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With four doors and all-wheel drive the new Mini Countryman S will take the Mini to new heights and lengths when it rolls into dealerships in February 2011.

Measuring 161.3 inches long and with a wheelbase of 102.2 inches, the Mini Countryman offers more passenger space than any other Mini vehicle, along with nearly 40 cubic feet of cargo space.? That makes it 17.7 inches longer, 6.1-inches taller and with a 6-inch longer wheelbase than the Mini Cooper hardtop.

?The Countryman is the most striking addition to our vehicle lineup so far,? said Jim McDowell, Vice President, Mini USA. ?And development of this vehicle has inspired our engineers and designers; the brand is taking on a new, even feistier, fun-loving attitude.?

As a small crossover, the Mini Countryman bridges the gap between the classic Mini concept and a modern crossover vehicle. The Mini Countryman is a completely new car, but its likeness to the rest of its family is immediately apparent.? While it is Mini?s largest production vehicle ever, it is still only a size ?small,? and the company remains committed to the its core values… practicing fiscal, environmental and adrenal responsibility at all times.

Mini The extra interior space is made possible by the additional height of the body, and by the car?s longer wheelbase.

A key feature that is unique to this model is the innovative Center Rail. The aluminum track stretches from the front to the rear of the cabin and offers storage for personal items, electrical and USB connections for seamless integration of smartphones and other devices and a large number of attachments to fit customers? lifestyle.

Mini Countryman powertrain options include Cooper, Cooper S or Cooper S with ALL4. The Countryman will be the first crossover on the market to feature a turbocharged and direct-injected engine with VALVETRONIC technology. ?For shoppers who are focused on gas mileage, Mini Countryman is expected to offer the best fuel economy in the crossover segment.

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