The past and present of MINI COUNTRYMAN

　　It is a brand new model. In the MINI family, it is the first member of the MINI family to be more than 4 meters long, 4 doors and 4 seats, and equipped with 4-wheel drive. But no matter from the traceability of the model or the naming, the MINI COUNTRYMAN has a very long and rich history.

　　In fact, according to the traditional naming method in the West, MINI COUNTRYMAN should be called "COUNTRYMAN II". Because COUNTRYMAN is named after an ancestor in the MINI family, it represents a tribute and inheritance. So before we know "COUNTRYMAN II", we should first recount "Countryman I" with reverence.

　　早在1960年，“Countryman一世”就诞生了，由于当时BMC旗下的两个品牌都在销售Mini车型，于是他就有了两个名字：Morris Mini Traveller和Aun Mini Countryman——他们是旅行车型Mini Estate的两个品牌版本，在最早的MINI车型Morris Mini Minor和Austin Seven推出一年后，他们就问世了。

　　Mini Traveller和Mini Countryman在推向市场后的二十年中一直保持着不错的销量，可以从图片中很容易的看出，他具有Mini标志性的“四轮在四角”的设计，还有着厢形车的超大装载能力——至少在那个年代而言。无论对于家庭、小商业者还是追求驾驶乐趣的长途旅行车手，Mini Countryman / Traveller都是不错的选择。事实上现在英国还有不少人开着Austin Mini Countryman行驶在乡间小路上，用一句老爷车车主的话来说“A very fine car that just kept going and going”.

　　后来在Mini Countryman/Traveller的基础上，又衍生出了Mini Clubman Estate等车型，Countryman这个分支血统始终在MINI家族中占有重要地位。“Countryman”的受欢迎程度使这个名字如此响亮而受到追捧，以至于当ROVER入主BMC后，还把这个名字“偷”用在了ROVER的一款旅行车型上，所以历史上还出现过两辆分别挂ROVER和MG标的Countryman。

　　Of course, these two guys should not be included in the MINI family, so the newly born MINI COUNTRYMAN is still "II". However, going from "I" to "II" is not so simple. Let me take a look at another classic MINI model first: the Mini Moke, which is the only off-road model in the classic Mini.

　　The Mini Moke was born in 1964. It was produced at Longbridge in Birmingham for four years before being transferred to Australia. It was born out of a practical need: the British military proposed to design a light military vehicle, similar to the US military at the time, which could be used as a motorized unit and parachute equipment. The Mini Moke was invited by the British military for BMC, but the British military eventually cut the procurement budget.

　　So BMC launched it as a low-cost, low-maintenance civilian vehicle. When it was introduced to the market, it achieved unexpected success, especially among artists and film and television stars, triggering a rush to buy it.

　　In the hit TV series "The Prisoner" and several 007 movies at the time, Mini Moke made frequent appearances.

　　The Mini Moke with off-road crossover functionality was also an uncompromising "outlier" in the MINI family at that time, and some of its characteristics deeply influenced the birth of "COUNTRYMAN II".

　　After BMW rejuvenated the MINI family, it was natural to not forget the classic Mini Countryman/Traveller, which the MINI design team decided to use as a prototype to develop a MINI with a tourer style.

　　At major motor shows between 2005 and 2006, MINI launched four consecutive trips: the sci-fi MINI CONCEPT FRANKFURT, the picnic-tea-themed MINI CONCEPT TOKYO, the ski-themed MINI CONCEPT DETROIT to commemorate Issigonis’ birthday, the rally support theme, and the MINI CONCEPT GENEVA to commemorate the Monte Carlo Rally. They all have some of the distinguishing features of the Mini Countryman/Traveller: lengthened and bodywork on the standard version, an enlarged inner volume in the van structure, and a double rear door opening.

　　Just when people thought the Countryman/Traveller name was about to return, the production version came out in 2007. The name is. Its counterpart is the classic old model, the Mini Clubman Estate, which inherits the Countryman/Traveller lineage.

　　The appearance of MINI CLUBMAN was exciting, and the re-enactment of the classic after opening the door was touching, but the absence of the famous name "Countryman" still made people feel slightly disappointed.

　　In the past year, the launch of another concept car has piqued people’s appetite. The MINI CROSSOVER CONCEPT made its debut at the Paris Motor Show and got up close and personal with Chinese fans at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show. Its crossover, 4 seats + approximately 4 doors, high vision, and sci-fi-filled central control are full of novelty. It can be said that MINI’s previous cars did not have these outstanding features.

　　At this time, there were rumors in the rivers and lakes that the mass-produced model of MINI CROSSOVER CONCEPT would be MINI’s first crossover compact model, and the name was very likely to be "COUNTRYMAN"! For a time, there was a lot of discussion, and various imaginative images were rampant on the Internet, and everyone’s interest in Countryman "II" was unprecedented.

　

　　When people first saw this big guy codenamed "R60", they were all shocked by its camouflage camouflage… It was later confirmed that this was the "hijab" carefully designed by MINI for COUNTRYMAN.

　　At the end of 2009, at the slightly depressed Detroit Auto Show, the CONCEPT became the biggest highlight. The exaggerated transparent design and more obvious outdoor sports functionality immediately reminded people of the classic predecessor Mini Moke, and some even called the MINI BEACHCOMBER CONCEPT MINI MOKE CONCEPT. At the same time, this concept car also makes people feel that the mass production model is approaching.

　　Gert Hildebrand, who was the director of MINI designers at the time, said bluntly when accepting the conversation, MINI BEACHCOMBER CONCEPT is to build momentum for R60!

　　Finally, after a full 50 years, "COUNTRYMAN II" officially debuted at the Geneva Motor Show! Remove the "head" and lift the "hat", and MINI FANS all over the world take off their hats to the new MINI COUNTRYMAN who inherits the classic!

　　Upon closer inspection, you can find many traces of inheritance in the MINI COUNTRYMAN, such as the design of the side turn signals, headlights, and air intake grille, which has been continued and evolved from the four concept station wagons, MINI CROSSOVER CONCEPT, and MINI BEACHCOMBER CONCEPT, gradually approaching the current shape of MINI COUNTRYMAN; the 4-wheel drive crossover off-road performance can be traced back to the Mini Moke.

　　Isn’t it exciting to see the designers’ ideas and witness the continuation of the bloodline? MINI COUNTRYMAN is not a "big MINI" that came up with the head, but a classic reproduction of the wisdom of several generations of MINI people.