MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid launched

MINI Malaysia this evening introduced the new locally-assembled MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid, the first plug-in hybrid variant of MINI's premium sports activity vehicle (SAV).
The new MINI variant comes with a five-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash test. The stringent testing procedure established that the spacious MINI all-rounder, also designed for being taken off the beaten track, provides an outstanding level of protection on all seats in every situation.
BMW Group Malaysia head of corporate communications, Sashi Ambi, said the new MINI variant's launch is additionally special as it is the first for the MINI brand and will further demonstrate the brand's expertise in working with the newest technologies for the premium automotive industry.
Ambi added that MINI has been a pioneer of electro mobility for over a decade with the MINI E which was utilised as a test bed for user and mobility behaviour. The new Countryman Plug-In Hybrid shares the newest developments findings in electro mobility in the country.

Agile, Versatile, Electrifying
The new MINI's all-new electrifying experience is equipped with ALL4 exterior body kit, 19-inch MINI Yours Masterpiece wheels, as well as a charging port under a flap in the area of the left-hand side scuttle.
On the inside, there's MINI Yours Walknappa leather steering wheel. Rich details complete the artisan feel with hand-finished aluminium-coloured contrast stitching.
A high-resolution 6.5-inch touchscreen display in the car's centre instrument houses state-of-the-art technology which puts a wealth of navigation information at the driver's fingertips. The touchscreen technology supports multi-touch with pinch to zoom-in functionality for maps and typing.
There is also an eDrive button which allows the driver to choose between different electric drive modes: the standard "Auto" eDrive mode, the purely electric "Max" mode, and the "Save Battery" mode, in which charging status of the high-voltage battery is maintained at a constant level.
In the Auto mode, the intelligent energy management system coordinates the
interaction of all drive components with the electric motor to combine the best possible efficiency with great driving excitement, while increasing the electric range. For example, if the battery charging status is between 7% and 100%, drivers can drive up to 80km/h – free of local emissions without using any fuel.
At higher speeds, the petrol engine comes on automatically. For maximum drive output, the electric motor supports the petrol engine as "eBoost".
In the Max mode, drivers can enjoy purely electric driving up to speeds of
120km/h. Short distances can be covered on purely electric power with a range of 40km. The Save Battery mode meanwhile comes into play when the battery charging status is low. This mode enables the battery to be charged by the 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine or allows the charging status to be maintained at 90%. In this mode, mainly the petrol engine is employed.
The MINI "eALL4" system plays a role to emulate the MINI's hallmark go-kart-like driving experience. The ALL4 all-wheel drive comes with Dynamic Stability Control which distributes the propulsive force of the engines to both axles.
The petrol engine propels the front axle wheels while the electric motor propels the rear axle wheels.
The ALL4 system helps to counteract oversteer as well as understeer and ensures optimum propulsion. This means supreme traction on every road surface, maximum stability, and even more fun cornering.
With the MINI eALL4 system, firm grip is guaranteed wherein the Max mode activates rear wheel drive, the Save Battery mode activates front wheel drive, and the Auto mode with eBoost will activate four-wheel drive.
Being the first of its kind in MINI, the new Countryman Plug-In Hybrid effectively offers a petrol engine driving the front wheels and an electric motor powering on the rear wheels. With six-speed automatic transmission, the new MINI is capable of producing 224hp and 385Nm of torque, thus making the model the torquiest
MINI model in its range.
Sprinting from zero to 100km/h is achieved in 6.8 seconds, where this MINI can reach a 198km/h top speed while consuming only an average of 2.1 litres per 100km of fuel. It also offers an all-electric driving range of up to 42km with a maximum speed of up to 120km/h.
This Countryman Plug-In Hybrid can be charged at home by connecting it to a power socket via the home charging cable for approximately five hours (230V), depending on the voltage of the household power grid, or at one of 270 public charging facilities across Malaysia for approximately 3:15 hours (230V), depending on the voltage of the power grid of the public charging station.
To reward owners of this new MINI, MINI Malaysia has introduced the ChargeNow
offering bundled with the MINI Public Charging Cables as well as a one-year free subscription of unlimited charging at all 270 ChargeEV stations.
The body and roof colour combination offered for this new Countryman are Chili Red, British Racing Green, Thunder Grey, Light White, and Melting Silver with Black Roof and in Island Blue with White Roof.
The price? It's RM255,888 (on the road recommended retail price, without insurance and with GST). This MINI is available at all authorised MINI dealerships nationwide from today.
It is covered by MINI Malaysia's five-year Roadside Assistance programme, available for all new MINI vehicles with a comprehensive list of services that include a 24-Hour, 365-days-a-year accident and help-on-the-phone and on-the-spot hotline, free towing service and when needed (over 200km from residential home), replacement vehicle, seamless mobility, accommodation, mobility services solutions as well as repatriation services.
Additionally, it comes with a battery warranty that is valid for six years or up to 100,000km.
MINI Malaysia wants you to also know that the Countryman Plug-In Hybrid is available with a range of financing options that include MINI Balloon Financing, MINI Straight-Line Financing, MINI Full Circle Programme and MINI Step-Down
Financing.