The new MINI Countryman World Rally Car has successfully completed its shakedown phase at Prodrive’s private proving ground in Warwickshire. To make sure everything is ready for MINI’s return to WRC, it is now undergoing a new testing phase in Spain. A video of the car ongoing testing is shown below:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvJb0g-_MjY&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]MINI Countryman WRC is being developed in cooperation with Prodrive. It is based on the MINI Countryman design. Under the hood, this racing car has a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder Di turbo-charged engine from BMW Motorsport matted to an Xtrac 6-speed, sequential gearbox.
The MINI Countryman’s chassis has been fitted with a roll cage developed by Prodrive. This makes sure that it complies with the new Super2000 regulations mandated by the International Automobile Federation (FIA). As a result, it produces a significant 25% reduction in overall costs.
Reigning IRC champion Kris Meeke, 31, would be behind the wheel in MINI Countryman World Rally Car’s debut season.