A Mini measuring more than four meters, is it still a Mini? This trial is no longer necessary. BMW, owner of the brand, has definitively decided. The Countryman, which measured 4.07 meters when it appeared in 2010, now stands at 4.44 meters. The brand new and third generation of this successful model (1.2 million units produced) does not only close a debate that was controversial around the sex of angels. It acknowledges the fact that this model has definitively become a car of German culture.
A brand in its own right, Mini must differentiate its catalog more and more, which facilitates the increase in size of the Countryman, forced to distance itself from the five-door Mini, but also from the next Aceman (4.08 meters), a all-electric vehicle. By growing thirteen centimeters, this car changes its status. The small urban SUV, often chosen as a second car by wealthy households, transforms into a full-time family car with three real seats in the back and a 450-liter trunk.
May Neuilly, Auteuil and Passy, the Île de Ré and the entire Côte d’Azur be reassured. The new Mini (from 40,000 euros) still fits into an openly statutory register and remains faithful to its preferred territory, that of chic neighborhoods. The entry-level Countryman has a mild hybrid gasoline engine (48 volts) with a power increased to 170 horsepower which displays controlled consumption levels (6.5 liters per 100 kilometers on a predominantly motorway route) . A fully electric version (from 44,000 euros) will soon be marketed, but the last diesel faithful can also opt for an “oil” version (43,000 euros).
The transformation of the Countryman into a family Mini translates quite spectacularly in terms of style. Forgotten the slightly plump curves of the first two generations. The bodywork elements are smooth, and the cutting of the shapes, much more angular than before, is even stricter. The proportions have changed, and the silhouette has both lengthened and thickened. The headlights are no longer round at all, and the rear part evokes a raised station wagon, proud to suggest to its kind customers that we have not skimped on its carrying capacity. Rigor and functionality: a Mini no longer has to be “cute” and gently quirky.
Some time to adapt
Inside, the minimalist Bauhaus trend is even more marked. The presentation is without frills, and the plain surfaces do not lack elegance, but we move away from the “cozy” and warm atmosphere of previous models. Recycled fabrics and mid-grade plastic coverings have replaced leather and imitation chrome inserts. The Mini mold cracks.
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