After yesterday’s leak there was no point in keeping the new Countryman under wraps so MINI went ahead and released initial details and a full gallery of its first-ever crossover model. Bear in mind that the BMW Group owned automaker noted that the car may not be named Countryman in certain markets without giving out any further details.

The Countryman is not only the British firm’s first-ever crossover, it’s also the first modern MINI to have four doors, an available all-wheel-drive system, four full-size seats and to measure around four meters in length.

The styling inside and out is unmistakably MINI, with the Countryman trying to stand out from the rest of the range with its chunkier nose job, raised ride height and some unique styling cues such as the headlamps and the alloy wheel designs.

The company said that driver gets a slightly elevated seating position while a new feature inside is the MINI Center Rail that extends from front to rear allowing anything from a cupholder and sunglasses to audio devices and an armrest to be attached and slid wherever they are required.

The Countryman comes as standard with four seats, but a three-seat bench is available as a no-cost option.

According to MINI, the rear seats can move fore-and-aft either individually or in a 60 : 40 (three-seat bench) split, the backrests may be tilted for angle either individually or in a 40 : 20 : 40 (three-seat bench) arrangement, increasing capacity in the luggage compartment from 350 to 1,170 liters (12.2–41.0 cu ft).

When the Countryman goes on sale in Europe this fall (North America in early 2011), it will enter the market with a choice of three petrol and two diesel engines, extending from the 90HP turbo diesel in the One D to a 184HP 1.6-liter four-cylinder petrol with a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct fuel injection in the rang-topping Cooper S.

All versions will come equipped with Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start Stop system and a gearshift point indicator.

MINI said that as an alternative to the six-speed manual gearbox featured as standard, the petrol engine models will also be available with six-speed automatic tranmission.

As an option, the Cooper S and Cooper D models will be available with MINI’s ALL4 permanent all-wheel drive system that uses an electrohydraulic differential positioned directly on the final drive varying the distribution from front to rear.

Under normal driving conditions, the system sends up to 50 per cent of the engine’s power to each axle, but in more extreme situations, up to 100 per cent can be sent to the rear wheels.

As with the rest of the MINI models, the Countryman will be offered with a wide range of customisation and equipment options on both the exterior and interior including an extra-large Panorama roof.

The official presentation of the Countryman will take place at the Geneva Salon in March, 2010.

We’ve yet to see the MINI Coupe Concept in the flesh – let alone it’s Speedtser twin that has yet to be revealed, but parent company BMW officially confirmed today that both models will enter series production and that they are to be built at MINI’s Oxford Plant in the UK. The important announcement was made by Dr.Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management, BMW AG, during his two-day visit to the firm’s UK operations earlier this week.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson commented: “The production of the two new MINI models is very good news for Oxford, and for the UK car industry. British drivers have had a long love affair with the MINI and I’m sure that this will continue for many years to come.”

The company said that the start dates for the production of the two new sporty MINIs that will join the existing line of Hatch, Clubman and Convertible models, all of which are made at the Oxford plant, will be confirmed at a later date.

The two seater coupe and its drop-top sibling will most likely be available with the 1.6-liter turbocharged MINI John Cooper Works power train that pumps out 211HP and a peak torque of 260Nm (192 lb-ft) or 280Nm (206 lb-ft) with the overboost function.

However, we wouldn’t be surprised if MINI also offers the standard MINI Cooper S’ 175HP 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol while a high-performance diesel option should be considered a possibility.

Revealed for the first time at the 2009 MINI United Festival in Silverstone, the MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50 is yet another special edition model built to commemorate the Cooper racing team’s first Formula One World Championship title with Jack Brabham at the wheel in 1959. The car that will be produced in a strictly limited run of 250 units is based on the MINI JCW and driven by the same 1.6-liter twin-turbocharged engine that pumps out 211HP. It accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h (62mph) in 6.5 seconds going on to a top speed of 238 km/h or 148mph.

All cars are finished exclusively in a new color named ‘Connaught Green’ that harkens back to the British race cars of the 1950s and 60s era. It is combined with the roof and bonnet stripes in ‘Pepper White’ while the 17-inch cross-spoke alloy wheels are finished in ‘Jet Black’.

Other exterior features includes the JCW aerodynamics package, a plethora of carbon fibre parts, among them the bonnet scoop on the bonnet, rear diffuser, exterior mirror caps and tailgate handle along with the special insignias.

The ‘World Championship 50′s’ interior has been upgraded with carbon fibre trim overlaid by red touches, black leather seats with contrasting red piping. The red theme is also used on the knee-rolls, armrests and the stitching on the floor mats, gearshift and handbrake gaiters. The look is rounded off with a new sports steering wheel with an Alcantara rim.

Prices for the special edition MINI John Cooper Works model have yet to be confirmed

The new MINI Convertible has caught the attention of engineers from famed tuner AC Schnizter that have developed a comprehensive sport package for the drop top. The German firm started by tuning the MINI’s 1.6-liter turbocharged engine to produce a reported 208HP for the domestic market model and 226HP for the export model, up from the standard unit’s 175HP. At the same time, the Cooper S and JCW models get a limited slip differential and a sport exhaust system.

Sans the JCW model, the rest of the MINI Convertible range can be upgraded with a sport spring kit and height-adjustable racing suspension. Customers can also choose from a variety of alloy wheel designs available in sizes 17-inches, 18-inches and 19-inches.

Those not content with the MINI Cabrio’s exterior looks can opt for AC Schnitzer’s bodykit that includes the usual front and rear aprons and side skirts along with a set of decals available in white, black or chrome-black. For the interior, the German firm offers an array of accessories such as gear knobs, handbrake handle, pedals and foot rests in aluminum and special floor mats.

Right on the heels of our recent first drive of the latest-gen Mini Cooper S convertible, Mini is raising the curtain on the John Cooper Works edition at the 2009 Geneva auto show. This marks the first time that the John Cooper Works package will be offered as a factory option on the convertible.

The JCW convertible shares the coupe and Clubman Works editions’ upgraded exhaust and turbocharged 1.6-liter four, good for 208 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. An overboost mode allows for 207 lb-ft, which is, frankly, probably going to be too much for the Mini’s front tires to handle. The 177 lb-ft of torque available in the standard Cooper S convertible had us torque steering all over the place, and the Cooper Works edition isn’t likely to be any better, but we’ll wait until we drive it to comment further.

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