Beiruting News

Although they share the same genes, the MINI Paceman is clearly the naughty cousin of the already successful MINI Countryman. The MINI Paceman is built to satisfy customers who need both the sportiness of the original MINI, but also prefer the versatility of the MINI Countryman's optional all-wheel drive system.

But the MINI Paceman is so much more than that. It's a car that will put a glint in your eye and make your day just that little bit more interesting. It's the car you choose when you want to get away from the crowd and forge your own path, rather than run with the masses. It's the car others wished they owned, but had to 'settle' for another 'more sensible' small car.

Underneath, it shares many of its key features with its MINI Countryman relative, including the option of ALL4 all-wheel drive. Added to which, the MINI Paceman injects a distinctive style defined by sporting flair and elegance, bringing fresh momentum to the brand's expansion into new target groups. The Countryman spearheaded MINI's push into the compact segment and has wasted little time in earning bestseller status: sales account for a third worldwide and over 40 percent in the Middle East.

Both the MINI Countryman and MINI Paceman fuse hallmark MINI proportions and design features with their own individual characters. The MINI Countryman cuts a robust and versatile figure, highlighting its ability to push back the boundaries of urban mobility. Details like the distinctive contours of the large headlight units and the roof's striking "helmet" form expand the MINI design language and leave an unmistakable mark on the compact segment.

The MINI Paceman likewise exudes power and presence, the gently downward-sloping coupé roofline, long doors, side windows tapering towards the rear and muscular tail helping to push the three-door newcomer's sporting elegance immediately to the forefront. The design and aura of the MINI Paceman offer a reliable preview of the entertainment awaiting the driver. Its standard specification includes lowered sports suspension - a clear show of confidence in its ability to exploit both the power of its engines and the talents of its ALL4 all-wheel-drive system to deliver unbeatable agility on city streets and twisty country roads alike.

A line-up of two powerful engines with six-speed automatic gearbox are available with outputs ranging from 122hp to 184 hp. The MINI Countryman and MINI Paceman converge again at the top end of the output scale, both providing the basis for enthralling John Cooper Works high-performance models. The MINI John Cooper Works Paceman and MINI John Cooper Works Countryman are powered by race-bred turbocharged engines unleashing 218 hp onto the road through all four wheels thanks to the standard ALL4 system.

ALL4 also allows drivers to experience the cars' unmistakable brand of driving fun on rough terrain. However, it is not only during excursions off the beaten track that the MINI Paceman and MINI Countryman display their versatility. The MINI Paceman serves up impressive spaciousness and enhanced ride comfort for the driver and passengers in four individual seats, while the MINI Countryman offers similar benefits for as many as five occupants.

The virtues of a roomy and variable-use load compartment come to the fore both in day-to-day driving and over longer journeys. The load capacity of the MINI Paceman can be increased from 330 litres to as much as 1,080 litres by folding down the rear seat backrests. Both models can be ordered with optional model-specific storage packages to raise functionality another notch. Versions of the MINI Centre Rail storage and attachment system tailored specifically to the MINI Paceman and MINI Countryman are included in each model as standard.

In keeping with MINI tradition, the personalisation options available for the MINI Paceman and MINI Countryman boast extraordinary breadth and depth. Exterior paint finishes, contrast colours for the roof and exterior mirror caps, light-alloy wheels, bonnet stripes and Sport Stripes, interior colours, seat upholstery options, interior trim strips and Colour Lines constitute the basis for configurations tailored precisely to the owner's personal style.

All of which brings to light another shared feature of these two differing vehicle characters: each MINI Paceman and MINI Countryman is built to customer specification, which means they can be every bit as individual as their new owners.