It’s a MINI double as John Cooper Works versions of the Countryman crossover and forthcoming MINI roadster were both spied undergoing testing at the Nurburgring.
The hottest variant of the family-friendly Countryman is expected to feature the same 1.6-litre petrol turbo from the hatch; delivering 208bhp and 280 Nm of torque to all four wheels, and launching the car from 0-62mph in around 7.0 seconds.
At the front, the hot Countryman is marked out by a chunky bodykit comprising an aggressive chin spoiler and vented side-skirts, giving the model with a more purposeful stance. The sporty theme continues at the rear with the inclusion of large twin exhausts and a subtle diffuser.
The huge alloy wheels are a similar design to the MINI GP edition, and conceal a set of bigger brakes and are wrapped in seriously low profile tyres. There's no official word yet on price, but expect to pay around £24,000 for the flagship car.
Joining it at the ‘Ring was a lightly disguised prototype of the MINI Roadster JCW, a drop top version of the Coupe we drove last month.
Buyers can expect the Roadster to match or even better the hatch’s 0-62mph-sprint time of 6.5 seconds when it goes on sale in late 2012, with styling that closely matches the 2009 concept car.
For an alternative review of the latest MINI Countryman visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk
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How much uglier can they make this car?
BMW have lost the plot with the Mini. They are taking away all the charm that made it such an iconic car and replacing it with ugliness.
plip07, in answer to your question I fear the Mini range will get uglier before it gets better.