Bucket Seat: 2018 Mini Cooper 5 Door Hatch

A few weeks back I got to spend time with the face-lift Mini Cooper hatch, it's always exciting to get a Mini because its an exciting car to drive. I always find myself telling people who have judgy comments about car that they need to experience what the car offers before slating it. It's come along in leaps and bounds ever since BMW took over the famous British manufacturer, apart from keeping the look of the car, they also embodied much of the heritage. How so? Well let me tell you. 

DESIGN

As mentioned already, the general shape of the Mini has remained the same over the years with it evolving and growing ever so slightly, it's still in essence Mini in size and has that dinky look to it. With the face-lift, not much has changed in terms of shape but there are some noteworthy changes to the lights, the front headlamps now feature a rectangular shape lamp which sits in the large oval shell. The is more chrome details around and in the grille, moving to the back, the rear lights now feature a luminous Union Jack, adding to its British Heritage. Mini have also brought out a range of various designs and options for customization, again nailing that individuality that each car can have. From side mirrors, door panels, decals, Union Jack on the roof, the variations are endless and can be quite fun for a prospective buyer when building their Mini. 

PERFORMANCE

The Cooper comes with the 1.5L Twin PowerTurbo engine which is the smallest in the range still has plenty of performance to deliver. 100kW with 220Nm of torque, the car propels it self from 0 to 100 kph in 8.1 seconds. The 8 speed sport automatic gearbox allows for smooth transitions and optimal changes when driving any of the modes. With the cars low center of gravity and perfect weight distribution, it's hard to get yourself to stop driving! When flicked into sport mode, the go-kart feel really kicks in with the steering loosening up and the exhausts get a bit more vocal, though it does tend to drink faster but it's all worth it in the end. The car is quite heavy for it's size but the engine does cope well and doesn't let you feel that weight, even with a full load. 

TECHNOLOGY

The car came with the Mini's connected sat-nav and infotainment screen which is touch and really easy to use thanks to the navigation wheel. There are voice commands for most functions and the car comes with Mini Connect. Big thing on the interior for Mini is the mood lighting, with quite a few colour options, you can set the mood for any occasion in the inside. Dual-climate control is also standard in the new Mini and while not so much a technology talking point, but an aesthetic one, the gear selector has changed to a flat long head which has a better feel and very similar to the BMW's. The car came with Mini's extended light package which illuminate the car beautifully at night and has the Mini logo projected onto the floor, very stylish if you ask me. Fog lights are also offered in LED variant now, which makes the car visible from further in heavy misty conditions. 

COMFORT

Here's the common misconception about a Mini, people think the interior is quite small and cramped, with the 5 Door variant you have the added door which makes the car longer and adds more space but the front passengers still have as much space as the 3 door hatch has to offer. The seats which come in both leather and cloth are extremely comfortable and can come in electrically adjustable with memory seating as well. While you are sitting low to the floor with quite large rims on the car, the general ride quality is great and comparable to some German sedans. The 5 Door hatch comes with a decent size luggage trunk as well, enough for a few cabin bags or a golf bag. 

VERDICT

I'm sold by the brand, while the car has flaws which are mainly minor and driver related, it really is a great car to drive. This even being the Cooper offers so much to put a smile on the drivers face, every time they go for a spin. It will have you offering to do the most mundane of errands just so you can go around for a spin. While pricing may seem steep for the car, the build quality of the Mini is second to none in the premium hatch segment. The car still feels solid with great quality material used on both the interior and exterior. If I had the money and dream garage to fill, you bet there would be a Mini or two in there. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	15L Twin PowerTurbo
Gear Box	8 Speed Automatic
Power	100kW
Torque	220Nm
0-100km	8.1 seconds
Economy	4.8 L/100km
Price	R 474,850

Bucket Seat: Mini Countryman Cooper

After having tested the Mini Countryman Cooper S earlier on in the year, when I was told I was getting the bottom of the range Countryman Cooper to test, it seemed to have been a bit of an anticlimax. I mean, how could I possibly enjoy the 1.5L twin-turbo motor variant of Mini's SUV range more than the 2L twin-turbo? Well, funnily enough, I did! While the engines do play a big part in a car, with Mini there's so many other aspects to their cars that oddly enough, you can have fun in any of the engine variants. That is the one major points that differentiate Mini from it's competitors and make it the brand it is. I know many look at the brand and think its just overpriced cars for a select market but people seem to link Mini to it's humble beginnings where it was an affordable, low income targeted vehicle. The brand ever since being reborn has transformed into a luxury premium offering, almost scrapping the essence of it's nature but it was for the better.

STYLE

Every aspect of this cars design must be appreciated, while many would say the changes that differentiate this Countryman to it's predecessor are minimal but it's the subtle nature of these changes that make the big difference. The car is now longer and wider than before, as well as taller. The new Countryman has more bulk than before and the addition of the roof racks adds to this masculine look. For me though, the interior of this car was one of the best I've seen from Mini and a true reflection of how far they have gone in creating options for each Mini owner to make a car that is unique and a true reflection of themselves. The seats had the cross-sectional stitching which brought out the brown/tan colour of the leather, it really caught your eye when opening the door. The Mini welcome mat is an awesome extra, to greet the driver on arrival, the interior mood lights add that ambiance at night when in the car. The detail gone into the middle console is fantastic with all the switches finished in chrome, the huge infotainment screen is big and pronounced up top. Displaying information and easy navigation from the jog-shuttle controller situated behind the gear selector.

COMFORT

While the interior looks nice, it really is damn comfortable. With the extra space in the cabin due to the overall size of the car being made bigger, it feels as if the seats are also bigger than normal. There is the option to have the front seats heated as well, to help on those frosty cold winter mornings and evenings. The cabin is spacious enough to accommodate 4 adults, I suppose one can seat 5 in there, with just a tiny squeeze. The new Countryman also has the new optional extra offering of a picnic bench. Which conveniently folds away under the boot floor. Taking it out is just as simple as it opens out over the rear bumper with the cushion positions just on the tailgate. Ride quality, as per the Cooper S is magnificent. The engineers really have done a great job on the suspension with smooth driving on any surfaces. I did take the Countryman on some gravel trails and it handled it with ease. While it not might be a fully fledged 4x4, it does the SUV thing pretty well. 

Picture by @mvrc1988

PERFORMANCE

Like I said at the start, this cars engine could do very little to persuade me over its bigger brother but surprisingly the 1.5L Twin Turbo engine that comes in the Mini Countryman Cooper isn't that bad. It's no slouch having to cart around this very heavy vehice. The engine pushes out 100kW with 220Nm of torque, pretty average numbers especially when you consider the type of vehicle its in but if you think of the purpose this car is serving, its pretty good. It has the perfect amount of grunt when needed but still perfect to cruise around with. When it comes to fuel economy, the weight will come into to factor again, while the claimed fuel consumption is 6 liters to a 100km, I very often found myself hitting the high 11L/100km. This could be due to my irradic driving style but the car is very thirsty. 

Picture by @mvrc1988

VERDICT

Overall, I really love this car. It's a Mini, its fun to drive and the high premium options one has to spec this car is insane. I love how you can personalise the car to such an extent and that makes every Mini made, sort of unique. They added the right type of extras which come standard to the car which make it that much more great. The roof racks and automatic tail gate, so you don't have to physically open and close the boot yourself. Downside has to be the it's appetite for fuel, I found myself having have to fill this car twice during my 7 days with it but there is some good news, Mini have confirmed that they will be bring a diesel version of the Countryman to our country in the last quarter of this year. I would love to see how that one performs.

Picture by @mvrc1988

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.5 litre, Twin Turbo 4 cylinder
Gear Box	6 speed automatic
Power	100kW
Torque	220Nm
Top Speed	250km/h
0-100km	9.6  seconds
Price	R 428,500*

Bucket Seat: Mini Countryman - First Impressions

This week saw the launch of the all new Mini Countryman in South Africa, now while the Countryman defies every aspect of the name Mini, it still has the trademarks that help its cause in being what a Mini is all about. The launch took place on my doorstep in KZN and saw us driving through the canelands of the coast and eventually venturing into the midlands of this magnificent province, perfect territory to test the new Countryman out. Some facts I got to learn about the Countryman during the launch was that the original Countryman was called the Austin Seven Countryman and the British manufacturer felt that the hatch needed a more versatile interior and hence it was born. It phased out thereafter but was later revived in 2010 after the BMW over Mini and while that one wasn't the best car to drive, it did leave a lot of room for improvement which this new model seems to have filled up. There were a lot of firsts for the outgoing Countryman, it was the first Mini with a large tailgate, the first Mini with four doors and it was the first to have 5 seats as well as the first to offer all wheel drive. Thus making it quite popular and in such selling over 540,000 units worldwide. 

The new Countryman boasts a host of changes from the old, its bigger, bolder and more powerful. The first thing that strike you is the large square headlights, a big change from the oval we're used to seeing on the other models. The car is also ever so taller but still doesn't have a lot of ground clearance to go properly in the bush. As morning broke, we set off in the Countryman Cooper first, which is powered by a  1.5l Twin Power Turbo, 3-cylinder petrol engine, pushing out 1100kW and a max torque of 220Nm. While the engine is practically identical to the one found in the BMW 318i, you'd expect it to have a bit more grunt in the smaller chassis of the Countryman. It packed plenty of punch that's for sure, I'm not sure if it was the coastal air but the car was pretty responsive and handled like a dream through the many twists and turns of the KZN North Coast and Midlands. 

The other option offered in the Countryman is the Cooper S which has the slightly bigger 2l, 4-cylinder petrol engine, with an output of 141kW and max torque of 280Nm. I had this on the journey back to Durban and got the chance to test this cross over on some gravel roads. While the previous Countryman wasn't the best in handling even on tarred surfaces, this new one is so much more refined that it felt almost at home on loose gravel. At once stage I felt like Colin McRae speeding down the gravel while leaving clouds of dust in my back. The Cooper S is seriously becoming one of my all time favourite engines. It has that burst of power that just puts a big smile on your face when driving a Mini. They try their darnedest to give the driver that "Go-Kart" feel and while many enthusiast might disagree that it doesn't, I still feel like it is there and even with the bigger Countryman, the perfect weight distribution, smaller turning circle and other elements do add to that feeling.

Both cars cabins are pretty much the same, it borrows a lot from the smaller Mini hatch but on a slightly larger scale. It comes with the Mini iDrive interface which is as user friendly as the BMW's, it also has Mini Connect offered which enables so much possibilities for the infotainment unit the in the car. The funky chrome switches are a personal favourite of mine as well as the red start/ stop switch perfectly positioned in the middle of it all. The cars came with the optional split glass sunroof which for me is a must in a Mini, it just gives the car that extra room feelings and connects you well with the outdoors. With the cabin being bigger than the norm there is a lot of room and can quite believe that that five adults can sit comfortably in the car. So when it comes to space, this new Countryman has plenty of it, with the luggage space able to accommodate 450 litres, which is increased when the rear seats are dropped and can be shifted to increase space even more! The tailgate is now also electronic so you don't have to worry about pulling a muscle when pulling the heavy lid down to close.

While the Mini Countryman isn't classified as an SUV, it still fits into that premium small SUV market with its competition being the Audi Q2, VW Tiguan and so on. The price tag might deter many but as always, I encourage people to see if it is really worth the tag and for what you getting in this car, and the quality of the product it really has come a long way. While there are only two engine variants offered, none of which come with the All Four option, there are plans to launch a diesel and the range topping JCW variants later this year. The JCW will come standard with All  Four. Pricing for the Countryman Cooper is R422,000* which comes with a 6 speed manual, the 6 speed auto starts off at R440,000*. The Countryman Cooper S with the standard 6 speed auto starts off at R490,000* and the 8 speed auto Cooper S is R509,500*

*C02 emissions applicable and not accounted for.

Bucket Seat: New MINI Countryman - First Impressions

MINI's Countryman, the one that contradicts it's brand as it's not really that mini in size has a new generation heading our way next year. It is the biggest model available from the British brand's stable and with the older one being one of my favourites, I'm quite looking forward to seeing what this one has to offer when it hits our shores. 

With MINI's design philosophy being that to channel the cars of yesteryear, its difficult to play around with the cars overall design and make it look different but with the new Countryman, it's undergone a complete revamp which see's the design change quite a bit a not just a few tweaks here and there. The new model boasts advancements in areas of space, functionality, athletic flair and premium characteristics.

What I like about MINI is that even though their cars are aimed at a certain market, they never comprised on quality of their product. It's always high end finishes with good quality materials in their cars and with the new Countryman, it seems that this trend is continued and improved. Overall the newly developed Countryman see's ten key innovations to it from its predecessor. 

1. Powerful proportions, 20 centimeters longer that its predecessor.
2. Five fully-fledged seats, clear increase in space and versatility.
3. Electrical tailgate control as well as touchless opening and closing of the tailgate.
4. MINI Picnic Bench: fold-out load loading cushion as a comfortable seat on the luggage compartment lid and for general outdoor use. 
5. MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL5: the first ever MINI with plug-in hybrid drive.
6. New generation of engines and gearboxes, efficiency-optimised all-wheel drive system ALL4. 
7. Central instrument with touchscreen function for the first time. 
8. MINI Country Timer measures driving fun over demanding terrain.
9. MINI Connected App as a personal assistant on a day-to-day basis and when travelling.
10. MINI Find Mate: everything you need on board at all times - or in view.

Quite a number of advancements and a few that grab my attention, although the Countryman is the biggest in the range, it did seem a bit cramped and while 20cm doesn't seem like the biggest space, it would make a vast improvement in cabin space. Other items which are note worthy are the new engines and gearboxes, all MINI's are great fun to drive and with their size and agility, you tend to push the limits of the car more often than not, this has direct implications on your fuel consumption. I've had terrible economy stats on any of the MINI's I've driven but the new engines and gearboxes will help alleviate this. What I'm really looking forward to is the MINI Cooper S E, having driven the Hybrid range from MINI's sister company, BMW, of which they were great, I can only imagine how the first MINI hybrid will be. 

Other first for the new Countryman is the LED headlamp with peripheral daytime driving light ring. The striking profile of the headlamp units deviates from the circular shape that is otherwise typical of the brand. Their distinctive, slightly asymmetrically rounded contour goes together with the radiator grille to produce an unmistakable front view. The parking lights integrated in the air inlets are used for the daytime driving light as standard. In conjunction with the optional LED headlamps, the latter is generated for the first time by a band of light running entirely around each headlamp. 

Overall the new Countryman looks the business, in time we will see if it can deliver on what it says. 

For me the new design looks great, with additional extras such as paints and livery details as well as roof racks, one can customise their Countryman, uniquely and  to their taste. It's great to see MINI getting in with the mobile application buzz as well. Cannot wait to experience this one next year.