It's not that I abused the MINI, it's just that when you yank on the wheel and the car tucks and rolls, you just want to keep doing it over and over again and, at a higher rate of speed. On the topic of T & R, the Countryman is, once again, not quite like a regular Cooper. Being taller, longer and heavier has its advantages, such as more head and legroom, but by the same token, weight transfers are further laboured and slower. Still good fun though.
Driving a MINI is always a blast. I had been looking forward to trying out the ALL4 all-wheel drive system but my luck ran out; spring got here before the car. The ALL4 system splits torque 50/50 front rear at all times, which is more effective in troublesome driving conditions than a conventional front-wheel biased AWD layout. As well, up to 100% of the power can be directed to the rear wheels. Given this, no surprise then that MINI is back in WRC.
On top of taut steering, strong brakes and a good overall feeling, the MINI is easy to see out of. The beltline is at a decent height and all windows are nearly vertical. In closing about the interior, I would have liked more storage spots to empty out pockets in. My road trip had phones, iPods, bottles, wallets and keys strewn all over the place including the back seat.
The Countryman should be a hit, at the very least, it should be a solid blip on the radar of those looking for a smallish versatile family car that stands out in a crowd with youthful appeal. Come to think of it, that's who nearly all manufacturers are aiming their new hip products at. Plus, this MINI can climb walls like a spider...
I love this quirky piece of German-British auto-motion. It may not be for everyone but the clever expansion of the MINI brand, although horrible to some, and the addition of more variants brings more attention and visibility to this make. It has rapidly become more pertinent as gas prices continue to soar and as consumers look to downsize. There's nothing boring in this showroom.
By the way, ever wonder why MINI is spelt in capital letters? Easy: Simply to differentiate it from the original Mini, not that anyone would confuse the two cars...
Driving a MINI is always a blast. I had been looking forward to trying out the ALL4 all-wheel drive system but my luck ran out; spring got here before the car. The ALL4 system splits torque 50/50 front rear at all times, which is more effective in troublesome driving conditions than a conventional front-wheel biased AWD layout. As well, up to 100% of the power can be directed to the rear wheels. Given this, no surprise then that MINI is back in WRC.
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| Being taller, longer and heavier has its advantages, such as more head and legroom, but by the same token, weight transfers are further laboured and slower. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
On top of taut steering, strong brakes and a good overall feeling, the MINI is easy to see out of. The beltline is at a decent height and all windows are nearly vertical. In closing about the interior, I would have liked more storage spots to empty out pockets in. My road trip had phones, iPods, bottles, wallets and keys strewn all over the place including the back seat.
The Countryman should be a hit, at the very least, it should be a solid blip on the radar of those looking for a smallish versatile family car that stands out in a crowd with youthful appeal. Come to think of it, that's who nearly all manufacturers are aiming their new hip products at. Plus, this MINI can climb walls like a spider...
I love this quirky piece of German-British auto-motion. It may not be for everyone but the clever expansion of the MINI brand, although horrible to some, and the addition of more variants brings more attention and visibility to this make. It has rapidly become more pertinent as gas prices continue to soar and as consumers look to downsize. There's nothing boring in this showroom.
By the way, ever wonder why MINI is spelt in capital letters? Easy: Simply to differentiate it from the original Mini, not that anyone would confuse the two cars...
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