Saar: It will be offered in three variants – Cooper S, Cooper SD and Cooper S JCW Inspired.

BMW-owned British car marque Mini will launch the second generation Countryman in India on May 3, 2018. It is the biggest car that Mini makes and it shares the underpinnings with the BMW X1. Mini has confirmed that the Countryman will be launched in three variants – Cooper S, Cooper SD and Cooper S JCW Inspired. Just in case you are wondering, JCW stands for John Cooper Works and that means the JCW Inspired variant will be the most sporty of the three.

BMW revealed the all-new Mini Countryman over a year ago. Clearly, BMW India has taken its own sweet time to work out everything to bring the new Countryman on our shores. In that time, BMW India has equipped its plant in Chennai to make the Countryman here. That means, unlike the first generation, the second-gen Mini Countryman won’t attract import duties applicable to CBUs (completely built units). Will be less expensive than before? Only time will tell.

As far as powertrains are concerned, the Cooper S and Cooper S JCW Inspired get the same 2.0-litre petrol engine. Power figures are the same too – 192PS/280Nm. However, it is the transmission that differentiates the two variants. Where the Cooper S gets an 8-speed Steptronic automatic unit, the Cooper S JCW Inspired gets an 8-speed Steptronic sport automatic. With those two out, guess what kind of engine does duty for Cooper SD? Yes. It is a diesel. The 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engine puts out 190PS/400Nm. It is, in fact, the same engine that does duty several BMW models, including the X3, 3 Series and the 3 Series GT.

Mini has been kind enough to share some performance figures of all three variants. The 0-100kmph time for the Cooper S and the Cooper S JCW Inspired is the same – 7.5 seconds – and so is the claimed mileage – 14.41kmpl. The diesel Countryman will complete the 0-100kmph sprint in 7.7 seconds but, predictably, returns a better mileage – 19.19kmpl.

You must be wondering, apart from a sportier gearbox, is there anything else that sets the JCW Inspired apart from the standard Cooper S? Yes. It comes with a sporty body kit, a big spoiler at the back and 18-inch bespoke alloy wheels. Of the three, it will be the most ‘racy’ Countryman, both in character and the package.