MINI COUNTRYMAN EARNS TOP SAFETY PICK AWARD BY THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY
 

Woodcliff Lake, NJ,  August 1, 2017. MINI USA announced today that the all-new 2017 MINI Countryman, the biggest, most adventurous MINI ever, has earned a TOP SAFETY PICK award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Countryman earns this designation when equipped with the optional front crash prevention system, which earned an advanced rating from the independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization.

The 2017 MINI Countryman earned the designation thanks to good crashworthiness ratings across the board, including the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. The MINI Countryman also benefits from an optional advanced-rated front crash prevention system, which in IIHS track tests at 12 and 25 mph, the system mitigated a collision, reducing the impact speed by 7 mph in both tests.

“The new MINI Countryman is not only the best equipped MINI we’ve ever sold, but it’s also the most technologically advanced and most versatile model we’ve ever offered,” said Thomas Felbermair, Vice President MINI of the Americas. “We have seen strong demand for the Countryman since it went on sale back in March and we are thrilled to be able to add the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK award to the growing list of reasons why people head to their local dealer and take a test drive.”

The all-new MINI Countryman has been completely redesigned and reengineered from the ground up, yet still is instantly identifiable as a MINI. Now incorporating BMW Group engine technology and vehicle architecture, the all-new MINI Countryman offers an all-turbocharged engine lineup with outstanding acceleration and the famous go-kart driving dynamics – especially when experienced with the added traction that comes from the latest generation of ALL4 all-wheel drive. At the same time, this new architecture delivers excellent ride quality and enables the most spacious MINI interior ever.

The 2017 MINI Countryman is available in Cooper, Cooper ALL4, Cooper S, Cooper S ALL4, Cooper S E ALL4 plugin hybrid electric and John Cooper Works performance variants. Visit the MINI Countryman Newsroom on MINIUSANEWS.com for product press releases and high resolution images and video/b-roll of all MINI Countryman variants.

The new MINI Countryman went on sale in March 2017 at MINI dealers across the U.S. with the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid following in June 2017.

About MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 128 MINI passenger car dealers in 39 states. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of four unique vehicles.

Journalist notes: Media information about MINI and its products is available to journalists on-line at www.miniusanews.com.