MINI Countryman; Paceman in 2012, WRC Edition

[Robin]

So I guess this mini would be BMW's X1!

Slowly turning the mini into every class / category of car so you wont need to buy anything else whoever you are!

Robin

 

[Joey D]

I wouldn't be surprised if you see a BMW version riding on the same chassis.

 

[Tornado]

I'd rather have a Suzuki SX4 for any not-really-off-road duties.

 

[YSSMAN]

VW Tiguan FTW... At the very least it has been tested and proven off-road, and furthermore, comes at a reasonable price. I'm absolutely certain this will not.

 

[Muzaffar]

Yeah, I notice that article on Autoblog yesterday. Didn't bother reading it because it sucks! (and I had more important things to look at....) The name in itself is questionable. "Crossman"? What the......

 

[m7ammed]

And I guess this confirms Mini will be opening up another plant to handle the high demand of their vehicles. Maybe now it won't take 6-8 weeks to get one in the states, although it's been said by Mini they don't really make a ton of money in the US.

No they are going to use the plant that makes the current X3 in Austria, and the new X3 would shift to US production with the X5 and X6

 

[Sage]

Crossmen? Is that some sort of new slang to describe Eddie Izzard?

 

[Joey D]

VW Tiguan FTW... At the very least it has been tested and proven off-road, and furthermore, comes at a reasonable price. I'm absolutely certain this will not.

This hasn't even been built yet in its production form so we don't really know what it will do off-road. I'm guessing it will be ok, but this will be an urban SUV therefore not really needing fancy off-road suspension or big tires. Hell I don't think most SUV's need that now-a-days.

And I think I stated the thing about the plants wrong, what I should have said is they are increasing their production to another plant, not opening up a new one.

 

[YSSMAN]

Car and Driver seems to think its pretty capable off-road, but at $24K and given its competition, the standards are presumably set pretty low.

 

[Joey D]

Guess it really will be like an X1

MINI Crossman CUV to use 1-Series parts
Motoring File is reporting that the upcoming MINI CUV dubbed Crossman will share elements with the BMW X1 SUV that itself is based on the 1-Series. You heard that right: the MINI Crossman will have parts from the 1-Series, although we don't know which ones will be crossing over just yet. The cross-use of components will save time to market and production costs for both brands. Hopefully the strategy will also keep both new utility vehicles around the same price as their competitors, unlike the BMW 1-series.

Recent spy shots show the Crossman to have the appearance of a raised Clubman, but while the test vehicle only contains two doors, the production version is actually expected to sport four. It will also be larger in every dimension over a standard Clubman, so the pics we keep seeing of a raised Clubman like the one above don't really tell the whole story. Also, don't worry, as the component sharing does entail the inclusion of an AWD system adapted especially for the MINI's configuration

 

[Jim Prower]

And it IS a CrossMAN, NOT CrossMEN

 

[Joey D]

And it IS a CrossMAN, NOT CrossMEN

Sorry for the typo

 

[Jim Prower]

Well, not so much to you, but everyone else...

 

[YSSMAN]

The engine and X-Drive? Thats all I can see crossing over... Maybe transmissions too? They honestly can't be sharing the same platform...

 

[Joey D]

It will probably ride on a modified R55 Clubman platform or the rumoured R58 which is supposed to be some AWD system.

 

[Joey D]

Looks like someone in Germany found a Crossman and it's not as bad as people were making it out to be. It's just a slightly higher, AWD Clubman. I can see this catching on in America where people still love SUV's but complain about the high petrol prices. Hopefully we will get a diesel version but that's doubtful.

This AWD system might find it's way onto the Cooper S in the near future which would be pretty cool. An AWD, 200hp Cooper S would be a sportly little hatchback. Obviously not the fastest sport compact but it would handle quite nicely and be a cool little ralley machine.

Spy shots give clear view of MINI SUV
Check out the best spy shots of the year so far – the MINI SUV has finally been snapped up close.

Our spies could barely believe their luck when they managed to seek out this prototype testing in Europe. While the bodywork appears to be near-identical to a standard Clubman, there are several visual clues to this being the new rough-road MINI.

The most obvious change is the increase in ride height. This will give the MINI greater ground clearance and extra visual muscle. The large wheels sit wider in the arches than standard rims, while the wheelbase is also a little longer.

Take a look underneath the rear of the car and the purpose of this MINI becomes perfectly clear. A rear differential is visible between the wheels, proving that this model is all-wheel drive. It won’t be a true mud-plugger, but it will aim to steal sales away from Land Rover’s larger Freelander.

Expected to be revealed later this year, the rough-road MINI has been confirmed for production but bosses are yet to confirm a name. Both Crossman and Monte are said to be in the running, with prices likely to start at around £20,000.

More photos: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/214686/mini.html

It could be this

 

[Jim Prower]

It's not as bad as we feared it'd be, no. Now it's begging for at least 275 HP and the ability to chase Evos and STIs off the road as well as on...

 

[Joey D]

To get that kind of power out of the Mini you would need to increase the displacement from 1.6L to 2.0L to keep things reliable. I don't think BMW wants to develop a new engine for the car just yet.

 

[Jim Prower]

That is true. Still, one wonders why the car hasn't been involved in Rallying much. I'd think an S1600 or S2000 version would've come out by now...

 

[Joey D]

I have no idea, I know quite a few guys on the North America Motoring forum participate in SCCA sponsored ralley events with their Minis and they do quite well. Although most of them stick to tarmac events, which for the life of me slips my mind. I know there is one in Canada.

 

[Jim Prower]

I guess BMW sees no reason to spend money on WRC or JWRC.

 

[Joey D]

I'm not sure on what the rules are for the WRC, maybe the Mini doesn't meet the qualifications. Although I thought all you really needed was a 2.0L turbo and AWD, but ralley racing isn't big here in America (as you know) so I have no idea.

Targa was the type of racing I was thinking of, I know a lot of Mini racers take their cars to Newfoundland for the targa there.

 

[Jim Prower]

There's the alternate S2000 (Normal aspriation 2.0L, FWD) and S1600 (NA 1.6L, FWD) Rules, otherwise like the WRC models, as they're pretty heavily modified from stock, what with SMG trannies and all. The last Cooper, if BMW had put their mind to it, could've been a S1600 car, and if they're still offering a 1.6 somewhere in the range, they could forseeably still do it, or de-stroke the 1.8. They could also bore out the 1.8 to 2.0L. I mean, the competitors are Punto, 207, Lupo, and the like.

 

[Joey D]

The Cooper and Cooper S both still use the 1.6L. The Mini One is a 1.4L.

 

[Jim Prower]

Ah, so it's still eligible under the S1600 rules...if BMW wanted to turn the car into screaming, 200+ hp NA racer.

 

[Joey D]

A new rendering has surfaced to what it might look like.

Sure, the title is oxymoronic, but it's just a matter of time before MINI unveils its beefed-up 'ute. CAR put its crack team of 3D modeling wizards on the job to show what a mud-plugging MINI could look like, and surprising, it's not all that bad.

While the design stays true to MINI's traditional cues, the larger front fascia, ribbed roofline and increased ride height gives the 4x4 a more rugged appearance. It all seems plausible, but the extra set of doors remain complete theoretical since MINI still hasn't released any specifics. Power is supposedly provided by the Cooper S' 175 hp turbocharged 1.6-liter four cylinder, but if the SUV/CUV packs on the pounds, the forced induction mill might not be able to provide the necessary get-up-and-go. A diesel is likely to be available and it's rumored that Getrag has been tapped to provide the transmission and all-wheel-drive system.

The 'ute is expected to be unveiled sometime next year, but it's name is still open to speculation. However, CAR quizzed a MINI manager who assured them that it wouldn't go by the name "Crossman." Good call.

With capacity at Mini’s Oxford factory running close to its maximum, BMW is outsourcing production of its smallest 4x4. This will be the first modern-era Mini to be built abroad, at the Magna Steyr plant in Austria. Until recently, it built the X3 for Munich, but it has lost that contract as BMW takes the next-gen model inhouse.

We’ll see the Mini SUV in 2009, although production versions could take longer. Remember that endless series of concepts for the Clubman? Well, we can expect more teasing to prepare us for the 4x4. And apparently stories claiming it will be called Crossman are wide of the mark. ‘What sort of name is that?’ retorted one Mini manager we asked. ‘It will not be called Crossman.’

I was also reading some comments on the Car Magazine website and this one really stood out and sums it up perfectly why BMW is doing this with Mini.

Mini set will love this

There is a whole bunch of people who absolutely love Minis and BMW appear to be gradually covering every niche so these people need never move away from the brand. In reality there is no reason why these should be 4x4 anymore than a volvo or an Audi, that also will never go offroad. Perhaps, with our nasty bumpy, pot holey, often very slippery roads, this style of vehicle is actually a sensible choice.

BMW is marketing to Mini owners, if I had a wife and kids I would seriously think about getting one of these since there would be no reason to own something massive. I seriously think there is a good point this this posters comment. I understand many people will hate it like the Clubman, but if you look at the sales figures for it, it really is selling quite well and I can see the Crossman doing the same.

 

[Tornado]

That looks far better than the initial render, but it is still totally pointless (especially if it does some with the theoretical 4 doors).

 

[Joey D]

Read my last comment, it is not pointless for BMW to be doing this. People who own MINI's currently will buy these, if the sales of the Clubman is anything to go by. People love the brand and will continue buying them.

 

[Tornado]

Read my last comment, it is not pointless for BMW to be doing this. People who own MINI's currently will buy these, if the sales of the Clubman is anything to go by. People love the brand and will continue buying them.

There is a large difference between the Clubman (offers 95% of the driving fun, with actual practicality as well!) and this (may offer 95% of the driving fun; but then again it will be far heavier, sit way higher and have a softer suspension).
The "it worked for Volvo and Audi" comparison fails hard, because how many people exactly thought of Volvo or Audi when they thought of driving fun (but not as a joke)? Exactly.
You take most of the fun out of a car that lives only because of its driving fun, and you have a recipe for a nice, expensive disaster. I'm sure plenty of dumb Americans who simply won't buy cars unless they can allude of off-road performance will buy them. But I can't see too awful many Mini owners scrambling at the chance to own a Mini with a high center of gravity and a softer suspension set-up.
They liked the Clubman because it was essentially the same thing, but with space. This is far and away not that.

 

[Joey D]

There is a large difference between the Clubman (offers 95% of the driving fun, with actual practicality as well!) and this (may offer 95% of the driving fun; but then again it will be far heavier, sit way higher and have a softer suspension).
The "it worked for Volvo and Audi" comparison fails hard, because how many people exactly thought of Volvo or Audi when they thought of driving fun (but not as a joke)? Exactly.
You take most of the fun out of a car that lives only because of its driving fun, and you have a recipe for a nice, expensive disaster. I'm sure plenty of dumb Americans who simply won't buy cars unless they can allude of off-road performance will buy them. But I can't see too awful many Mini owners scrambling at the chance to own a Mini with a high center of gravity and a softer suspension set-up.
They liked the Clubman because it was essentially the same thing, but with space. This is far and away not that.

Where did you get the "it worked for Volvo and Audi" thing from? The one comment said that people do not use there Volvo and Audi off road vehicles in the manner in which they are designed. Same thing goes for the X3, Cayanne, the Infinti thing, and just about any other SUV. A large percentage of people do not use them in the manner in which they are designed for.

And I don't think people understand, the Crossman is essentially going to be an AWD Clubman that is about 2 inches higher if that, it's not going to be some high sitting vehicle. It's like the Subaru Outback or Forrester.

**Look I agree that a MINI SUV probably isn't the best thing in the world, but I really do feel it will sell and as I've said if I was married with kids I would think about getting one of these for my wife.