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MINI teased us a while back with a statement about a special model that they will be unveiling in the near future. They said that this vehicle is made to take on some of the harshest terrains in the world. No, this is not a Dakar rally car — it is a car for everyone. Check out this road-legal MINI Countryman Panamericana.
True to its name, this car will be driven on the world-famous Panamericana otherwise also known as the Pan-Americana Highway or Interamericana. It is a road connecting the US state of Alaska with the Argentinean Tierra del Fuego and runs between the northernmost and the southernmost points of the Americas, over a distance of about 25,750 kilometers. In both North and South America, numerous intersections and alternative routes are part of the Panamericana road network, covering a total length of more than 48,000 kilometers.
In the border area between Panama and Colombia, a ship passage is necessary to continue the journey, as an originally planned section of about 90 kilometers in length, inter alia, to protect the local rainforest area was not completed. The drive over the historic dream road leads through diverse climatic zones, dense jungle and challenging high mountain passes. In addition to well-developed highways, gravel roads and narrow mountain passages are part of the route network that the three MINI Countryman Panamericana Plug-In Hybrids will have to cope with.
To be able to do so, the car was a modified to some extent. Additional headlights, tires with emergency running characteristics and a roof rack for transporting a spare wheel will make the compact five-door fit for a road trip in a class of its own. Based on the MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4, the combined power and versatility of its two engines make it the perfect endurance athlete for the Panamericana adventure.
Three MINI Countryman Panamericana Plug-In Hybrid vehicles will tackle the intercontinental route on the world’s longest north-south road link. MINI hopes they will demonstrate the reliability and long-distance performance of the Plug-In Hybrid drive technology used in the MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 and we can’t but wish it good luck as this will be a challenging task.
