KUALA LUMPUR: MINI Malaysia, in conjunction with the launch of its latest
Countryman Plug-in Hybrid, also introduced a more sportier variant of the premium compact Sport Activity Vehicle - the Cooper S Countryman Sports.
The Sports variant is latest member to join the locally-assembled Countryman lineup is a beefed up version of the standard Cooper S Countryman and is priced on-the-road with GST without insurance at RM245,888 and budding owners get a choice of four colour options that come with a Black roof for British Racing Green, Thunder Grey, Light White and Chili Red, although a White roof can can be had for both British Racing Green and Chili Red.
All MINI are covered by a four-year unlimited mileage warranty with free scheduled service and includes a '5 Years Roadside Assistance' programme (1800-88- 8808) with 24-Hour, 365-days- a-year Accident and Help on the Phone as well as On the Spot Hotline, Free Towing Services when needed (over 200KM from residential home), Replacement Vehicle, Seamless Mobility, Accommodation, Mobility Services Solutions and Repatriation services.
"Since unveiling the new MINI Countryman here last year, we have already delivered more than 200 units of the vehicle. The new MINI Cooper S Countryman Sports will build on this success as the premium sports activity vehicle now offers more power, exclusive enhancements and more fun to the MINI driving characteristics," said MINI Malaysia head Kidd Yam.
What sets this variant visually apart from rest is its added John Cooper Works Package which includes an aerodynamic kit consisting of a front apron with built-in air ducts for the front brakes and a rear bumper with diffuser, racing stripes and hexagonal grille on the outside.
Under the hood lies BMW's 2.0-litre turbocharged engine mated to an eight-speed sports automatic transmission with paddle-shifters to handle the up-tuned output of 192hp and 280Nm.
This allows the Sport variant to accelerate from 0 to 100kph in 7.2 seconds before reaching a top speed of 224kph. Fuel economy, on the combined cycle, has been rated at a respectable 6.5 litres per 100km.
Behind the 19-inch MINI John Copper Works Course Spoke wheels with run-flat tyres are the sports suspension system that's been tuned to provide more driving dynamism than before thanks to the stiffer spring and pneumatic shock absorber combination.
Opening the front doors reveal the MINI John Cooper Works door sill finishers as occupants get comfortable in the Carbon Black leather upholstered seats with Leather Cross Punch design while enjoying the 12-speaker 360-watt Harman Kardon sound system.
Meanwhile, as the MINI JCW Steering wheel and heads-up display greets its driver, passengers can appreciate the use of Anthracite for the headliner, sun visors, inner lighting housing, rear roof grab handles as well as the A-, B- and C-pillars.
The infotainment unit has been up-sized to a larger 8.8-inch touchscreen display with navigation that also features a split screen function - allowing for two map views on the display simultaneously, and can be further operated via the MINI Touch Controller located along the centre tunnel.
Also newly included are Park Distance Control for both front and rear as well as Park Assist for parallel parking spots which takes control of the steering wheel, leaving the driver to operate the accelerator and brake pedals.
"In 2013, the first generation of the MIN Countryman began making Malaysia its new home. Not its next generation keeps this tradition of having its roots firmly placed in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, much like its predecessor, but also raising the bar in terms of technology and knowledge sharing for the Malaysian automotive industry," said BMW Group Malaysia head of corporate communications Sashi Ambi.
