Remix takes the all-new MINI Countryman JCW ALL4 for a spin
Growing up, I always believed that I was a MINI girl at heart — it might have something to do with my fascination with British pop-culture. So, best believe I jumped at the chance to get behind the wheel of the all-new MINI Countryman JCW ALL4. After a week of making the new-generation model my entire personality, it wasn’t hard to see why the innovative Countryman model is regarded so highly in the SUV segment with its sporty design, premium craftsmanship, and iconic MINI go-kart handling. It’s safe to say that the enhanced design and performance features of the all-new MINI have elevated the driving experience, whilst retaining that beloved MINI charm that I adored as a girl.
MINIMALISTIC DESIGN
Embracing MINI’s new design philosophy of ‘Charismatic Simplicity’, the all-new MINI Countryman JCW ALL4’s design is undeniably MINI, whilst maintaining the John Cooper Works specific design elements that effortlessly capture the essence of motorsport. The Chilli Red steering wheel, sports brakes and sports stripes definitely had me feeling like I was racing at Hampton Downs vs driving 40km/h on Ponsonby Road. My favourite design feature though, had to be the three unique lighting signatures in the front and rear LED lights, where I could let everyone know what mood I was in on any given day. The car even bid me farewell with an orchestrated lighting animation.
MINI TECHNOLOGY: INDIVIDUALLY TAILORED EXPERIENCES FOR DRIVERS
Stepping into the car, my eyes immediately followed the curved dashboard to the 240mm OLED centre console screen — definitely the interior showstopper of the new model. After a simple ‘Hey MINI’, the model’s Intelligent Personal Assistant greeted me back with a series of graphics and a MINI avatar which soon learned my regular coffee stop routes. The eight MINI Experience Modes further allowed me to set the vibe for every drive, with a simple toggle of a button, the lighting, sound and digital visuals of the OLED display were altered to create my desired ambience.
BIG ON IMPACT
Sustainability takes the wheel in the new MINI Countryman with circularity being the main focus when it comes to the production of the new-generation models in terms of the methods and materials used. Not only is MINI proud to be 100 percent leather and chrome-free, the light alloy wheels use up to 70 percent recycled aluminium. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that these efforts by MINI have seen a reduction in up to 98 percent of their production greenhouse emissions.
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