The launch of the MINI Countryman saw the British premium brand make the move into a new segment and write a new chapter in its not so long history.
Today the 250,000th MINI Countryman rolled off the assembly line at production and development partner Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria. This production landmark was reached just two-and-a-half years after sales began.
“The strong global demand for the MINI Countryman represents a compelling endorsement of the rigorous expansion strategy implemented for the MINI range,” says Harald Krüger, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, MINI, Motorcycles, Rolls-Royce, Aftersales BMW Group.
The roll-out of the 250,000th MINI Countryman follows hot on the heels of the start of MINI Paceman production. The seventh model in the brand’s line-up is likewise built in Graz.
The MINI Countryman is the first model in the more than 50-year history of the brand to sport four doors, a large tailgate, up to five seats and a variable-use load compartment offering between 350 and 1,170 litres of space.
A driveline component is also new: the Countryman is the first MINI to be available with the ALL4 all-wheel-drive system.
The milestone achieved by MINI Countryman is reflected in its sales figures in all the major car markets: a total of 102,250 units of the model were sold in 2012 alone.
The most in-demand model variant was the MINI Cooper S Countryman, followed by the MINI Cooper Countryman. Although the diesel variants are not offered in all markets, they have also proved popular. Diesel-powered models accounted for approximately 37 per cent of MINI Countryman sales in 2012.
13 Mar 2013
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