Mini takes it to the next level

Mini pulled out all the stops with the Gauteng launch of two ultra-sporty products, its latest John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4 and the limited GP model.

The event included driving the JCW Countryman on public roads and on a skidpan, a few laps on the Gerotek track near Pretoria in the stunning GP, and the cherry on top - being driven at high speed around an offroad course by 11-time Dakar Rally champion Stephane Peterhansel in his brutal X-Raid Countryman.

Only 30 MINI GPs, out of a worldwide production of 2000 vehicles, have been allocated to SA and 28 have already been sold - the other two were at the track day.

So, rather than saying the GP is an absolutely stunning little car, I will concentrate on the JCW Countryman in this report.

What is it?

The new Countryman ALL4 with all-wheel-drive and a new twin-scroll turbocharged, 1.6-litre motor pushing out an enormous 160kW and 280Nm.

So it's really exciting, with distinctive looks and a racing heritage in the John Cooper brand with which the original Mini surprised the world with triumphs in the Monte Carlo Rally in the 1960s. But it has the advantage of being practical too, having four doors and four or five seats (depending on whether you choose a two-seat or three-seat split-bench rear configuration).

How does it look?

The Countryman is bigger than the normal MINI - of course, with a slightly snooty appearance because of a high grille that resembles a pulled-up nose. It's eye-catching and the 18-inch alloy wheels are real beauties. There is a wide choice of colour schemes.

What's it like to drive?

On a quiet, twisty country road it's a special treat, with tremendous power from the free-revving motor and good grip from the ALL4 all-wheel-drive system, which usually splits the power 50-50 between the front and rear wheels but can shift as needed.

Because the seating position is higher than in a normal MINI you don't get the same go-kart feeling as you do in the smaller version. Leg and headroom are good and space in the back is a pleasant surprise.

The boot area, too, is spacious. MINI talks about figures of 8l/100km or less and even with a lot of enthusiastic driving we recorded consumption of 10.3l/100km, quite outstanding from a turbocharged all-wheel-drive.

It comes standard with a six-speed manual but there is an option of a six-speed auto with paddle shifts. Acceleration from 0-100km/h is given as seven seconds on both versions.

Any special features?

More than the stars in the sky! Standard features include a leather-bound, multifunction sports steering wheel; Sport button to sharpen up engine responses and settings and bring the sports exhaust system into play; the familiar huge speedometer in the centre of the dash, with a rev counter set, racing-style, in front of the steering; runflat tyres; all the traction and stability controls you can think of, to add to the grip of the all-wheel-drive system.

The long list of optional extras includes front and rear sunroofs, a satnav system and a host of others too numerous to mention here.

While these are tempting they do, of course, push the price of the car up quite substantially. Go to www.mini.co.za for more details.

Should you buy one?

At a cost of R433643 for the manual and R450341 for the auto, the JCW Countryman ALL4 will not sell in huge numbers. But it is an exciting car for those wanting a really sporty four-door, five-seat car with distinctive looks and some exclusivity.

There is a three-year, 75000km motorplan and a two-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

Last word on the GP: this is a special little car so if you really want one and are prepared to pay a premium it might be worth making an offer to one of the people who snapped up the cars allocated to SA. They sold for R403000, new.