2003 Mini Cooper Pepper White W Black Racing Stripes on 2040-cars

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2015 Mini Countryman getting mild facelift for NY

Mini has introduced three generations of retro hatchback since its revival in 2001, with numerous bodystyles spun off that core model. But the Countryman has always stood apart from the rest (save the Paceman which was in turn spun off of it). The Mini crossover is bigger than the rest of the lineup, has more doors, more driven wheels and a familiar yet different look.
There's an all-new model in the works, set to share its architecture with BMW's own front-drive family. But that's still a couple of years away, so to keep the Countryman looking fresh, Mini is reportedly preparing to roll out a mildly facelifted version at the upcoming New York Auto Show.
As we're still awaiting confirmation from the automaker, few details on the updated Countryman are available at this point, but word has it that it will only include some minor cosmetic enhancements to the interior and exterior of the vehicle. Just how comprehensive those updates will be, and how many of them will be derived from the latest Mini Cooper hardtop remain to be seen, but with the NY show just a week away, it won't be long before we find out.

2025 Mini Countryman S All4 will start at $39,895

Mini uploaded a bit more information on the 2025 Countryman S All4 to its retail web site, including output figures and price. For now, this is the least pricey trim in the new Countryman lineup, powered by the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder used in its sibling, the BMW X1 xDrive28i. It’s making the same 241 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, too, which Mini says this is enough to get the all-wheel-drive SUV from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds, 0.3 second behind the time BMW claims for the X1.  The automaker calls this "a super-sized sequel to our original Countryman." It will come with a substantial price increase that one might also call super-sized, although it's difficult to line up this variant of the new Countryman with the current range. The 2025 model is going to cost $38,900 before a $995 destination fee, totaling $39,895 not counting options and the rest. ThatÂ’s about $6,000 more than the starting point of todayÂ’s three-strong range, the $33,645 134-hp non-S Countryman. The 2024 Countryman S makes 189 hp and 207 pound-feet of torque and starts at $33,895. For comparison, the price difference between the 2024 Countryman JCW and the 2025 version is $4,095. The additional cost of the new model will buy a larger car with 20% more cargo space, almost 30% more power and more than 40% more torque, the latest tech, and some snazzy two-tone, 19-inch wheels.  We've got a price on the battery-electric 2025 Countryman SE ALL4 as well: $46,195, according to the web site. This represents the upper trim with 313 hp and 363 lb-ft when using the boost function, able to hit 60 mph in 5.6 seconds and go an estimated 245 miles on a charge. Along with the other variants mentioned above, it can be reserved now. The Countryman S All4 and JCW are expected to begin reaching dealers in the spring with the electric versions coming a few months later. We're still waiting for price, powertrain, and range details for the entry-level battery-electric 2025 Countryman E coming next fall. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Carfection looks for the ultimate pocket rocket

If there's one thing we love, it's a good showdown. Especially when it's on video, done by some Englishmen, and involving some manner of performance machinery. Like this latest clip, for example, from Carfection. The team formerly known as Xcar have assembled three very compelling supermini hot hatches: two we can get on our side of the pond, and one we can't. One American, one Frenchman, and one Brit. One cheap, one expensive, and one somewhere in between. They all pack turbo fours, of course, but placed in entirely different packages. There's the evergreen favorite Ford Fiesta ST, the Renault Clio RS 220 Trophy that should have the rest licked, and the retro rocket that is the Mini JCW. And there's only one way to find out which is the best. It's a tough contest, to be sure, but lest you think it all comes down to specifications or which one's the newest, you'll want to think again. Because when it comes to hot hatches, all the electronic gizmos and power boosts in the world can't show up a perfectly dialed-in chassis that lets you hug the curves and feel like you're going a lot faster than you actually are. But don't take our word for it – see what our British friends have to say about it in the Queen's English in the seventeen-minute clip above. Related Video: