New MINI Countryman JCW
There’s a second-generation of MINI’s
Countryman SUV in the making, with the finished product set for a reveal at the
Paris Motor Show in October, followed next year by what you see here, the
sporty John Cooper Works model.
Powering the JCW Countryman ALL4 will be
MINI’s new 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine from its JCW-badged Hatch and
Cabriolet, churning out 228 hp and 320 Nm of torque, or 20 hp and 60 Nm over the current model.
The four-pot will be hooked up to a
standard 6sp manual or an optional 8sp automatic, and the same
electronically-controlled four-wheel drive system found in the related BMW X1.
Like the X1, as well as MINI’s new
launched Clubman estate, the next Countryman is based on the BMW Group’s
modular UKL1 architecture with the SUV stretching by around 150 mm in length to
close to 4.3 meters, while gaining a longer wheelbase, and a wider and taller
body, all of which will improve interior space, especially at the back.
In JCW guise, the new Countryman’s
chassis will get a sports suspension and steering system tuning, bigger wheels
wrapped in beefier rubber, and larger Brembo brakes.
The next Countryman’s styling won’t
change dramatically, with spy shots of both the regular model and the JCW seen
here indicating a rather stale approach – even fans of the brand will have a
hard time calling it anything more than ‘evolutionary’, with tweaked ends and
slightly more muscular surfaces. The JCW edition will pack some added sway with
a modest bodykit and fancier trims.
Source : Carscoops
