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Mini Countryman X-Raid Concept

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The Mini Countryman X-Raid Concept is a joint project of Delta4x4 and the X-Raid racing team. It is an extreme version of the crossover SUV Mini Countryman that is legal for the road.

X-Raid has taken its experience from Dakar racing and applied it to this project by adding front and rear fender extensions increasing the width of the car by an additional 200 millimeters, a bumper that protects the front bumper from minor collisions, LED lights on the radiator grill and roof. In order for the off-road experience to be complete, the suspension was raised, and new rims, tires, and a roof rack that gives more space for equipment were installed.

The car is finished in matte gray color decorated with orange stickers. On the hood and tailgate are decorative belts, while on the rear windows there are additional compartments for storing various items.

Delta4x4 Hanma has installed 18-inch wheels with Loder all-terrain tires, and additionally increased the ground clearance by 50 millimeters, so that drivers can enjoy the ride even more.

When it comes to the powertrain, there is no information yet. However, it is speculated that this car could be powered by two electric motors with a total power of 313 hp, which is transmitted to all wheels. It will use a 66.5 kWh battery that allows a range of up to 341 kilometers.

It is still unknown whether this car will ever enter production, and if it does, it will certainly be in a limited edition.

Source: Reuters

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Mini Countryman X-Raid Concept
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Mini’s electric strategy failed

Mini is one of the manufacturers that advocated a rapid transition to fully electric cars, but the reduced demand for electric cars has brought them back to reality. Now the company is thinking more about combustion engines.

“We are not giving up on full electrification, but we will have to postpone it, because it is evident that the demand for cars powered by internal combustion engines is still high, much higher than the demand for electric cars,” the company said.

Along with the development of electric models, Mini will continue to offer hybrid models and there is already a lot of talk about a new model that will be positioned above the Countryman. This model should have significantly higher ground clearance, reinforced suspension and wheels for different surfaces.

It is still not known when the BMW Group will stop producing cars with combustion engines, but the latest information suggests that the end of the decade may be too ambitious. Last year, only 17.4 percent of the BMW Group’s offer was electric cars, which is still far from what they planned.

Source: Mini

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BMW Group delays EV production in Oxford

The BMW Group had previously announced that all production of the Mini Cooper Electric and Mini Aceman would be moved from China to Oxford. However, the latest information suggests that Mini cars will continue to be imported from China, despite the fact that the EU has imposed additional tariffs on EVs imported from this Asian country. The reason is that the start of production in Oxford has been postponed indefinitely due to the slowdown in sales of electric cars.

BMW has invested more than 600 million pounds in the reconstruction of the factory, as well as the body pressing plant in nearby Swindon. The investment included the expansion of the body shop, the construction of a new area for the installation of batteries and new logistics facilities. A BMW Group spokesman said that they were currently considering restarting production of electric Mini models in Oxford, but did not say when this would happen. He also added that a previously announced government subsidy, which was supposed to be part of the investment in the factory in addition to BMW Group funds, would no longer be used.

The Oxford plant has about 4,000 employees and is expected to produce electric vehicles in the future. The production target of 200,000 units over the next five years seems unrealistic and will definitely be revised.

Source: BMW Group

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BMW Group delays EV production in Oxford