MINI has decided to move ahead with production plans for the Beachcomber Concept, but the new model could take one of two very different directions. According to a report by AutoCar, company product planners are currently debating between two different models: a two-door Countryman, called the Canyon; and a 4-door rendition of the classic Moke.

While technically sporting 4-doors, the Moke would feature rear suicide doors that hinge at the back. Looking more like the Beachcomber concept, the Moke would have a dune-buggy-like style with lift-out roof panels and a rear window that could drop into the rear liftgate to give a Jeep Wrangler-like open air feeling.

On the other hand, MINI may opt to move ahead with the Beachcomber as a two-door sportcross model – essentially a two-door version of the new Countryman.

The debate rages on a MINI and while we’d actually like to see both models make it to market, the Countryman is more likely considering the greater potential for significant volume sales.

[Source: AutoCar]

After being given only the base price information for the upcoming MINI Countryman, we finally have our full breakdown of the various Countryman models and their respective MSRPs, including a $700 destination charge.

The base Countryman will go for $22,350, while the turbocharged Countryman S will run buyers $25,950. At the top sits the Countryman S All4, the long awaited AWD MINI, and currently the only crossover to offer a turbocharged AWD drivetrain with a 6-speed manual gearbox. For that you’ll have to shell out $27,650.

The Countryman is a fair bit pricier than its rivals, especially the Nissan Juke, but it also offers a fairly distinct package that sets it apart from other competitors like the Nissan Rogue and Suzuki SX4. If you want to know whether it’s worth the money, check back on Thursday when our review of the Countryman S All4 goes live.

[Source: MINI]

The new MINI Countryman, the first crossover for the fun British brand will start at $22,350. That price puts it at just $550 more than the Clubman model. Those looking for more power, extra equipment and the grip of MINI’s new All4 all-wheel drive system will have to shell out just under $30,000 for the Cooper S Countryman model.

Base Countryman models will come with a 122-hp 4-cylinder engine while the MINI Cooper S Countryman will get a turbocharged version for a total of 184-hp. Cargo room is rated at 12 cubic feet, with a total of 41 cu.-ft with the rear seats folded flat.

The Countryman is set to arrive at dealerships in December and when it does MINI will be the only automaker on the continent offering a crossover with AWD and a manual transmission!

[Source: Automotive News]

MINI‘s long awaited WRC entry debuted at the Paris Auto Show Thursday as the MINI Countryman WRC, flanked by rally heroes such as David Richards (founder of Prodrive) and Jean Todt, president of the FIA, flanked the car as it revved its engine for all to hear.

The sounds of a rally-built 4-cylinder filled the halls as assembled media rushed to get photos of the newest WRC entry. The Countryman WRC is loaded with the best in motorsports equipment –  a 6-speed sequential gearbox, Ohlins dampers, AP Racing brakes and a turbocharged engine. The Countryman may not seem like an obvious choice, but the extra suspension travel should make it a better rally car than its two-door brethren. Look for the Countryman WRC factory team in 2011, with privateer teams able to buy the car shortly after.

Hit the jump for the official specs

Gallery: MINI Countryman WRC

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MINI is apparently starting work on a two-door variation of the Countryman SUV, with a vehicle that would be similar in concept to the just announced Range Rover Evoque.

BMW managers have reportedly been inspired by the success of the BMW X6, and have faith that the desire for a couple-like crossover is strong in various demographics. With the Countryman facing competition from the Nissan Juke and upcoming offerings from Ford, the small, premium 4-door crossover segment could give way to a 2-door category as well. A suicide door with 4 doors may also be used for practicality reasons, but company insiders appear to be pushing for only 2 doors.

While the Countryman Coupe hasn’t been greenlight, the car is expected to arrive in 2013.

[Source: Autocar]

The MINI brand has always been synonymous with an uber-cool British fast-paced lifestyle. And now, even if you aren’t British, you can steal the look with MINI’s Rooftop Collection.

Whether it’s for a night out on the town or you’re off on holidays, there’s something in this collection to fit your travel needs. Designed to complement the MINI Countryman crossover model, these pieces are made to meet your full range of travel requirements.

The MINI hard-shell suitcases from the Rooftop line are tough and can take the rigors of airplane travel.  Adorned with either the Union Jack or Racing Stripes, this suitcase features an extending telescopic handle, two strong carry handles and smooth-running wheels. The main compartment comes with packing belts and a net divider, while the center section has two small side pockets. It also comes with a protective transportation cover, an integrated lock and a nameplate just in case you get separated from your luggage.

The Black Jack Collection luggage line stands out with its classy black finish and tone-in-tone Union Jack motif. This line also includes the Cabin Trolley, which can be used as carry-on because of its smaller size, the Black Jack Briefcase, Black Jack Duffle Bag, small Black Jack Ammo shoulder bag, Black Jack Washkit and the Black Jack Wallet.

And digging deep into its photo archive, MINI picked a few classics to create the Shout accessories line. Boasting eye-catching black-and-white retro MINI motifs, the Shout pieces bring to mind some legendary moments in MINI’s history. In this line you’ll find the Shout Small Doctor Bag sporting a classic Mini Rallye Monte Carlo print, the Shout Bucket Tote with cool Swinging London print, the Shout Messenger with classic Mini motif, and the Shout Wallet Simple and Medium Organizers.

GALLERY: MINI Rooftop Collection

Nissan‘s controversially styled Juke has been priced at $18,960 for the base Juke S, which comes with front-wheel drive and a CVT gearbox. The 6-speed manual version will cost $20,260, while cheapest four-wheel drive model Juke S AWD (which is only available with a CVT) will cost $20,460.  The top of the line Juke SL AWD will cost $24,550.

While the Juke is a strangle looking vehicle, its unique styling, turbocharged 188 horsepower engine and sophisticated torque-vectoring AWD system should make it an attractive proposition to the more upscale MINI Countryman and the rather staid Subaru Forester. The Juke will go on sale, but Autoguide is set to test drive the Juke next week at its launch in Vancouver, Canada.

[Source: Nissan]

Hit the jump to see the official press release and check out Juke Forums for more.

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Day 4 Of the MINI Takes The States Tour was an exciting one for me, as I was able to sample the all-new MINI Countryman before nearly anyone else.  Saturday’s epic blast through two states left me exhausted, and I was expecting the Countryman to be a little more laid back than the Clubman S I drove yesterday. I was wrong. Don’t think of the Countryman as a MINI SUV, but as a MINI Cooper S for people with obligations.

Hit the jump to read more about the MINI Countryman

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Day 3 of the MINI Takes The States Tour placed a big emphasis on driving. Not the kind of stop and go commuter traffic that we experienced in New York, Philly and Baltimore, but on the kind of high performance spirited driving that MINIs are known for.

Don’t get me wrong – as much as auto writers posture about blasting across twisty blacktop or exiting a corner on a road course with the wheel cranked at full lock, they know somewhere deep down they understand that their audience wants to know how the car does in the daily grind of traffic, gas mileage and all the unglamorous stuff left to plebian drivers. These are the conditions where we drive our press cars 95% of the time; stuck in a barely moving single file row of other cars, belching greenhouse emissions, A/C cranked and the same Lady GaGa song playing across the same 5 radio stations owned by one media conglomerate.

If you’re test driving a mid-size sedan, then the review will be centered on these conditions. But if you’re in something a bit sportier, you’ll go to bed a little earlier on a Friday night and maybe not go to the bar with your buddies. The alarm will be set for an ungodly hour, but you won’t need that double batch of morning coffee, because the urgency will be there. It’s like Christmas morning even though the August humidity is just starting to creep into your day. Today was one of those days.

Hit the jump to see how it all went down:

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The 1^st day of the MINI Takes The States Tour kicked off with a bit of a surprise – it turned out that a MINI press car was unable to take me from Newark Airport to our first destination, so I had to slum it in a BMW 550i. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited.

Unfortunately, the 550i’s nav system took me in the opposite direction from New York, nearly sending me to Camden, New Jersey, ranked America’s most dangerous city in 2009. Not exactly the kind of place you want to take a brand new Bimmer.

All was resolved thanks to a local friend who laughed at my inept sense of direction and set me on course for Manhattan’s Meat Packing District. I set forth for MILK Studios, a gallery space where MINI was hosting a launch event for the new 4-door Countryman SUV, as well as the launch point of the Eastern leg of the MINI Takes The States Tour.

Once I hit Manhattan, I began to wish for a Mini Cooper S to help weave through the atrocious traffic. Being an admitted small car guy (my Miata keys in my pocket), the 5 Series was not my ideal vehicle, though I was kept in air conditioned, HD Radio’d comfort for the few hours (yes, hours) it took me to get from Newark to Downtown Manhattan.

Keep reading more MINI Takes the States Tour, Day 1: New York after the jump:

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MINI fans will be able to preview the new MINI Countryman as the brand kicks off the MINI Takes The States rally in different locations across the United States starting tomorrow.

San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and New York City will play host to the start points, and Autoguide will be in New York to cover the events leading off from the East Coast leg of the rally. Autoguide will be on hand for stops in Philadelphia, Baltimore/Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, Columbus and Indianapolis, Autoguide staffer Derek Kreindler will cover events such as the Countryman launch party, a visit to the sports car collection at the Simeone Museum, participate in an autocross in Baltimore, lap the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and hang out with MINI owners along at various stops along the way.

Be sure to follow @Autoguide on Twitter for line coverage, and check the blog for in-depth updates.

Hit the jump to see the official press release

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If you’re going to hit the red carpet, you’d better be dressed by a designer. And not just any designer will do – it has to be household names. It’s a good thing MINI kept this in mind as it strutted its stuff down the red carpet in Vienna.

Making a fabulous debut at the 2010 Life Ball in Vienna on July 17, three MINIs outfitted by celebrity designers Diane von Furstenberg, Kenneth Cole and Calvin Klein Collection’s Francisco Costa made their way down the red carpet. The style icons accompanied their personalized cars at the annual AIDS charity event. And after their appearance, these MINIs were auctioned off for charity.

Each MINI boasted its own unique style. Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg’s creation featured colorful lips on a bright red MINI, accented with mother-of-pearl white on the wheel rims, mirror caps and roof of the car.

New York fashion icon Kenneth Cole sprinkled his gleaming silver MINI convertible with about 8,000 studs that were all applied by hand. Attention to detail in the interior was evident – you could see it on the fine-leather seats, piped with Swarovski crystals, stud appliqués and embossed logos.

Calvin Klein Collection’s Francisco Costa designed his MINI Countryman in matte black paintwork, embellished with a reflective logo on each of the front doors. Finishing the look was its smoky tinted windows, which lent the car an aura of mystery.

Costa’s MINI sold for 40,000 Euros, while the other two will be auctioned off at upcoming  amfAR events. Total proceeds will go to amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.

MINI‘s Countryman SUV is likely going to have some tough competition from the Nissan Juke, but the announcement of some specifications for the newest MINI should take away from some of the buzz that Nissan’s strange-looking crossover has been enjoying.

The Countryman’s engines will be familiar to most car fans, with a 1.6L, 122 horsepower four-cylinder as the base engine, and the 184 horsepower turbocharged engine for the “S” model. Anyone wanting  all-wheel drive will be forced to upgrade to the Countryman S, or the Europe-only diesel model. But with only six inches of ground clearance, going off-road might not be the wisest choice in the Countryman.

[Source: Autoblog]

Since the launch of the brand, MINI has always had a host of quirky accessories, from flag motifs for the roof, rally inspired fog lights for the front of the car, colored mirror caps and racing stripes in all manner of hues. To commemorate the launch of the new four-door Mini Countryman, the Getaway package allows you to have any sort of spontaneous roadside or rest stop social gathering, provided you shell out the €306 for the equipment offered. For your money, you can get a tabletop that allows the rear seats to fold into a functioning table, branded boots, t-shirt and parka as well as a special cover that can be “a poncho, sleeping bag, awning, picnic blanket and bed cover in one, and makes the ideal accessory for those more extended stops during a journey.”

Hit the jump to get the full story on this…unique… accessory package. Perhaps a road test of the Countryman Getaway is in order, involving living out of the car for a week subsisting only on trail mix and using the Mini as a makeshift shelter. MINI PR, are you listening?

[Source: Autoblog]

Press Release After The Jump

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With the launch of the all-new MINI Countryman at the Geneva Auto Show last week we had an opportunity to sit down with the VP of MINI USA, Jim McDowell and find out more about the brand’s first crossover and what the future holds for the rest of the product range.

Starting with the Countryman, McDowell believes this is a vehicle that will help bring back brand rejecters – those who simply couldn’t justify owning a MINI for reasons ranging from size, to functionality. He even commented that in the past a father of two who bought a MINI would be seen as selfish, putting his wants ahead of his family’s needs. The Countryman lets those needs and wants come together while avoiding any social stigma.

Added usability will come in the form of fuel efficiency. While no official numbers are yet available (or any unofficial ones for that matter), McDowell says he wouldn’t be surprised if the Countryman became the most fuel efficient crossover offered in the U.S.

MINI also hopes to attract driving enthusiasts to the Countryman by offering it with a manual transmission here. In fact, when it goes on sale, it will be the only all-wheel drive crossover offered with a manual transmission. When asked if MINI’s All4 AWD setup is being planned for any other future MINI models, McDowell commented that while it was most likely possible, it’s not something they are looking at, favoring the two-wheel approach for the ideal sporty driving experience.

As for the future of the rest of the range, McDowell confirmed that the recent engine updates made on European models will arrive for the 2011 model year cars in North America. In Europe, the Cooper and Cooper S models get a slight boost in power and improved fuel economy thanks to direct-injection technology and variable valve control. The Cooper gets a 3-hp jump to 122-hp, while torque is rated at 118 ft-lbs, allowing a 0-62 mph sprint of 9.1 seconds. As for the Cooper S, it gets a new twin-scroll turbocharger that helps bring the 1.6-liter 4-cylinder to 184-hp (up 9-hp), while torque of 177 ft-lbs comes on from 1600 to 5000 rpm. The overboost function delivers 192 ft-lbs (260Nm). The Cooper S is rated at 7 seconds to 62 mph. (These numbers should change slightly for the North American market and we’ll have to wait for official EPA rated fuel economy numbers).

But beyond those updates, McDowell had more to say, specifically in regards to our questions about smaller engines and the use of dual-clutch transmissions – something particularly relevant with Volkswagen and Audi now delivering cars like the A1 and Polo GTI with 1.4-liter Twinchargers and dual-clutch transmissions. “We are continuing to add technology as quickly as it comes, while working to promote the MINI driving experience and be environmentally responsible,” he commented, following up by stating that MINI will “move forwards in minimalism,” with a future that is, “greener and more efficient.” From this it’s safe to surmise that future MINI engines will get smaller while new technology like dual-clutch transmissions (which improve both the driving experience and fuel economy) are pretty much a given.

As for the upcoming Coupe and Roadster models, we pressed McDowell on what exactly makes these cars so different. He spoke at first about the obvious lack of a hatch, more futuristic design and improved cargo room – all of which is rather obvious. When we expressed our feelings that these attributes (including the JCW engine) really didn’t set the two models apart, he admitted as much, commenting: “but you don’t know what else is coming. We have a few pleasant surprises.”

After our conversation took a bit of a detour about MINI buyers and the other sorts of vehicles they consider, McDowell brought it back on point stating that he wouldn’t be surprised if the MINI Roadster came to own the entry-level roadster segment that Mazda currently has locked-down with the Miata.

As a brand, MINI is expanding significantly with new dealerships poping up all over the U.S. Over the next two years the Countrman (and soon the Coupe and Roadster) will double MINI’s lineup of products aimed at delivering performance and fuel economy in packages with the sort of universal appeal that has always made MINI models “global cars,” long before such a concet became popular.

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MINI has just release two videos showing its upcoming Countryman crossover in action. The 2011 MINI Countryman (the car may take on other names in other markets) becomes the fourth model in the MINI family and the first with four doors. Despite the foray into the crossover segment, the Countryman retains signature MINI design elements, only on a larger vehicle. Key characteristics such as the roofline, grille and wheel arches remind us the Countryman is still very much a MINI.

The MINI Countryman will come standard with four seats arranged around a front-to-back center rail. An optional three-seat bench available at no additional cost. Depending on how the seats are adjusted, MINI says the Countryman has a storage capacity of 12.2 to 41.0 cubic feet.

MINI’s ALL4 all-wheel drive system will be available as an option on both the Cooper S and Cooper D Countryman. The ALL4 system provides half of the engine’s power to the rear wheels under normal driving conditions but when needed, can transfer 100% of the power to the rear for added traction.

MINI will offer three gasoline and two diesel engine options, though only the gasoline engines are likely to make it over to North America. The base MINI One D Countryman will have a 90 hp four-cylinder turbodiesel engine while the top-level MINI Cooper S Countryman option will have a 1.6L turbocharged engine with direct fuel injection and fully variable valve arrangement, claiming 184 hp. All models come standard with a six-speed manual transmission while the gasoline engine models will be available with a Steptronic six-speed automatic transmission.

GALLERY: MINI Countryman

See more video of the MINI Countryman after the jump:

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