Good timing on the article since I saw Mini Cooper Countryman on the road last week and have to say :
It was like looking at a famous "stars" brother, they look similar but you have a look engraved in your mind of that look and the other look just looks freaky. In this case freaky was the best way I could describe this iteration on the car. It's like someone jacked the Mini and extended it. I thought the Mini is all about handling "why would anyone raise it's center of gravity" the proportions were all wrong. I could accept it stretched but stretched and raised just threw it all out of whack.
The Clubman was as far as this car could go. The Countryman clearly has gone to far.
To Mini I say "Best of luck with this car....you'll need it, and once I heard the price I say: Really... at that price point...luck alone won't cut it.
Rob