The MINI Countryman: Model update measures for autumn 2012.

[BMW Power]

The MINI Countryman: Model update measures for autumn 2012.

31.10.2012



MINI Countryman (11/2012)
Munich. In the two years since its launch onto the world’s car markets, the MINI Countryman has developed into a driving force behind the continuing growth of the brand. The transference of hallmark MINI qualities and values into a new vehicle segment has won over new target groups worldwide to the brand’s unmistakable style. Autumn 2012 will see the British carmaker’s first model to offer all-wheel drive benefiting from an extensive round of modifications which will further enhance the allure of its boundless driving fun. Detailed refinements to the car’s design and the selection of materials available for the interior shine the spotlight even more brightly on a premium character none of the MINI Countryman’s rivals can match. The spacious five-door’s optimised ease of use underlines its very modern appreciation of practicality.
The modifications designed for the MINI Countryman will be rolled out across all model variants from November 2012. Open one of the front doors and the newly designed rings encircling the Centre Speedo and four air vents immediately stand out. They will now be presented across the board in the colour shade Carbon Black and also have an inner ring in high-gloss black or – as part of the Chrome Line Interior option – in chrome. Both in standard trim and with options specified, the fresh appeal of the colours and materials adds further lustre to the high-quality character of the MINI Countryman interior.
Newly designed door inserts also help to enhance the car’s premium ambience, comfort and practicality. Remodelled door armrests provide even more comfortable support for the arms, and the controls for the electric windows are now also positioned in the door trim. A full control panel is integrated into the door armrest on the driver’s side. The switches clustered here include the controls for all the windows, the deactivation facility for the rear window controls and adjustment for the exterior mirrors. Moving the window controls away from the centre console also optimises access to the larger storage compartment below it. From autumn 2012 the MINI Countryman will come as standard with a three-seat rear bench, while a pair of individual seats will be available as a no-cost alternative.
As well as changes to the range of interior colours, interior trim elements and Colour Lines, the selection of exterior paint finishes will also be given a refresh in autumn 2012. New additions include the suitably expressive colour shades Brilliant Copper metallic and Blazing Red metallic. Plus, a restructuring of the equipment packages on offer to customers will make it even easier to customise the MINI Countryman to reflect their tastes.
Customers can choose from six engine variants for the MINI Countryman. The three petrol and three diesel units produce outputs stretching from 66 kW/90 hp to 135 kW/184 hp. Beyond these, there is also the ultra-sporty MINI John Cooper Works Countryman, powered by a turbocharged 160 kW/218 hp engine. The ALL4 all-wheel-drive system fitted as standard on this top-class performance variant is also available as an option for the MINI Cooper S Countryman, MINI Cooper SD Countryman and MINI Cooper D Countryman. All models, with the exception of the MINI One D Countryman, can be ordered with a six-speed automatic gearbox as an alternative to the standard six-speed manual. The impressive efficiency of the engines and gearboxes along with extensive MINIMALISM technology ensure all the MINI Countryman variants achieve an exemplary balance between driving fun and fuel economy. Added to which, from autumn 2012 manual versions of the MINI One Countryman and MINI Cooper Countryman will meet the stipulations of the EU6 exhaust emissions standard due to come into force in 2014.

[BMW Power]

Talented all-rounder and bestseller: The 250,000th MINI Countryman leaves the factory.

12.03.2013



The 250,000th MINI Countryman - 12 March 2013. (03/2013) Show all media
Munich.The launch of the MINI Countryman saw the British premium brand make the move into a new segment and write a new chapter in its successful history. And today the 250,000th MINI Countryman rolled off the assembly line at production and development partner Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria. This production landmark, reached just two-and-a-half years after sales began, offers clear evidence that the MINI brand’s hallmark driving fun and time-honoured style also hold a persuasive allure in the compact premium segment. “The strong global demand for the MINI Countryman represents a compelling endorsement of the rigorous expansion strategy implemented for the MINI range,” says Harald Krüger, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, MINI, Motorcycles, Rolls-Royce, Aftersales BMW Group. The roll-out of the 250,000th MINI Countryman follows hot on the heels of the start of MINI Paceman production. The seventh model in the brand’s line-up is likewise built in Graz.

The MINI Countryman is the first model in the more than 50-year history of the brand to sport four doors, a large tailgate, up to five seats and a variable-use load compartment offering between 350 and 1,170 litres of space. The innovative vehicle concept brings the MINI feeling onto the radar of new target groups who appreciate both its extra functionality and a balance of agility and driving comfort that comes into its own over longer journeys. A driveline innovation is also central to securing the MINI Countryman’s status as a talented all-rounder: it is the first MINI to be available as an option with the ALL4 all-wheel-drive system. The variable distribution of power between the front and rear axles enables the driver to embark on scenic tours off the beaten track and opens the door to a new take on the signature MINI go-kart feeling.

ALL4 can currently be ordered as an option for the MINI Cooper S Countryman (135 kW/184 hp), MINI Cooper SD Countryman (105 kW/143 hp) and MINI Cooper D Countryman (82 kW/112 hp). Even further up the performance scale lies the stand-out sporting ability of the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman, which comes with all-wheel drive as standard. This allows it to convert the power from its 160 kW/218 hp race-bred engine into extreme driving fun with supreme assurance and in any situation. The engine line-up is rounded off by the front-drive MINI Cooper Countryman (90 kW/122 hp), MINI One Countryman (72 kW/98 hp) and MINI One D Countryman (66 kW/90 hp) models. All versions – with the exception of the MINI One D Countryman – can also be equipped with a six-speed automatic gearbox as an alternative to the standard six-speed manual.

The global success of the MINI Countryman is reflected in its sales figures in all the major car markets: a total of 102,250 units of the model were sold in 2012 alone. The most in-demand model variant was the MINI Cooper S Countryman, followed by the MINI Cooper Countryman. Although the diesel variants are not offered in all markets, they have also proved extremely popular. Diesel-powered models accounted for approximately 37 per cent of MINI Countryman sales in 2012.

[BMW Power]

Χαρισματικό, παντός εδάφους και bestseller: Το 250.000ό MINI Countryman έτοιμο στη γραμμή παραγωγής.

12.03.2013

The 250,000th MINI Countryman - 12 March 2013. (03/2013) Προβολή όλων των πολυμέσων
Μόναχο. Με το λανσάρισμα του νέου MINI Countryman, η Βρετανική premium μάρκα έδωσε το παρών σε μία νέα κατηγορία και έγραψε ένα νέο κεφάλαιο στην επιτυχημένη ιστορία της. Συγκεκριμένα, το 250.000ό MINI Countryman πέρασε από τη γραμμή συναρμολόγησης της εταίρου Παραγωγής & Εξέλιξης Magna Steyr στο Graz της Αυστρίας.
Το ορόσημο παραγωγής που επιτεύχθηκε μέσα σε δυόμιση χρόνια από την έναρξη των πωλήσεων, αποδεικνύει ότι η οδηγική απόλαυση και το διαχρονικό στυλ του ΜΙΝΙ αποτελούν ακατανίκητος συνδυασμό στη μικρή premium κατηγορία. «Η ισχυρή παγκόσμια ζήτηση για το MINI Countryman έρχεται να δικαιώσει τη δυναμική στρατηγική επέκτασης που εφαρμόζεται στη σειρά ΜΙΝΙ» σχολιάζει ο Harald Krüger, Μέλος του Διοικητικού Συμβουλίου των BMW AG, MINI, Motorcycles, Rolls-Royce, και Aftersales του BMW Group. Το 250.000ό MINI Countryman ήταν το επόμενο ορόσημο μετά την έναρξη παραγωγής του MINI Paceman. Το έβδομο μέλος της οικογένειας κατασκευάζεται επίσης στο Graz.

Το MINI Countryman είναι το πρώτο μοντέλο σε μία ιστορία 50+ χρόνων που διαθέτει τέσσερις πόρτες, μεγάλη πίσω πόρτα, μέχρι πέντε καθίσματα και μεταβλητό χώρο αποσκευών με χωρητικότητα από 350 μέχρι 1,170 L. Η καινοτόμος φιλοσοφία του οχήματος φέρνει την αίσθηση ΜΙΝΙ στο ‘ραντάρ’ καινούργιου target group που εκτιμά αφενός τη λειτουργικότητα, αφετέρου το συνδυασμό ευελιξίας και οδηγικής άνεσης που επιβεβαιώνεται στα πιο μακρινά ταξίδια.
Ένα καινοτόμο σύστημα μετάδοσης παίζει καθοριστικό ρόλο στον χαρισματικό χαρακτήρα του MINI Countryman: Είναι το πρώτο ΜΙΝΙ που διατίθεται προαιρετικά με σύστημα ALL4 all-wheel-drive. Η μεταβλητή κατανομή ισχύος μεταξύ εμπρός και πίσω άξονα καλεί τον οδηγό να εξερευνά νέες διαδρομές και να βιώνει μία νέα διάσταση της αίσθησης MINI.

Το ALL4 διατίθεται αυτή τη στιγμή προαιρετικά με τα MINI Cooper S Countryman (135 kW/184 hp), MINI Cooper SD Countryman (105 kW/143 hp) και MINI Cooper D Countryman (82 kW/112 hp). Ακόμα ψηλότερα στην κλίμακα επιδόσεων βρίσκεται η σπορ έκδοση MINI John Cooper Works Countryman, που διατίθεται με στάνταρ all-wheel drive. Έτσι η ισχύς του αγωνιστικού κινητήρα 160 kW/218 hp μετατρέπεται σε γνήσια οδηγική απόλαυση με απόλυτη αξιοπιστία σε όλες τις συνθήκες.
Η γκάμα κινητήρων ολοκληρώνεται με τα front-drive MINI Cooper Countryman (90 kW/122 hp), MINI One Countryman (72 kW/98 hp) και MINI One D Countryman (66 kW/90 hp). Όλες οι εκδόσεις – με εξαίρεση το MINI One D Countryman – μπορούν να εφοδιάζονται με εξατάχυτο αυτόματο κιβώτιο αντί του στάνταρ εξατάχυτου μηχανικού.

Η παγκόσμια επιτυχία του MINI Countryman επιβεβαιώνεται από τους αριθμούς πωλήσεων σε όλες τις σημαντικές αγορές: Συνολικά 102.250 μονάδες του μοντέλου έχουν πουληθεί μόνο κατά το 2012. Η έκδοση με την υψηλότερη ζήτηση ήταν το MINI Cooper S Countryman και ακολούθησε το MINI Cooper Countryman. Αν και οι εκδόσεις diesel δεν προσφέρονται σε όλες τις αγορές, αυτό δεν περιορίζει την υψηλή τους δημοτικότητα. Τα πετρελαιοκίνητα μοντέλα είχαν μερίδιο περίπου 37% στις πωλήσεις του MINI Countryman το 2012.

[BMW Power]

MINI expands its international production network: Local production begins at the Chennai plant in India.

17.04.2013



MINI Countryman in India. (03/2014)
Munich. In response to increasing worldwide demand for premium cars from the British MINI brand, the BMW Group is extending its international production network by additional local production plants for select MINI models. This adds another chapter to the global success story of MINI. For the first time since the relaunch of the brand in 2001, preparations are under way for the local production of MINI cars for several growth markets outside Europe. As a result, cars from the British premium brand will be rolling off assembly lines beyond Europe for the first time later this year. Local production for the MINI Countryman is currently being prepared at the BMW plant in Chennai (formerly Madras), which meets the same stringent quality standards applied to all production of BMW Group models.

The new MINI assembly facility has been brought on stream just a year after the start of MINI sales in India and will help to meet the steadily increasing demand for MINI cars in the Indian market.

The first models to be locally produced in Chennai will be the MINI Cooper D Countryman and the MINI One Countryman.

Over recent times India has become an increasingly significant market for the BMW Group, which has operated its own sales company on the subcontinent since 2007. At the start of 2012, MINI opened its first five showrooms for cars from the British brand in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, making India the 100th market in the global MINI sales network. A total of 302 cars were sold here in between March and December 2012.

The BMW Group’s decision – in line with its “production follows the market” strategy – to carry out local production of the MINI Countryman in India responds to the burgeoning interest within the country in innovative and high-quality vehicle concepts. MINI is the first premium manufacturer to be represented in the locally ultra-important small car segment, and is expecting the Indian car market as a whole to experience high growth rates over the medium and long term.

BMW’s Chennai production plant was built in March 2007 and has since taken on production of the BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series as well as the BMW X1 and BMW X3 models. The facility, which has a production area covering around 13,000 square metres (approx. 140,000 sq. ft.), is located in the Mahindra World City business zone in the southwest of India, roughly 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of Chennai. State-of-the-art machine technology, highly skilled employees and advanced manufacturing processes provide all the necessary ingredients for the production of premium cars to the highest quality standards.

Expansion of the international production network.
The ramping up of international production capacity is primarily aimed at providing a rapid and flexible supply line to the increasing number of customers in emerging markets. MINI delivered a record 301, 526 vehicles to customers worldwide in 2012, with markets on the American and Asian continents making a particularly strong contribution to this 5.8 per cent increase in sales over the previous year. The MINI brand will continue to broaden its global perspective over the coming years, and the strengthening of its international production network is intended to assist in that process.

Five of the seven models in the current MINI line-up are produced in the brand’s native Britain. The MINI plant in Oxford represents the central pillar in the BMW Group’s British production network, which also includes the Hams Hall engine factory in Birmingham and the press shop in Swindon. The MINI Countryman and MINI Paceman, meanwhile, roll off the assembly line at MINI’s production and development partner Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria and are also supplied with engines from Hams Hall.

The BMW Group is investing heavily in the expansion and modernisation of the three locations that make up the MINI production triangle in Britain. Among the factors behind the move is the planned next stage in the expansion of the MINI model family, which will further bolster the brand’s global success.