subject: MINI Countryman Receives Mixed Reviews [print this page] MINI Countryman Receives Mixed Reviews MINI Countryman Receives Mixed Reviews
TheMiniCountryman has made its UK public debut at the 2010 Canary Wharf London Motorexpo.Judging by the furore that the new Mini Countryman has already created within the automotive world it might not be as well received as BMW were hoping.
BMW have been condemned for milking the MINI name and manufacturing the British car in Austria, rather than on home soil.
The first MINI 4x4 still has the trademark clamshell bonnet, oversized headlights and quirky dashboard details but critics suggest it lacks the panache that the MINI is renowned for. The design has been slammed for being over-styled and disproportionate, and has been described as ugly.
It is the first Mini to measure more than 4 metres in length, and is also the tallest model. In theory more Mini for your money, except the Countryman will cost from 16000, more than you average MINI.
MINI has decided to forgo the traditional two doors in favour of four doors, in an attempt to make the MINI Countryman a more practical choice. Although the standard trim only seats four, with two rear individual seats and a centre rail; a design decision carried over from the MINI Crossover and Beachcomber concepts. Even the option of three rear seats is unlikely to entice families to choose the bumped up 4x4 in favour of a family friendly MPV. So who will is the target market?
Apparently MINI are trying to expand their customer base, they are hoping the MINI Countryman will appeal to young men looking for a more masculine' MINI. Even the off-roading' potential, courtesy of the all-wheel drive, is unlikely to entice a young man into buying a MINI; a used BMW in Norfolk is a more realistic choice.
The MINI Countryman will be available in familiar trims- One, Cooper and Cooper S- and is due to be released in the UK in late September 2010.
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