The New 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman

It looks rugged and different from any other Mini Cooper I've seen. The reason? It is...and different in so many ways. The first thing your will notice about the 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman is the size. It is much bigger than any previous member of the Mini Cooper family. The Countryman is 161.3 inches from its upright, easy to recognize nose to its rear bumper. That makes it almost 16 inches longer than the Mini Cooper you are familiar with. I'm not sure this makes the Countryman look like a sports utility vehicle, but it does make a difference in legroom and hauling capacity.

The Mini Countryman will now seat five with the three piece bench seat. The bench seat will adjust back and forth and like the bucket seats, its seatback cushions recline. The cargo bay offers 12.2 cubic feet of capacity, but when the seats are upright you'll have 15.4 cubic feet. That's plenty of space for a weekend away, numerous pieces of luggage, or boxes you might take to the recycling center. If you fold the rear seats into the floor, however, you then have 41 cubic feet in the Cooper Countryman. According to the Countryman information provided, that is plenty of room to store two mountain bikes, if you remove their front tires. The roofrack will also provide a place to haul items that won't fit inside.

There are two different engine options provided, as well. The power range extends from a 1.6 liter four-cylinder in the Mini Countryman, all the way to a 180 horsepower turbocharged engine. Based on rides I've had in Coopers before, the turbocharged engine would be my first choice. Customers will be able to choose from a regular 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic with paddle-shifters. The Countryman will be one of the only SUVs available with a manual transmission.

Now that we've taken a look at the guts and the specs, let's look at the interior specifics. The Countryman has not lost any of the Mini look on the interior. The round gauges, the center-mounted speedometer and circular themes are found throughout the cabin. A leather-bound steering wheel and the door and center console inserts complete the Mini Cooper look. I would expect nothing less. Engineers also are trying out a new center console that contains numerous storage areas including cup holders and plug ins for new audio and multimedia devices. This is now a must as we rely so heavily on our mobile devices and other electronics. I can't wait to drive one for an extended ride and give it more than the once over. This Mini does look like it has everything.

I have friends and relatives that have Mini Coopers and this new model actually appeals to them. It still has the same Mini look and feel, but now with some more space it definitely has a more outdoorsy flair. I'm not sure how this will do in the States with a price tag somewhere in the mid to high $30,000 range, but one thing is for sure, it's got BMW engineering behind it, and a uniqueness that is only a Mini.