Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website Eye-catching and multi-faceted. The design of the new MINI Countryman
november 02, 2016 - Mini

Eye-catching and multi-faceted. The design of the new MINI Countryman

The new, second-generation #mini #countryman represents a more distinctive and mature proposition than its predecessor. A striking #design language envelops the exterior of the urban all-rounder, while the interior is awash with creative details underscoring the premium character of the new #mini #countryman ((combined fuel consumption: 7.0 – 2.1 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 159 –49 g/km). The new car is clearly recognisable as a member of the #mini family, yet has a character very much its own. “We see the new #mini #countryman as the adventurer of the family, always up for new experiences – either in the city or off the beaten track,” explains Christopher Weil, Head of Exterior #design at #mini

 

The silhouette – powerful and rugged.

Ever since it was launched in 2010 the #mini #countryman has been winning over drivers with its distinctive #design. The second generation of the Sports Activity Vehicle is equally as compact as its successful forebear and makes a convincing statement through its authentic #design. “It was clear to us that the new #mini #countryman needed to go a step further aesthetically and yet still remain a #mini,” says Oliver Sieghart, Head of Interior #design at #mini. “In terms of its #design, the #countryman is the most rugged and upright model in the #mini family.” Visual anchor points shared elsewhere in the brand family include the floating “helmet roof”, the chrome strip on the shoulderline and the clear silhouette, which incorporates classical #mini #design features. And the new #mini #countryman extends the theme, with headlamps fully encircled by daytime driving light rings for the first time. Indeed, the evenly illuminated rings are a signature element, ensuring the striking contours of the headlights are visible during both the day and night.

 

The #design language of the new #mini #countryman is now more pared-back and modern. The car has sharper lines and catches the eye with its taut surfaces and details. For example, metal edging has been added to the distinctive black band that wraps around the car and takes in the wheel arches. This edging is purposefully squarer in execution, rather than rounded. The flanks, with their precise surfaces, give the car its contours and create tautness. The edging around the wheel arches catches the light and sharpens the focus on all four wheels. The lights, the front grille and the hallmark side scuttles are also more prominent in appearance. Meanwhile, the optional ALL4 package gives the Countryman’s #design a more muscular SAV character. With its roof rails, additional black bumper accents and silver-coloured underfloor protection, the new car cuts an even brawnier figure.

 

The interior – pure and practical.

Alongside the classical strengths of an SAV (think raised seating position, all-wheel drive and a spacious interior), the new #mini #countryman also offers customers a wealth of details and an authentic #design. Tauter surfaces enable greater clarity and inject sharper graphic appeal into the #design of the interior. Horizontal segments lend the cockpit area a visually broader and more modern look. The use of high-quality materials and scope for customisation – e.g. through the addition of chrome accents or backlit trim strips – bring an exclusive character to the new #mini #countryman. And the variety of details available, from subtle to extravagant, is undeniably large. “The #mini brand has a long tradition, which we are keen to express in a modern interpretation rather than just reference,” says Sieghart. That means seats with diagonal stitching, whose contemporary interpretation and colour scheme lift the classical seat cover profile to a new level thanks to a dash of creativity and a fine sense for the aesthetic. A standout feature is the interior option #mini YOURS – British Oak illuminated, where translucent sections in the trim strips help to generate vivid patterns. This option provides different expressions for daytime and night modes and infuses the interior with a special aesthetic appeal.

 

The plug-in hybrid model – electrifyingly new, electric in yellow.

The new #mini #countryman sees the #mini brand add a plug-in hybrid model to its line-up for the first time. This variant can be identified from the outside by numerous accents in yellow, such as the #mini E logo and the charging flap next to the side scuttle. The interior also contains elements which single this out as the plug-in hybrid model in the range, including accents on the steering wheel and instrument cluster, instruments adapted to electric driving and an extended user interface, which clearly highlights the car’s plug-in hybrid functions. Plus, the start/stop button in the centre console is no longer red – as in all other MINIs – but yellow instead.

 

For further details on official fuel consumption figures, official specific CO2 emissions and power consumption of new cars, please refer to the "Manual on fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and power consumption of new cars", available at all sales outlets, from Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH (DAT), Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen and at http://www.dat.de/angebote/verlagsprodukte/leitfaden-kraftstoffverbrauch.html.