Tag Archives: Mini Countryman

Mini returns to Rallying

Austin Mini Rally CarEarlier this week, Mini made it’s debut appearance in the 2011 World Rally Championship (WRC)! In July last year BMW announced that the Prodrive developed Mini Countryman with a BMW Motorsport 1.6-Liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine would compete in selected events at this year’s WRC before competing the full championship from 2012 onwards. Prodrive has been working on the MINI Countryman WRC since early 2009 and has significant experience in Rallying, having run the Rothmans Porsche Rally Team in Regional and National rally events in 1984, and the Rothmans Motul BMW team in the WRC in 1987. Their greatest success was with Subaru with whom they won the 1995 Manufacturers’ World Rally Championship and the Driver’s Championship with the late Colin McRae! Prodrive helped Subaru to the Manufacturer’s Championship in 1996 and 1997 and also secured the 2001 Drivers Championship with the late Richard Burns and the 2003 Drivers Championship with Petter Solberg.

Continue reading