Rumormill: Mini could be headed for WRC by adapting new crossover model
The original Mini Cooper earned its performance credentials back in the 1960s being flung about on the Monte Carlo rally. Paddy Hopkirk won the Monte in 1964 at the wheel of a Cooper S. While modern Minis are still considered fun to drive cars, they have never been used in a major factory-backed motorsports program. In a move that could rectify that shortcoming, AutoCar is reporting that the company's new crossover could form the basis of a World Rally Championship program in 2011. The all-wheel drive crossover first appeared as a concept vehicle last year in Paris and is expected to debut in production form next month in Frankfurt.
The new model possibly called "Countryman" is expected to get a high performance John Cooper Works edition sometime next year which could form the base of a rally car. The demise of parent BMW's Formula 1 program and the restructuring of Formula BMW could certainly make room in the budget for something with closer ties to a production program.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
RowFive 3:15PM (8/19/2009)
From a legacy perspective the idea of Mini returning to rallying seems cool, but the "Countryman" seems too tall for it.
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Redline 4:30PM (8/19/2009)
Agreed, use the normal Cooper
AIL 3:21PM (8/19/2009)
that is literally the most horrible thing i have even seen on wheels. please, please give me an aztec, or some kind of horrible corvette-camino hack job before this turd.
the mini was a one-car trick. get over it BMW.
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Not THAT Matt 6:13PM (8/19/2009)
I think it looks fine.
Learn how to spell, it's Aztek.
Kent Pribbernow 3:30PM (8/19/2009)
And to make matters worse it will probably come to market with an outrageously high list price of $30,000 (starting). Oy!
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inline6 3:38PM (8/19/2009)
I think that this is a fantastic idea.
We enthusiasts have been a little bit down on the variants of the Mini - particularly the Clubman - that BMW has put out.
The Countryman seemed a bridge too far, a cynical marketing gimmick, a way to spread development costs for this platform across several lines of cars.
Until now. If they're going to take it rallying, that will lend an air of legitimacy to it, at least to this enthusiast. It'll have a purpose other than posing. Particularly if it doesn't embarrass itself at WRC. I say bring it on!
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Bennet Pullen 3:57PM (8/19/2009)
I just wish they would over a special model of the regular MINI using the AWD powertrain and rally that... In fact I've been dreaming about it ever since they released the new MINI. If they did release a rally oriented Cooper S I would buy one so fast...
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Bennet Pullen 4:06PM (8/19/2009)
I also wish we had an edit button... That should be "offer a special model"...
Chip Douglas 4:42PM (8/19/2009)
Agreed! CooperWorks with a 6speed manual and AWD. No need to build it on the BMW X3 platform.
txdesign 4:34PM (8/19/2009)
Thumbs up to AWD high performance Cooper S, but not this thing.
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sparrk 4:40PM (8/19/2009)
i'm turning into a metrosexual just by looking at this.
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