MINI in the Dakar ? .. well kinda...
Monster Energy has partnered up with the X-Raid Team to bring a diesel-powered Mini Countryman to the sands of South America. The reworked Countryman has a few shake-down runs in France on December 13 and 14.
Well why do I say "Kinda"
The team will be using a turbo-diesel engine borrowed from the BMW X3CC, With 315 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque, the engine brings a substantial bump in power to the table while using the same architecture as the lump found in the 2010 X3CC.
Switching to the Countryman has a number of benefits, including better handling from the vehicle's lower center of gravity and shorter wheelbase, though the team says that ingress and egress (approach angle due to height and proximity of wheels to front bumper, and the same issue on the rear) is a little more complicated compared to the BMW.