What is Countryman?

The Mini! Excellence of repackaging :) Personally I never liked the Mini. It is a very well made and a very nice car, it is combining the Mini heritage with sophisticated technology. BMW made a very good job and never ruined the heritage. However, I never like the Mini :( Despite its unique characteristics, it was a brand which is not very close to me. This is totally emotional! In my opinion, Alfa Romeo MiTo and Fiat 500 are totally much better looking cars than the Mini. Also Fiat 500 is slightly better than Mini while packing the heritage with contemporary automotive world. Especially the price. Mini is a overpriced car, that's absolutely clear. You pay too much money for a small car. Macro priced, micro sized!

As usual BMW, transposed its product extension strategy to Mini, and Mini introduced the Clubman which looks like a Ford Transit from the back. It could not manage to achieve a success like normal Mini but some people bought it. And Mini followed the popular culture in automotive business and design a Mini SUV which is totally pointless. Yes, there is no competitor in this segment and it will collect the whole potential customers, if they are existed! Until now everything is fine, normal German style extension strategy in a British car.

But the most stupidest thing is, Mini Countryman (SUV) is not four wheel drive! Yes, it will be front wheel drive and you can have the four wheel drive only with S model. Very nice! A very expensive SUV which is not a proper SUV! I know, there are some SUV like this on market; they are only front wheel drive but they are not asking a price which is more expensive than an island! Those front wheel drive SUVs are cheap! This Clubman front wheel drive partial SUV will a very interesting car from Mini.

Actually more interesting than Apple iPad. Despite its pointless disadvantages, like Apple iPad, some people will just buy because it looks nice. Nicer than Mini Clubman and people will buy this weird SUV just to own it :)

Pictures are taken from;

Mini and Apple Websites