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Saturday, October 2, 2010

Mini Countryman WRC Wallpaper

2010 Paris Motor Show: Mini Countryman WRC Wallpaper

2010 Paris Motor Show: Mini Countryman WRC Wallpaper

The MINI WRC will hit the 2011 World Rally Championship competing in 6 out of 13 scheduled rounds, with full participation in the 2012 season planned. This fully kitted up rollcaged concept rally car co-developed with Prodrive will be at BMW’s Paris 2010 stage. Prodrive started work on the Countryman-based back in 2009.

It’s powered by a BMW Motorsport 1.6 liter direct injection turbo engine, no doubt very likely to have been modified from the BMW-PSA Prince engine that you can find in regular MINIs. Power is sent to wheels via a 6-speed Xtrac sequential transmission. Kris Meeke (GB) has been confirmed as one of the drivers who will contest the championship driving this.

BMW's Ian Robertson says:

"The Paris Motor Show is the perfect stage on which to launch our MINI WRC. The response to our announcement that MINI will return to the world of rallying next year was very positive. The FIA World Rally Championship is the pinnacle of rallying, making it the ideal platform for demonstrating the competitive spirit of our brand. The development of the car is running on schedule, and the preparations for the world championship are in full swing. The MINI Countryman production model provided the ideal basis for our new world championship challenger."

No doubt there will be some enthusiast owners of the road-going Countryman that will attempt to make their MINI look like this!

2010 Paris Motor Show: Mini Countryman WRC Wallpaper

Mini Countryman WRC Wallpaper

2010 Paris Motor Show: Mini Countryman WRC Wallpaper

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

First Videos of MINI's Countryman WRC Testing in Portugal!

Thanks to a tip from Carscoop reader Rafael, we can now share with you the first video footage of MINI's new Countryman WRC prototype, which was caught testing earlier today (Tuesday) at Ponte de Lima in Portugal.

The Prodrive developed and built World Rallying Championship version of the Mini Countryman is powered by a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo-charged engine from BMW Motorsport to comply with the new Super2000 regulations. Like the road-going model, it also gets four-wheel drive.

According to MINI, the Countryman WRC will be ready to compete at selected rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) before completing the full series in 2012.

Hat tip to Rafael!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

MINI Countryman Rally Car Passes First Round of WRC Tests

As previously reported, MINI is eager to get itself into the World Rally Car Championships with its Countryman crossover and reclaim some of the rallying glory its predecessor / inspiration had in the 1960s. And today, the British automaker released the first official picture of the Countryman WRC, which partner Prodrive has been busy testing at their Warwickshire proving grounds in rural England.

The Countryman-derived WRC prototype - which still wears MINI's signature psychedelic camouflage and a temporary body kit - has just successfully completed its first round of testing on tarmac and low grip surfaces at the Prodrive facility. The real test, however, will come when the car is sent to Portugal for a week of on-gravel testing. This phase will either make or break MINI's WRC bid.

Prodrive technical director David Lapworth isn't taking any chances: "As with any totally new car, it is vital to take time to ensure all the systems are working as intended before embarking on a weeklong gravel test,"

MINI and Prodrive are still finalizing the "look" of the car, with special focus on getting the WRC bodykit right for optimum aerodynamic performance and ground clearance.

By Tristan Hankins