buyer through Mini tour in emerging towns and cities to increase the brand presences.

Last year, the German luxury carmaker BMW sold 421 units of Mini brand growing at 17 per cent while in the first quarter the carmaker sold 136 units of Mini.

Economic Times

[ACM]

It is essentially a toss up between the mini countryman and the BMW X1. Both use the same platform and are relatively closely priced while being vastly different to look at.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by bansal.sushant

Why is Mini even introducing this in India?

On the contrary I think it’s a really good move! The segment doesn’t have many options other than the BMW twin sister X1, a very aged Q3 and the not-so-impressive GLA. I find the new Countryman pretty impressive compared to the old one; just that the add-ons can get a bit too expensive. And for the customer, more options the better.

[sxenimit]

Originally Posted by vb-san

On the contrary I think it’s a really good move! The segment doesn’t have many options other than the BMW twin sister X1, a very aged Q3 and the not-so-impressive GLA. I find the new Countryman pretty impressive compared to the old one; just that the add-ons can get a bit too expensive. And for the customer, more options the better.

Countryman is not even on the same level as the other three. Mini is a cheap BMW like VW is a cheap Audi. To price Mini Countryman, which is not even a luxurious car, around the price of actual luxury brand cars is incredibly idiotic. Not to mention how can you call the Q3 Aged and GLA not impressive, while feeling impressed with a cheap plastic car just because it's rare in India?

While I agree that more options the better, but their business strategy doesn't make sense.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by bansal.sushant

I understand the fact that it is an enthusiast's car but due to its pricing, I think it might be selling <50 units per month. Why is Mini even introducing this in India?
How are they able to earn enough profits to take of the maintenance and marketing costs?

Well put indeed! "Prices for the most practical MINI start from Rs. 34.9 lakhs (ex-showroom, India)......" as Motor Beam put it. Har! Har! That's the mfrs laughing all the way to the bank! Alec Issigonis' designed the original Mini as a successor to his earlier Morris Minor. An immensely popular run-about for the masses (which also incidentally launched the hatch-back movement) and today BMW is capitalizing on its iconic status to milch it for all its worth - no one knows better than car makers that a sucker is born everyday!

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by sxenimit

Countryman is not even on the same level as the other three. Mini is a cheap BMW like VW is a cheap Audi. To price Mini Countryman, which is not even a luxurious car, around the price of actual luxury brand cars is incredibly idiotic. Not to mention how can you call the Q3 Aged and GLA not impressive, while feeling impressed with a cheap plastic car just because it's rare in India?

My apologies for calling a 7 year old Q3 old!
Coming to the Countryman, I have been in the passenger seat of the new model quite a few times and I did not find it as a cheap plastic car. I actually found the new Countryman more appealing than the X1, and quality levels are really good. Mini as a cheap BMW maybe a personal opinion; or maybe that I like cheap cars

[sxenimit]

Originally Posted by vb-san

My apologies for calling a 7 year old Q3 old!

Well considering Q3 was launched in 2014 in India, not sure how you get 7 year old. Maybe I'm missing some maths. Unless you're talking about the launch of the car worldwide in 2011. In which case, Countryman was launched in 2010 making it older than Q3. Aged you say?

Coming to the Countryman, I have been in the passenger seat of the new model quite a few times and I did not find it as a cheap plastic car. I actually found the new Countryman more appealing than the X1, and quality levels are really good. Mini as a cheap BMW maybe a personal opinion; or maybe that I like cheap cars

I've actually had people who owned the Mini countryman and decided to switch over to Focus ST instead due to being a car which lacks not only power, but any comfort or style. Mini has become a joke brand trying to capitalize on their name, and past success while failing to innovate like they once did.

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by sxenimit

Countryman is not even on the same level as the other three. Mini is a cheap BMW like VW is a cheap Audi. To price Mini Countryman, which is not even a luxurious car, around the price of actual luxury brand cars is incredibly idiotic.

Hardly anyone on earth will rate Mini as being on par with VW. Within the BMW Group itself they peg Mini as being a level above BMW entry range i.e 1 Series, 2 Series and X1, its no more the British brand that made low slung cheap 2 seaters for small families, it is today a German youth-centric brand.

Having driven the 3 Series, 1 Series and the Mini Cooper & Countryman, I'd say the Minis felt much better to sit in seating position and headroom wise. The go-kart feel of Mini is something that is missing in BMW and the feel/feedback is much better, personally. Build quality wise I found nothing lacking, seemed as much plush and well made as a Bimmer.

Excerpt from BMW Blog

I’ve seen that quite a bit, BMW fans scoffing at the idea of owning a lowly MINI. And in the past, they’d probably be right, as MINIs had awful interior quality and ergonomics. But now that BMW has really sunken its teeth into the MINI brand, you’d be hard pressed to find the quality difference between the inside of a MINI and the inside of a BMW 1 or 3 Series, honestly.

This past winter, I had a 4-Door MINI Cooper S Hardtop for a week and I was amazed at how well built and solid it felt. MINIs of yore felt like deathtraps. Hilarious and fun deathtraps, but deathtraps nonetheless. These new MINIs have superb build quality, interior materials and chassis dynamics.

BMW's are low slung, great driving executive/touring cars, Minis are simply fun to look at and drive, way more youthful in nature. VW's they most certainly aren't.. a league above at the very least.

Link

Back to the topic, the Countryman is priced very well in my view and I'll pick it over the X1 any day because I like roundish styling better than flat lines.

[sxenimit]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

Hardly anyone on earth will rate Mini as being on par with VW. Within the BMW Group itself they peg Mini as being a level above BMW entry range i.e 1 Series, 2 Series and X1

Is that why X1 base price is higher than Mini Countryman's full loaded price? As for being on par with VW, the Golf is a lot better built than Mini, and priced around the same. Not sure where you got the insider information about Mini being a level above BMW entry range, when price does't confirm that around the world.

its no more the British brand that made low slung cheap 2 seaters for small families, it is today a German youth-centric brand.

British made mini what it is and the "cheap 2 seaters" were it's origin and one of the worlds first mass produced FWD car which was a brilliant design.

Having driven the 3 Series, 1 Series and the Mini Cooper & Countryman, I'd say the Minis felt much better to sit in seating position and headroom wise. The go-kart feel of Mini is something that is missing in BMW and the feel/feedback is much better, personally. Build quality wise I found nothing lacking, seemed as much plush and well made as a Bimmer.

That is opinionated.

Excerpt from BMW Blog

BMW's are low slung, great driving executive/touring cars, Minis are simply fun to look at and drive, way more youthful in nature. VW's they most certainly aren't.. a league above at the very least.

Link

Back to the topic, the Countryman is priced very well in my view and I'll pick it over the X1 any day because I like roundish styling better than flat lines.

If you think Mini Countryman is youthful, then I have nothing more to say here. Your opinion on what Youthful is different than what most car enthusiast would find. As for Mini being a step above VW, clearly you're fascinated with Mini since it's a foreign brand that hasn't come out in India yet and you feel it's premium. Just as people feel Honda and Toyota make premium cars when they really don't. You might want to check out the new Jetta or Passat or Golf or even Polo, and compare it to the Mini. Interior wise, platform wise, design wise and engine wise as well.



I mean you can't keep a straight face and tell me this is Youthful.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by sxenimit

.....As for Mini being a step above VW, clearly you're fascinated with Mini since it's a foreign brand that hasn't come out in India yet and you feel it's premium....

Just so! As I said, mfrs know - better than most - that a sucker is born every minute.