Mini’s Countryman and Paceman get $5K of extra kit

MINI’s updated Countryman and Paceman crossovers will hit the road in mid-September with $5000 worth of extra value in standard features and price reductions of up to $1750 on some variants.

The four-door Countryman and its two-door Paceman sibling now come standard with satellite navigation, Mini Visual Boost multimedia, a 6.5-inch touchscreen, LED front fog-lights with daytime running function, heated exterior mirror glass and windscreen washer jets.

Both models have also had their appearances revised with new paint and wheel options, while the cabin gains upgraded upholstery across the range, new surfaces and trim on the dash and doors, plus new-look instruments and airvents.

Under the bonnet Mini has given the Cooper S versions of the Paceman and Countryman (including the all-wheel drive All4) a 5kW power boost.

The additional features add $5000 worth of extra value on average, according to Mini, which says it has chosen to absorb the majority of the added costs.

Mini is offering three Paceman variants, kicking off with the Cooper, powered by a 90kW/160Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine from $34,150 excluding on-road costs, which is $1750 less than the outgoing version.

On top of the new added kit, standard gear includes 16-inch alloy wheels, push-button ignition, rear parking sensors, sports seats, leather steering wheel, climate control, rear spoiler and rain sensor with automatic halogen headlights.

Stepping up into the Cooper S which uses a 140kW/240Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder will cost $42,550, a $1550 reduction compared with the previous model.

Standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels with run-flat tyres, dual exhaust, Sport mode, bi-Xenon headlights with washer system, and black honeycomb grille and air inlet.

The range-topping John Cooper Works (JCW) Paceman All4 is $1700 less than before with a $56,900 pricetag. Power in the JCW high performance all-wheel drive variant comes from a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine but tuned to make 160kW/280Nm.

A six-speed manual gearbox is standard with the Cooper consuming 6.5 litres per 100km during combined average driving, while the Cooper S drinks 6.6L/100km and the JCW needs 8.0L/100km. A six-speed automatic transmission is a $2350 option.

The Countryman line-up kicks off with a 90kW/160Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol Cooper with a six-speed manual for $34,150 – a $50 increase over the outgoing version.

It’s the same engine and price as the entry-level Paceman, but with two more doors. Standard features and fuel consumption also match the Paceman Cooper.

Sitting above this is the Cooper D with its 82kW/270Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and six-speed manual for $36,950.

The diesel-powered Countryman adds idle stop, and brake energy regeneration to the standard features it shares with the Cooper.

Fuel consumption is 4.2L/100km, while adding an automatic raises the price to $39,300, with a claimed fuel figure of 5.6L/100km. Both prices have been reduced by $150.

The Countryman Cooper S also shares the same engine, six-speed manual and and $42,550 price tag as its Paceman Cooper S brother, but it is $250 cheaper than the version it replaces. Standard features for the Countryman Cooper S are the same as the Paceman Cooper S.

The Cooper S All4 and Cooper SD All4 all-wheel drive Countryman variants are priced at $45,500 (an increase of $300) and $46,990 (an increase of $90) respectively for the six-speed manuals.

The Cooper S All4 has a 140kW/240Nm four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine while the Cooper SD All4 gets a 105kW/305Nm four-cylinder turbo-diesel powerplant. Fuel consumption in the petrol is 7.3L/100km and 4.9L/100km in the diesel.

Standard features in the Cooper S All4 and SD All4 are exactly the same as their two-wheel drive equivalents.

Finally sitting at the top of the range is the JCW Countryman All4 with the same drivetrain as the JCW Paceman All4 and a matching price too, of $56,900, which is $100 more than what the old one was asking.

A six-speed manual gearbox is standard across the Countryman range, but as with the Paceman, the six-speed auto transmission is a $2350 optional extra.

The Countryman was launched in Australia in 2011 while the Paceman arrived in 2013. The 2015 model year cars will available from Mini Garages in September.

2015 Mini Countryman and Paceman pricing*

Countryman
Cooper	$34,150
Cooper (a)	$36,500
Cooper D	$36,950
Cooper D (a)	$39,300
Cooper S	$42,550
Cooper S (a)	$44,900
Cooper S All4	$45,500
Cooper S All4 (a)	$47,850
Cooper SD All4	$46,900
Cooper SD All4 (a)	$49,250
JCW All4	$56,900
JCW All4 (a)	$59,250
Paceman
Cooper	$34,150
Cooper (a)	$36,500
Cooper S	$42,550
Cooper S (a)	$44,900
JCW All4	$56,900
JCW All4 (a)	$59,250

*Excludes on-road costs