MINI Traveller

New MINI estate caught on test

The temperature is sub-zero - but these are the hottest pictures yet of MINI's new estate model

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Chris Thorp

31st January 2007

It's free of any disguise at the front or sides, and our spyshots finally prove that the MINI has carried its early design ideas through to the showroom with van doors at the back, and a Mazda RX-8-style rear passenger door. The newcomer will be officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, before it goes on sale here early next year.


	The Countryman will be offered in One, Cooper, Cooper D and Cooper S guises

Study our pictures and you will see exactly what we've got to look forward to. In keeping with the style of the Traveller and Countryman estate variants of the past, the designers wanted to avoid creating a conventional five-door bodystyle.

However, practicality would be too limited if access to the rear was available only through the front doors. The one workable solution was to design a barn-style door with reverse hinges to leave a large opening.

Look through the windows of this prototype, though, and you will see one of the MINI's secret quirks - there is a rear door on just one side. This asymmetric design not only fits in with the car's youthful image, but it will also cut manufacturing costs.

And at the back, it is also clear that access to the boot is provided by two van-style doors which are hinged along the vertical edges. The problem of where to put the registration plate has been overcome simply by fitting it to the bumper instead. At the front, the newcomer shares its face with the latest MINI. The interior will also be carried over, although the rear will obviously be more spacious.

So why was this prototype out testing without the usual black plastic disguise? It's all down to a twist of fate. The truck on which it was being transported suffered a mechanical breakdown and burst into flames. Log on to www.autoexpress.co.uk to see the pictures on our website. As a result, the test drivers had no choice but to unload the car and drive it the rest of the way to its destination out in the open. And our spy was on hand to take these shots.

As with the standard hatchback, the Countryman will be offered in One, Cooper, Cooper D and Cooper S guises. Basic petrol variants will be powered by a new 95bhp 1.4-litre engine, while the Cooper is to use a 120bhp 1.6 and the Cooper S will have a 175bhp turbocharged unit. The diesel version also has a 1.6-litre capacity and will deliver 110bhp.

However, not all versions will go on sale at the same time. In common with the latest hatchback, Cooper and Cooper S Countryman versions will appear first, followed a few months later by the rest of the range.

With a longer wheelbase than the standard hatchback, the new model's chassis has been undergoing intensive testing and development to ensure that it maintains the MINI's lively handling. As a result, expect greater refinement and a smoother ride from the larger model.

Prices are yet to be confirmed by parent company BMW, but the estate is likely to start from around £13,500 in basic trim, rising to £20,000 for the turbocharged flagship car.