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Crossover, Manufacturer, MINI, Motor reviews, SUV, Vehicle type

A Mini flying machine

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Mini Countryman John Cooper Works

By Bill McCarthy

Countryman is a name that hardly describes this firecracker from MINI, conjuring up images of genteel tweed and green wellies.

The JCW version of the small SUV is anything but genteel, offering brutal power with the two litre petrol engine delivering 306 bhp and 450Nm of torque, via twin turbo technology, all wheel drive and the latest eight-speed Steptronic transmission.

It is also hugely practical in typical SUV style having a wide girth and sitting high off the road. This offers  excellent space with good head and legroom and a decent boot of 450 litres increasing to 1,390 with the rear seats folded.

It certainly looks hot, particularly this model, fully blinged up with scoops and spoilers in contrasting black and red black trim with JCW badging throughout. The go-faster stripes are there and in this case justified, together with colour coded sports brake calipers and door mirrors, sporty alloy wheels and twin exhausts.

The large air inlets on the front of the vehicle are designed to serve the cooling requirements of both the drive and the brake system. 

Much of the exterior is colour coded in red and black with contrasting sports pedals and bright trim, with high quality fixtures and fittings. It is dominated by the Mini’s trademark dinner plate-style dash which houses the touchscreen infotainment system which controls sat nav, music and connectivity.

Also familiar are the toggle switches with central console houses a control dial for the various functions, sitting behind the gear lever.

‘On the road performance is brutal. Mated to the eight-speed auto gearbox, the car rockets to 60mph in around five seconds.’

 The part-leather Recaro sports seats are surprisingly comfortable and supportive, with contrasting colour stitching while the JCW branding is visible on door sills.

On the road performance is brutal. Mated to the eight-speed auto gearbox, the car rockets to 60mph in around five seconds. It zips seamlessly through the gears, but if you want a more engaging drive, switch to the paddles behind the multi-function steering wheel.

That kind of pace requires handling to match with the  chassis improved thanks to the single-joint spring-strut-type axle for the front wheel and the multi-joint rear axle.

An adaptive chassis with electronically controlled dampers is available as an additional option. 

What this means is the handling is sharper and ride firmer although not so firm as to be uncomfortable with the firm suspension not unduly troubled by ruts and potholes, but delivering an exhilarating drive when driven hard. The firm says the  powertrain has been designed to offer a spontaneous response to the slightest movement of the accelerator, but I did detect a slight lag when flooring the accelerator pedal, with steering not the most responsive if you’re being ultra picky.

Economy is still pretty decent with an average of around 39mpg available and lowish emissions for the type of car.
The intelligent controller of the ALL4 drive system delivers drive on demand to both axles. It is connected to the stability control system  and constantly calculates the ideal power distribution ratio between the front and rear wheels.

In normal driving conditions power goes to the front wheels, but if the traction controller detects a danger of slip on the front wheels, within a fraction of a second, drive is transferred to the rear wheels.

Equipment levels are good, but in typical BMW/MINI style, extras can cost and arm and leg, but standard kit includes LED headlights, Mini Driving Modes, navigation with 6.5 inch display with touchscreen function and smartphone mirroring a redesigned graphical display and Real Time Traffic Information (RRTI). 

The Comfort Plus pack is provided as standard including front and rear Park Distance Control (PDC) with Park Assist, a rear view camera, seat heating and folder mirrors.

Eighteen-inch John Cooper Works light metal wheels in Black Grip Spoke design are also offered as standard.

It may be an SUV, but despite its bulk on height off the road, give it its head and it is an exhilarating drive in true John Cooper tradition, with only the slightly heavy steering a drawback.

Factfile

MINI Countryman John Cooper Works ALL4 2.0i 
Price: £35,550
Mechanical: 306bhp, 1998cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving all wheels via eight-speed Steptronic gearbox
Max speed: 155mph
0-62mph: 5.1 seconds
Combined mpg: 38.7-40.9
Insurance group: 38E
CO2 emissions: 156g/km
BiK rating: 37%
Warranty: 3yrs/unlimited miles

AWD, Land Rover, Manufacturer, Motor reviews, SUV, SUV/4X4, Vehicle type

Another Landmark for Disco

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Land Rover Discovery

By Bill McCarthy

THIRTY years of producing a model is something of a landmark, so it should come as no surprise that Land Rover’s special edition Discovery is called, you’ve guessed it, the Landmark.

The vehicle has notched up 300 awards since its 1989 introduction and goes from strength to strength.

It’s reputation and capability is legendary, whether posing at the school gates, towing the horsebox to the gymkhana or navigating fast flowing rivers and mud tracks in the the Amazon.

And it looks like a landmark, a huge premium vehicle with a commanding road presence.

It does look good, based on the SE model but with the addition of Dynamic Exterior Pack which includes unique Landmark badging, bumper design, and black mesh grille and vents plus black nameplate lettering on the bonnet and tailgate.

There are also two fixed, front and rear panoramic roofs, with sliding cover, front fog lights  privacy glass and 20-inch gloss black alloy wheels and an upgraded sound system.

Key features include a seven-seat setup, where the rearmost pair fold into the boot floor, clever storage options and its even pet friendly with with special provision to make your canine pal comfortable.

At the touch of a button the rear suspension can be lowered to allow the dog to jump on board via the powered interior tailgate and settle into a prepared comfortable area.

The Discovery name is now in vintage territory, but in desirablity terms, remains as fresh as ever

A visual road presence, but still first among equals in terms of off-road capability as all-wheel drive technology advances at a pace. It also costs a wedge to buy, with this model a cool £57,350 price tag, although with a PCP  deal  it can be available for around £499 per month.

It has proven over the years that it can almost go anywhere and technology includes All Terrain Progress Control, which enables drivers to set and maintain a steady speed in tricky conditions. It is available alongside Terrain Response 2, offering a number of driving modes and class-leading wading depth of 900mm. Add to this a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes and you have a top notch off roader.

JLR is on the road to electrification, but in the meantime, that has taken a back seat for this model with a choice of two two-litre diesel engine set-ups available in  240bhp SD4 and 306bhp SD6 power units.

The 240bhp ingenium unit in this case offers plenty of pulling power and better economy than the higher spec engine, but loses out with performance. Having said that, it pulls the two tonne-plus beast to 60mph in an impressive 8.3 seconds via a slick eight speed gearbox, with a top speed of 121mph.

On the road, the car is a pleasant place to be with the refined engine, barely audible and extensive soundproofing cutting out exterior noise from road and wind. It is expecially relaxed when cruising on the motorway.

The inside is packed with premium kit, high quality soft touch finish, leather seats, heated this and electrically operated that, plus acres of room.

This version offers a choice of Ebony or Acorn grained leather with  satin brushed centre console and unique aluminium mesh finisher, plus the 380W Meridian Sound System. This is operated via the state-of-the-art 10 inch Touchscreen (InControl Touch Pro) which incorporates  navigation, TV,  Bluetooth connectivity,  DAB radio and connnectivity via  Wi-Fi Hotspot, various apps and smart phone connectivity.

Large glass areas allow plenty of light into the cabin as does the double panoramic roof while head and leg room is plentfiful for all, as you would expect in a vehicle this size.

Boot space with the rearmost seats stowed away is impressive and neat touches are the powered interior and exterior tailgate for ease of loading.Stowage space ranges from  258 litres to a maximum of 2,406.

In vehicle name and model terms, the Discovery name is now in vintage territory, but in desirablity terms, remains as fresh as ever, if you can afford it.

Factfile

Land Rover Discovery SD4 Landmark 240ps

Price: £57,495

Mechanical: 240bhp, 1,998cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving four wheels wheels via 8-speed automatic gearbox

Max speed: 121mph

0-62mph: 8.3. seconds

Combined mpg: 30-33

Insurance group: 18

CO2 emissions: 197g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/100,000 miles