MINI returns to rallying

By Tom Phillips

27th July 2010

It’s official! MINI’s long-rumoured return to rallying has been confirmed, with a car based on the new Countryman crossover. The car will be developed by rally legends Prodrive, and be entered in selected rounds of the 2011 season, before a full assault on the championship in 2012.

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The Countryman WRC is being built to the latest championship rules which come into force next year. That means the Countryman will go head-to-head with Ford’s Fiesta and the Citroen DS3. The MINI will be powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine built by BMW Motorsport, and have a relatively simple four-wheel drive system.

The first car is due to be completed this autumn, and the firm also confirmed it has orders for cars from private teams, bolstering its presence on events much like current championship teams Ford and Citroen do.

MINI has a long history of rally success, and the move to enter the WRC has long been expected. BMW Sales and Marketing chief Ian Robertson said “I am delighted MINI will be represented on one of the most popular stages in international motorsport. The success enjoyed on the rally circuit has made a vital contribution to the image of the brand. MINI customers have always shown great interest in motorsport. I am convinced we will add a few more chapters to our success story in rallying.”

Prodrive has been working on the MINI WRC car since 2009. The firm, which is most famous for taking Colin McRae and Richard Burns to WRC titles in its Subaru Impreza cars, also ran BMW’s rally M3 project in the late 1980s.

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