Video: X-Raid Puts the Countryman Dakar Racer Through Its Paces
From the fine chaps at AutoBlog:
Easily the most awesome thing done with a Mini since The Italian Job, X-Raid has taken their damn-near-ready Mini rally raider to Le Creusot, an off-road test track at Saône-et-Loire in the Burgundy region of France. And despite the obnoxious French music, it looks like they had a good time doing it, too.
<p>Bloody Brilliant!!!! – and totally agree about the music , I had visions of baguettes and onions spilling out of the vehicle</p>
<p>Almost makes me wish I had chosen Red for my countryman</p>
<p>I wonder how stable it will be – I assume most Dakar contenders are a little longer – as the MINI significantly shorter than normal, it did look kind of “tippy” though maybe a good thing for great turn in</p>
<p>Should be fun to watch this race. Enjoy the little bit of the Dakar race I get to see online each year.</p>
<p>The MINI brand is becoming more and more visible now and standing somewhere on the podium is a real attention getter. So, there’s Rally, Off-road, GT road racing, that’s all TV broadcast fodder. And with the Winter sports sponsorships this sounds like a strategy going on here. Good.</p>
<p>I can dig it. love the new mini countryman with the proper 4 doors. it does take it further and further away from the true and original mini but things change, right? saw on mini’s facebook page the new adverts – snow globes and cereal boxes with mini’s inside. clever.
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/MINIUSA?v=photos" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.facebook.com/MINIUSA?v=photos</a></p>
<p>Not sure how a Dakar racer with a MINI body attached will do much to raise the brand image since it shares only body panels and logos with the brand, but still should be a blast to watch.</p>
<p>I am not keen on that the song that sounds like.. “dirty, dirty, dirty” but a little of a track from “St Germaine” the jazz Club cd is cool.
Notice the BMW badge on the 6 cyl diesel engine.
When your family owns a motor company (the Quandts) anything is possible!</p>
<p>“Mini, Mini, Mini” de Jacques Dutronc
<a href="http://www.deezer.com/fr/music/jacques-dutronc#music/jacques-dutronc" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.deezer.com/fr/music/jacques-dutronc#music/jacques-dutronc</a></p>
<p>I think it looks/performs pretty cool, but that exhaust note is horrible. Nothing like the sound other rally cars make. Either way, pretty cool (minus the music).</p>