What's the news?
So, we teased this the other day, and we've brought you the full run-down on the regular all-new MINI Countryman range, but here is the special plug-in hybrid version, called the Cooper S E Countryman ALL4. It'll be the range-topping model of the off-roading MINI range - presumably until a John Cooper Works makes an appearance.
Exterior
Keeping this just to what's different on the S E Countryman, as opposed to a conventionally powered model, you're looking for yellow 'S' badges front and rear for the plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV), whereas the performance petrol/diesel variants get a red 'S'. The bigger giveaway comes courtesy of those big yellow-and-silver 'E' roundels in the arrow-shaped side indicator pods, the nearside item being hinged and hiding the plug-in charging point. That E-logo, by the way, is carried over from the fully electric MINI E prototype cars of 2009.
Interior
Once you've swung open the doors, the Cooper S E Countryman has sill finishers that bear that yellow S symbol once more, as well as a start/stop toggle switch in the centre console that glows the same colour, again being different to the regular 'Countrymen' that have red ignition switches. There are specific charge-related and hybrid operating mode displays in the 6.5-inch colour screen display, while the larger 8.8-inch touchscreen is an option.
In terms of housing the electrical components, the lithium-ion battery pack and a 35-litre fuel tank are stuffed under the rear seat, which MINI vaguely says is 'slight raised' compared to the regular models, though there's no word on precisely how much the rear headroom is cut by as a result, nor is there confirmation of the reduction in the luggage space, which MINI admits is smaller with all seats in place than an equivalent petrol or diesel Countryman. The rear backrests still split 40:20:40, though, so it remains the most practical current (if you'll pardon the pun) MINI of the lot.
Mechanicals
Bravo MINI for keeping the S E Countryman's petrol-electric running gear at the same high rating as the 225xe Active Tourer, the small BMW MPV with which the MINI shares so much architecture. That means the 1.5-litre, three-cylinder TwinPower Turbo petrol engine - rated at 136hp and 220Nm - powers the front wheels, while the 65kW (88hp) electric motor handles the rear axle and lobs in another 165Nm. BMW quotes maximum outputs that are a simple combination of their separate parts, so we have peaks of 224hp and a huge 385Nm of torque.
With a six-speed Steptronic auto mated to the combustion unit and a two-stage reduction gear for the e-motor, that's enough grunt to push the four-wheel drive (hence the ALL4 part of its name) PHEV from rest to 100km/h in just 6.9 seconds, making it more accelerative than the Cooper S Countryman, but of course that's not why you buy the hybrid MINI. Instead, feast upon eco-stats that claim fuel consumption as frugal as 2.1 litres/100km (134.5mpg) and CO2 emissions as negligible as 49g/km. Makes the Cooper D Countryman look positively profligate.
We shan't get into a big debate here about the realities of ever achieving such numbers out on the open road, but suffice it to say that in order for the PHEV MINI to make sense, you're going to need to use its zero-emissions running as often as you can. To that end, let us throw some more relevant numbers your way. Without touching its reserves of hydrocarbons, the MINI Countryman PHEV can do a maximum speed of 125km/h and will run for up to 40 kilometres without needing a charging point. Its 7.6kWh lithium-ion battery can be replenished in just two-and-a-quarter hours on a MINI wallbox, while a regular household socket will take an extra hour to do the same job. So, if you live less than 40km from your place of work and there's a nice, convenient charging bay at the office, then you should be laughing with the Cooper S E Countryman ALL4.
Anything else?
Like any BMW Group PHEV, the S E Countryman has three electric driving modes: Auto eDrive lets the car's on-board management dictate whether EV, petrol or hybrid running is needed, with an 80km/h limiter for the e-motor - it'll kick the combustion engine into life if heavy throttle is used or the battery charge drops below seven per cent; Max eDrive is pure electric driving (battery permitting) with the 125km/h limiter - the petrol engine is only used in full kick-down situations or in excess of 125km/h; and then there's Save Battery, which uses the petrol engine while the battery power is kept at 90 per cent charge or raised to this level by the starter generator - meaning you can switch into zero-emissions running later on during your journey if required.