All-new, diesel-powered Mini Countryman now in PH

Philippines is a country where the automotive market always has a special place for diesel-powered engines. And seemingly, Mini is now trying to tap that market as the first diesel-powered venture for Mini—the all-new new Mini Countryman—is now available in the Philippines Last May 3, Mini Asia and Mini Philippines—headed by Peter Medalla, chief of Mini Asia, and Willy Tee Ten, president of Mini Philippines, respectively—introduced the German brand's most famous model with hopes to entice a wider chunk of the market. During the launch at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Medalla said that the second-generation Countryman is a versatile model in the brand's 58-year history. He also said that the newly-launched vehicle provides premium characteristics, better functionality, as well as additional space compared to the previous model. True enough, the new Countryman is longer by about 20-centimeters and wider by two centimeters than its predecessor, and as Medalla claimed, "could fit five people comfortably" in it. Further, he also expressed confidence that the new vehicle will be able to deliver fun and excitement, saying that the new Countryman is as nimble on both urban and city driving. "Six years ago, we have brought the Countryman here and it has brought breakthroughs since then," Medalla said, adding that one of every four Mini vehicle in the entire populace is a Countryman. Meanwhile, Tee Ten said that they excited with their new offering. "It has a powerful expressive design, efficiently-shaped bodywork and unmatched agility," he said. Claiming that Mini has a strong following in Philippines, and since it runs on diesel, Tee Ten said that bringing the new Countryman to the table would be game-changer in the market. Based on its specifications, the Countryman D has a maximum output of 150 hp while the SD can deliver up to 190 horses. Regarding torque, the Countryman D can provide 330 Nm while the SD variant has 400 Nm. On the spec sheet alone, the Countryman D can run up to 208 kph while the SD, a whopping 220 kph. The two vehicles has an average fuel consumption of 4.5-4.8 liters per 100 kilometers (22.22-20.83 km/L), and combined Co2 emissions to EU standards of 118-125 g/km.   Story and photos by Ruben Manahan IV