Hot Mini Countryman in the 'works'

Teaser shot shows Countryman JCW undergoing snow testing ahead of its 2012 debut.

Teaser shot shows Countryman JCW undergoing snow testing ahead of its 2012 debut.

Published Dec 14, 2011

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Ignore those rudimentary steel wheels and that fancy stickering - what you see here is a prototype of the performance version of Mini's pretend-SUV, the Countryman.

This John Cooper Works (JCW) edition is set to make its first appearance at the Geneva Motor Show, by which time these prototypes would have finished playing around in the snow for final evaluation tests in Austria.

While the idea of a performance crossover/SUV might not make sense to many, the Mini is among the most dynamic of its kind and a JCW version is a no-brainer for Mini to capitalise on its Countryman WRC world rally entry.

Foreign media reports suggest that the Countryman JCW will boast similar specifications to the hatch version, which means a 155kW/280Nm version of the 1.6-litre turbopetrol found in the Cooper S.

Not much of an off-roader, however, the JCW will sit 10mm lower to the ground than the current flagship Cooper S, while the braking system will also be beefed up in accordance with the power hike.

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