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

Hah......
That's funny..... Just a couple of nights ago I was flipping through Realoem, checking P/N's between R60 and R56, trying to figure out interchangeability between 4 bolt and 5 bolt hubs. But if the wheel selection car base isn't there, for a 5x120, why bother?

 

Yah that totally caught me off guard. I came upon mention of Chile and was thoroughly confused.

I'd still be interested in seeing how interchangeable everything is. There's a chance that the hub/bearings just bolt right into the current steering knuckles of the R56....but if not, it could potentially require a full front suspension swap. The countryman uses all new steering knuckles with new ball joint mounting methods similar to the r53 which would mean also swapping the control arms and potentially even the subframe just to mount up countryman steering knuckles .

It's all speculation until someone checks the mounting pattern of the countryman hubs to see if the 4 bolts line up with the 4 bolts used on the R56.

 

And mostly south - do you see the front of the engine block is behind the base of the windscreen? It must be like those old forward control trucks where the gear lever comes out of the gearbox and cranks forwards to the gear knob!

But no doubt it makes the car 'fly' nicely without burying its nose on impact.

Actually, I think you might call it 'respect' too for the origin of this unique event. While marketing budgets like BMW's pay for the big racers, there are loads of privateers, many on motorbikes where simply finishing the race takes hard, hard men many years to achieve. There is a big spirit of co-operation in the Dakar and competitors are expected to stop and help others in trouble. The event also evolved over time, which is why there are big (mostly Russian) trucks racing in it - orignally these were the support trucks and they had so much fun racing other support trucks that they got their own class. This is a Czech Tatra having fun:

 

Yes I noticed that. Looks like they were free to make the car any way they liked. I'm sure there are a set of rules that govern cars somewhere, but it must be a pretty loose set of guidelines. Flying well is mega important in Dakar/South American racing as well as in rallying.

Do you remember what happened to Ari Vatenen on the Argentina rally of 85? His transverse mid engined Pug 205 didn't fly well at all. From what I remember when he lifted the front end of the car nosed down with nearly fatal results.

He did win the 91 Dakar in a slightly different 205.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv9BQvmVr1M]YouTube - Paris Dakar rally - Ari Vatanen[/ame]

 

Chile is known for great rally stages, as is Argentina. No short of space to do it. Hell, there's even high desert to replace the Sahara. Having been there many times, I look forward to this event sticking there. I've nearly made it to Rally Argentina on two occasions but always seem to have it timed wrong by a week or two (its changed a few times based on location).

 

I like it, I would also like to have the wider fender covers for my r53

 

This vid nicely illustrates how different the racer is from a Countryman in size (near the beginning it passes a standard Countryman) and shows it being built.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUR07XXAM3g]YouTube - X-raid MINI All4 Racing Presentation[/ame]

 

So awesome. I want a shop like that :eek6:

 

that is a serious MINI!

 

I was poking around the Internet and found this.

Rider sheet Guerlain CHICHERIT akar

Most if not all of the press and interviews have had X-Raid as the team campaigning the MINI All4. It is curious that at the start of the race, it is a different team.

X-Raid Dakar Team unveils Mini for 2011 race - AutoWeek Magazine

Cheers!
Chris

safe

 

Monster X-Raid Energy BMW Peterhansel 3rd All4Racing Mini 7th | Dakar Rally

Excerpt:
The Mini All4 Racing crew began the stage in 14th overall and ninth on the road and were sixth through PC1 at 81km. They were trouble free throughout the special and
recorded the seventh fastest time.

“It was a good feeling today and a nice drive without any problems,” said Chicherit. “We had no problems with the brakes and all is okay for tomorrow.”
Poland’s Krzysztof Holowczyc and Belgian co-driver Jean-Marc Fortin started the short stage in fourth position, but had slipped to ninth in the virtual rankings at PC1 after stopping to change a flat tire. They eventually recorded the eighth fastest time and maintained fifth overall.

Enjoy the opening...
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRKa_PNC3O8&feature=player_embedded]YouTube - Monster Energy X-Raid Team after Stage 3 - DAKAR 2011[/ame]