Mini lobs Countryman Stafford Edition from $41,750
MINI Australia has launched yet another special edition of its Countryman compact SUV, this time drawing on the brand’s long-standing love affair with its John Cooper Works performance arm.
Dubbed the Stafford Edition, the newest addition to the Countryman line-up will be available in both Cooper and Cooper S variants, priced from $41,750 and $49,050 before on-road costs respectively – $450 and $150 cheaper than the standard models.
Despite the lower RRPs, Mini says the Stafford Edition nameplate adds an extra $4000 worth of gear to the Cooper and $7000 to the Cooper S through the fitment of luxury and sports packages as standard.
Compared to the standard models, the Stafford Edition cars score a John Cooper Works bodykit, 18-inch John Cooper Works alloy wheels, black leather sports seats, piano black interior, Anthracite headliner and the choice of four metallic colours – Midnight Black, Light White, Chili Red and Island Blue.
The Cooper S takes things a step further, also scoring a panoramic sunroof, climate package with sun protection glazing and a premium 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.
Under the bonnet, both Stafford Editions are the same as their respective donor cars, meaning power in the Cooper is still rated at 100kW and 220Nm courtesy of a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine.
It’s the same story in the Cooper S, with the Stafford Edition retaining the standard Cooper S’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol unit, good for 141kW and 280Nm.
Power in both cars is still sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Mini Australia general manager Brett Waudby described the Countryman Stafford Edition as “another great rendition of a British icon” and said he was excited to see it hit showrooms.
“The much-loved Mini Countryman gets another attractive special edition in the Stafford Edition, combining the marque’s famed go-kart driving experience with even more vibrant looks and fantastic value to match,” he said.
So far this year ending March Mini has sold 249 Countrymans, just a single unit less than it did over the same period last unit (-0.4%) but only accounting for 5.7 per cent of the $40,000+ small SUV segment.
2020 Mini Countryman pricing*
| Cooper Stafford Edition (a) | $41,750 |
| Cooper (a) | $42,200 |
| Cooper D (a) | $46,200 |
| Cooper S Stafford Edition (a) | $49,050 |
| Cooper S (a) | $49,200 |
| Cooper SD (a) | $54,200 |
| S E PHEV (a) | $57,200 |
| John Cooper Works (a) | $65,900 |
*Excludes on-road costs
