A few weeks back, I travelled to Québec City to get a taste of what MINI gets involved in these days; Red Bull Crashed Ice. This got me to thinking about BMW's purchase all those years ago and if they had ever imagined where the brand would go and take them.
My guess is that their principal interest was in the Range Rover name, and not Rover (the cars) or MG. Remember, at the time, there was no such thing as an X1, X3, X5 or X6. Their intention was to insert some luxury SUVs in their portfolio, and they did, but at a great loss. Lessons were clearly learned from the Range Rover days as proven by the Xs. Moving along...
Minis and MINIs are among a handful of cars that transcend time and space, much like VW's Beetle and Fiat's 500. You see a MINI, you know it's a MINI. On this fact alone, BMW should not have to put a dime in marketing but they are'a spending a bundle. But, BMW is building a MINI army.
Enter the latest MINI, the radioactive spider-bitten MINI Countryman, soon to have its spotlight stolen by the Paceman (I'm such a party pooper). The Countryman is MINI's first crossover but I prefer to call it a station wagon. MINI peeps will contend that a) wagons are not cool and that b) the Countryman is too tall and bullish to be a wagon. I disagree.
A wagon with special skills, that is. Yes, the Countryman is only MINI's second offering ever equipped with AWD. The Mini Moke it was called and was available ('64-'89) for purchase only in Europe and Australia. But like all cartoon characters created in the 60s, the Moke was scrawny, lanky and wouldn't scare a squirrel off a street. Nowadays, our superheros are buffed and powerful, like the Countryman.
On the subject of bullishness, the Countryman earns this comment from its stout front end, tall rounded shoulders and overall compact size. It has 4 doors, an extended roofline and a hatch and so, it's a wagon. I win. And, it reminds me of a Pug puppy and so, yes, it's cute. There, I said it.
My guess is that their principal interest was in the Range Rover name, and not Rover (the cars) or MG. Remember, at the time, there was no such thing as an X1, X3, X5 or X6. Their intention was to insert some luxury SUVs in their portfolio, and they did, but at a great loss. Lessons were clearly learned from the Range Rover days as proven by the Xs. Moving along...
 |
| The Countryman is MINI's first crossover but I prefer to call it a station wagon. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
Minis and MINIs are among a handful of cars that transcend time and space, much like VW's Beetle and Fiat's 500. You see a MINI, you know it's a MINI. On this fact alone, BMW should not have to put a dime in marketing but they are'a spending a bundle. But, BMW is building a MINI army.
Enter the latest MINI, the radioactive spider-bitten MINI Countryman, soon to have its spotlight stolen by the Paceman (I'm such a party pooper). The Countryman is MINI's first crossover but I prefer to call it a station wagon. MINI peeps will contend that a) wagons are not cool and that b) the Countryman is too tall and bullish to be a wagon. I disagree.
A wagon with special skills, that is. Yes, the Countryman is only MINI's second offering ever equipped with AWD. The Mini Moke it was called and was available ('64-'89) for purchase only in Europe and Australia. But like all cartoon characters created in the 60s, the Moke was scrawny, lanky and wouldn't scare a squirrel off a street. Nowadays, our superheros are buffed and powerful, like the Countryman.
On the subject of bullishness, the Countryman earns this comment from its stout front end, tall rounded shoulders and overall compact size. It has 4 doors, an extended roofline and a hatch and so, it's a wagon. I win. And, it reminds me of a Pug puppy and so, yes, it's cute. There, I said it.
 |
| On the subject of bullishness, the Countryman earns this comment from its stout front end, tall rounded shoulders and overall compact size. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |