Mini Countryman, Assembled in India: Pre-bookings Now Open! Price Drop Coming
The British luxury automaker Mini India, which is owned by BMW, has officially opened pre-bookings for the Made-in-India Mini Countryman C in India. This new locally assembled petrol SUV will now become accessible to buyers in India due to the expected price cut of Rs 10 lakh. The bookings for the Countryman C have commenced across all authorised dealerships in the country. Unlike the higher-end variants, this new Countryman C will be assembled in India at BMW Group India’s Chennai facility.
First off, let’s talk about the expected pricing of the Mini Countryman C. As this model will be locally assembled as a CKD unit, its pricing will be significantly lower than the top-spec JCW All4 variant. This particular variant is currently priced at Rs 64.9 lakh. Reportedly, the new Countryman C could be launched at around Rs 54 lakh to Rs 55 lakh (ex-showroom).
If this pricing holds true, it will make the Countryman nearly Rs 10 lakh more affordable than the performance-focused version. It will also bring it very close to the BMW X1, which is priced at around Rs 51 lakh. For reference, the previous-generation Countryman petrol was priced at around Rs 48 lakh before it was discontinued in 2024.
However, due to inflation, currency fluctuations, and upgrades, a price hike this time is expected. Once launched, the new Countryman C will rival the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLA and the Audi Q3 in the premium compact SUV segment.
Starting off with the exterior design, the Mini Countryman C continues with the iconic rounded and upright styling for which Mini cars are popular. This time around, it now gets a number of subtle premium touches as well. These include a matte champagne finish on the grille surrounds, skid plates, and even the Mini logos and Countryman badging.
Additionally, the Countryman C also gets 19-inch alloy wheels, which are similar to the ones seen on the electric version, and they will be finished in a champagne color. At the rear, it will feature matrix LED tail lamps, which will also come with customisable lighting patterns that activate while locking and unlocking the vehicle.
Moving inside the cabin, the Countryman C will get a minimalist yet modern interior layout. It will be offered with a circular 9.4-inch OLED touchscreen infotainment system. It has become one of the main highlights of the new-generation Mini models. Apart from this, it is also expected to get a head-up display, Harman Kardon sound system, 360-degree camera, steering-mounted controls, and connected car features.
The cabin will also get a dual-tone theme with circular design elements across the dashboard. In terms of comfort and safety, it will offer multiple airbags, automatic climate control, premium upholstery, and other features.
Powering the Mini Countryman C will be a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine. It will come paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. This is the same setup which is also seen on the BMW X1.
This engine is expected to produce around 136 bhp and 230 Nm of torque, which should be adequate for both city and highway driving. The Countryman C will be a front-wheel-drive model and will be positioned as a practical and efficient premium SUV.
The Mini Countryman C is based on the UKL2 front-wheel-drive platform, which it shares with the BMW X1. It will be offered in multiple colour options, including Smokey Green, British Racing Green, Nanuq White, Chilli Red, and Slate Blue.
It has to be noted that the Countryman C will be locally assembled. The electric Countryman and the performance-focused JCW All4 variants will continue to be sold as completely built units (CBU) in India.