Sections: Countryman Dakar, Official News Jan 17th, 2013 2 Comments 
Official News from MINI Motorsport: Stéphane Peterhansel in the MINI ALL4 Racing defends his lead on the twelfth stage of the 2013 Dakar Rally to take a step closer to his eleventh overall victory.
Sections: Countryman Dakar, Motorsports, Official News Jan 16th, 2013 3 Comments 
For some, the fact that the MINIs racing in Dakar are purpose-built racing cars as opposed to modified street cars sticks in their craw. I won’t attempt to explain how racing works for the bajillionth time, but for those who want to see the standard R60 participating in the Dakar, there are several Countryman involved in the race as support vehicles.
Sections: Countryman Dakar Jan 10th, 2013 1 Comment 
Official News from MINI Motorsport: Nasser Al-Attiyah enjoys a stunning day at the 2013 Dakar, but Stéphane Peterhansel successfully fended off the attacks of the Buggy driver in his MINI ALL4 Racing.
It could hardly get any more exciting. Thursday was a flawless day for Stéphane Peterhansel’s closest rival for the overall lead at the 2013 Dakar Rally. Nasser Al-Attiyah set the fastest time on each section of the sixth leg to secure the stage win. In doing so he gradually ate into Stéphane’s lead in the overall classification until it was down to just 45 seconds shortly before the end of the stage. Then came the final sprint! Everyone in the X-raid Team held their breath as they waited to see who would start day seven of the Dakar leading the car competition.
Sections: Countryman Dakar Jan 9th, 2013 No Comments 
MINI continues to aggressively defend its Dakar title, with Stéphane Peterhansel fighting off his pursuers through Stage Four of the 2013 Dakar. BMW Group is making an incredibly strong showing again this year on both four wheels and two.
Official news from MINI Motorsport: The most difficult stage of the 2013 Dakar Rally so far produced a thrilling duel for the overall lead between Stéphane Peterhansel and Nasser Al-Attiyah.
Sections: Countryman Dakar Jan 6th, 2013 8 Comments 
Official MINI Motorsport Announcement. Four MINI ALL4 Racings in the top ten after the first stage of the 2013 Dakar Rally. Reigning champion Stéphane Peterhansel is the best-placed MINI driver in sixth place.
The 2013 Dakar Rally has started. After a ceremonial start in Peru’s capital city Lima, the competitors faced a liaison section of around 250 kilometres before they could really go full throttle. The subsequent, short 13 kilometre timed stage was more of a sprint, though, than the remaining 13 marathons sections which are still ahead of the competitors. Just three per cent of the total distance 8.574 kilometres has only been completed.
Sections: Countryman Dakar, Official News Jan 5th, 2013 No Comments 
Official MINI Motorsport Announcement. The X-raid Team is ready to defend its title. From Saturday on, Stéphane Peterhansel and his team-mates in the MINI ALL4 Racing will be in the hunt for the 2013 Dakar crown.
Ollanta Humala politely shook record Dakar winner Stéphane Peterhansel’s hand at the opening of the paddock, but the Peruvian president did show signs of nerves ahead of the start of the toughest rally in the world on Saturday. After all, the Dakar is starting in his country for the first time, and the tension is rising every minute. The teams have pitched their tents and set up the so-called “Dakar Village” on a 15,000 m² area in Lima. Here, in the capital of Peru, the vehicles are being prepared for Saturday’s start. From 08:00 local time (CET -6 hours), the cars, trucks, bikes and quads will roll over the official start ramp on the Playa Magdalena, before setting out on the first stage towards Pisco in the afternoon.
Sections: Countryman Dakar, JCW, Marketing, Motorsports, Video Jan 3rd, 2013 1 Comment 
It seems like yesterday that Travis Pastrana was lighting the world on fire doing the first back flip on a motocross motorcycle. He later did a double back flip. Apparently MINI, with the help of french crazy person stunt driver Guerlain Chicherit are attempting the world’s first unassisted back flip in a car. That car, by the way, is what appears to be a custom built MINI Countryman made just for the task. Video after the jump.
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