Official: MINI Countryman

The common thing in the automotive press is for one leak to presage the whole information drop, and that has proven to be exactly the case with the release of the MINI Countryman crossover.

After a few small, low-resolution images of the car leaked on the internet, BMW decided to go ahead with the full-release.

MINI, is that you? The Countryman is the latest addition to the ever-growing MINI lineup, and yes most of the fundamentals are all still here. Round (but modified) headlamps? Check. Elongated vertical tail lamps?  Yup. Horizontal grille (but again, modified)? Yup, they're all here.

The Countryman changes the formula a bit with a taller ride height, four doors (!) and the availability of all-wheel drive that, incredibly, has the ability to direct 100 percent of power to the rear wheels.

The overall appearance works really well, but tends to look a bit odd from certain viewpoints. This is likely a design that will have to be seen in person to be appreciated - we'll have to see how it looks like in the metal.

Normally, we show you the front dash area of a new car's interior first. But in the case of the MINI Countryman, the biggest differences are to be found in the back seats. The Countryman so happens to be the first MINI available with a rear seat that fits three passengers across.

Our favorite iteration though is the four-seater model, which uses the unique MINI Center Rail console that passes through from the front to the back of the vehicle.

We're a sucker for four-seaters (despite their relative uselessness) but the Center Rail opens a whole new level of opportunities. The Rail enables things like storage boxes, phones and cupholders to be attached - pretty neat stuff.

The Countryman's big windows provide a lot of light, and the driver's seating position has been raised a bit to offer a better view and to go along with the new crossover feel.

Not all the details on the powertrain options are available, but we do know the MINI Countryman gets a normally aspirated 1.6-liter as well as a turbocharged version of the engine that comes with fully variable valve timing, producing 184 horsepower. These specifications are for the European model, but it is likely that we will be getting it here in the United States as well.

What isn't as clear to be standard are fuel-sipping features like Brake Energy Regeneration and Auto Start/Stop. Hopefully they will be on our model, but we doubt it.

According to the press release, other available options on the Countryman include an extra-large Panorama roof, adaptive Headlights in combination with xenon headlight units, a heated windscreen, towbar, light-alloy wheels ranging in size from 16 to 19 inches, sports suspension (lowering car by almost 0.4 inches), as well as performance components from John Cooper Works.

Information like pricing, release dates and the like is forthcoming - expect the MINI Countryman to debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March.