Saar: The new model has more than 50 per cent local content onboard.
On May 3, 2018, BMW India launched the second-generation MINI Countryman in India. A total of three variants are up for grabs – Cooper S at Rs 34.9 lakh, Cooper SD at Rs 37.54 lakh and Cooper S JCW Inspired at Rs 41.4 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom India.
BMW India has now announced that new MINI Countryman has entered production at the company’s sole manufacturing plant in Chennai. According to Vikram Pawah, president, BMW Group India, the Countryman has over 50 per cent of local content in its recipe. That figure not only at par with other locally assembled BMW models but also helped the company to price the Countryman competitively. BMW India is relying on the above-mentioned competitive price list to double MINI’s sales in India.
The Countryman is the biggest vehicle that the British car marque makes. In India, it competes with compact premium SUVs such as the Mercedes-Benz GLA, Audi Q3 and its close sibling, the BMW X1. Speaking of which, the MINI Countryman is underpinned by the same platform its cousin from BMW. Soon, the MINI Countryman will gain another European rival in the form of the Volvo XC40.
As far as powertrains are concerned, the Cooper S and the Cooper S Inspired by JCW variants have the same engine. It is a 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol unit that is tuned to generate 192PS of power and 280Nm of torque. While the Cooper S comes with a standard 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission, the Cooper S JCW Inspired gets the sporty version of the same gearbox. Mileage and 0-100kmph figures for both the variants stand at 14.41kmpl and 7.5 seconds respectively.
The MINI Countryman Cooper SD has a diesel engine under the bonnet. It is a 2.0-litre turbocharged unit that puts out 190PS of power and 400Nm of torque. BMW fans would have figured it out that this is the same engine and power output that some BMW models, such as the X3 and 3 Series, have on tap. Transmission duties in the Cooper SD variant are handled by the same 8-speed auto box that does duty in the Cooper S. Being a diesel, the MINI Countryman Cooper SD returns an impressive mileage of 19.19kmpl. But it can still do nought to 100kmph in 7.7 seconds.
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