MotoringFile Most liked posts in thread: More Countryman Dakar Photos Plus Press Release

Sweet!

 

That first photo actually makes that thing look good.

 

Of course it looks good, its'a MINI, even if some purists don't believe it yet! :cornut: rrr:

 

If I was back in Manitoba, motoring on gravel roads, Oh the possibilities

Mark

 

:lol:

 

I like it

 

BMW must be delighted to hear their marketing spin being accepted so readily.

Is there anything from the Mini at all, except the shape of the outer body panels? It's not got a Mini body/chassis, it's not got a Mini engine, it's not got a Mini transmission and it's not got Mini suspension, but, yep, it's a Mini....

 

It has big MINI badges.... :lol:

That will be enough for many I guess. Over here in the US of A there is a bigger is better mentality. Bigger MINI = must be better. I don't get it, but for many that is the truth. Might even see them outsell the regular MINI. Go figure? Hell there is now even a super-sized 2 door version to be shown at the Detroit Auto Show. Is the normal MINI doomed?

 

Isn't that true of most of the dakar cars in its class? I know the T-Reg is on a similar tube chassis. That's sorta how many motorsports work...

You'd be hard pressed to find any consumer production vehicle that could tackle the dakar rally without modifications to things like the chassis and suspension.

 

You are 100 correct Rally. Most all race cars & certainly all Dakar cars are just funny cars. They look somewhat like the production car & that is where the similarity ends. For me I much prefer production based racers. Although racer of any kind are great.

 

I'm afraid the days of "Stock Car" racing and drivers like "Fireball Roberts" are long gone. We need to be happy that they chose that body, so at least MINI is in the mix, as much as any other make.

Jim

 

Well stock car racing is alive, just not in NASCRAP, long dead there. It lives on in the Continental Tire challenge & in some of the SCCA racing classes. The British BTCC cars are also production based. I seek them out & watch them. Great racing for sure. The BTCC is being shown on speed. Catch a race if you can, lots of very close racing action!

 

Yes, absolutely - but some do have a bit of the manufacturer's kit in them, like the engine - though probably only the block!

I guess at a stretch one could say that's true of the Mini Dakar racer as the 3 litre diesel engine is from last year's BMW X3 racer. Indeed I get the impression that the whole car is just the X3 racer shortened a bit and with different body panels to suit the new marketing objective.

 

The articles I've read seem to suggest a more MINI influenced suspension rather than an X3 as it touts a lower center of gravity and more nimble handling prowess over the X3's chassis which I'm assuming means they've restructured the suspension geometry. While not actual OEM MINI parts, certainly retaining MINI characteristics from the sound of things.

All company-backed racing is "marketing" as they seek to strengthen brand identity. Nothing wrong with that.

 

Oh yes, spot the logo 33 seconds in shows the BMW roundel & a north south engine orientation.

 

Kinda reminds me of the Cooper S3's

 

five bolt hubs now standard on the Countryman? If so, its about flipping time :lol:

 

Much bigger? I'd rather have 4x100 than 5x120 as far as wheel selection is concerned. With 4x100 you can atleast tap into the aftermarket selection for the 4x100 euros, scions, miatas, and hondas which still run smaller FWD wheels like us.

Almost no cars run 5x120, and the ones that do run wheels far bigger and more staggered than a MINI hardtop can handle, not to mention the RWD offsets.

5x120 (and 5x120.65) is basically just BMW's, some corvettes, some Jaguars, and pontiac firebirds. BMW's being the only ones that are actually 5x120 while the others are on an ever-so-slightly larger diameter pattern. Not sure if wobble bolts would be required for such a minimal variance....

Those cars are all in the class where bling-bling wheels are commonplace in their aftermarket. 18"+ HRE's and such with 20's making an appearance from time to time. They also all tend to run quite wide wheels, especially in the rear. It would make wheel selection a bit tough for our cars which struggle to pull off 18's let alone anything bigger.

The MINI might be able to fit a few of the older model OEM wheels from BMW's, but the selection is pretty weak.