MF Garage: Mudding in the Countryman All4
There is something elementally fun about mud. Rally drives and off-roaders have known about it for years. But few of us have ever had a chance to some go all out down muddy trails. Recently I had an opportunity to take the MF Countryman long-term tester out to the muddy trails and dirt roads of rural Indiana. The goal was to test the All4 system. But somehow I ended up with me, an hour later, drifting around muddy corners steering the R60 with the throttle.
We’ve told you about the control the All4 system gives the Countryman. However in the dirt and mud, control leads to a car that feels surprisingly neutral and balanced. The reason starts with All4 itself. The system control unit is fully integrated into the DSC unit and thus transfers data much faster than a typical system. In the real world (in the mud and snow) this allows the system to react to changing traction much faster. This is what gives it the seamless, balanced feel. It’s also what allowed me to concentrate on the car control rather than worrying about putting the power down.
All4 engages a small clutch in the front detecting wheel slip when engaging the rear driveshaft. Unlike BMW’s xDrive, it’s a simple (but very effective) system that doesn’t use complex electronics. It’s not quite the center differential locking system in a car like the WRX STI, but it is a simple, lightweight system that works quickly and effectively in sending up to 50% of the available power to the rear wheels.
Whether it’s mud or snow, the Countryman All4 does away with MINI’s typical understeering characteristics and gives the driver the ability to steer with the wheel and the throttle. The results are pure joy.
<p>Sigh. The more I read about the joy of driving a Countryman in less than ideal weather, the closer I get to trading in the R53…the extra space doesn’t hurt either…</p>
<p>Great shot btw Gabe img-7771.</p>
<p>Not suprised by the handling, however do have to point out that I have had a R53 down roads that make those in your images look civilized lol. The only limiting factor to it was never the FWD rather the ride height. As matter of fact that car of ours ended up on more than one hiking trailhead that never likely has seen anything without 4wd, found the MINI to be nimble on this questionable roads. It has worn coats of dust and mud that most cars let alone a MINI has ever known.</p>
<p>I was up to the sills in it so a R53 would have had some leakage most likely.</p>
<p> Yeah there is no doubt there, still have to say the limiting issue for the R53/R56 vs R60 offroad is not All4, its the gain in ground clearance. I still place awd as a nanny aid 99% of the time for most all vehicles that never see anything but asphalt and like most vehicles stay secure at home during the worst of weather. AWD has is place but that is honestly in the very worse of weather and road conditions where a vast majority of vehicles will never try to pass the road. I have lived in places over the years where road conditions during the winter months was third world at best and always drove RWD and FWD vehicles with no options. The only AWD vehicle I have ever been happy to use was through a mud bog that likely could have swallowed any MINI heh.</p>
<p> Yeah there is no doubt there, still have to say the limiting issue for the R53/R56 vs R60 offroad is not All4, its the gain in ground clearance. I still place awd as a nanny aid 99% of the time for most all vehicles that never see anything but asphalt and like most vehicles stay secure at home during the worst of weather. AWD has is place but that is honestly in the very worse of weather and road conditions where a vast majority of vehicles will never try to pass the road. I have lived in places over the years where road conditions during the winter months was third world at best and always drove RWD and FWD vehicles with no options. The only AWD vehicle I have ever been happy to use was through a mud bog that likely could have swallowed any MINI heh.</p>
<p>LOL, thats not hardly “Mudding”, a good driver can do that in an R56. </p>
<p>Actually, any driver could do that in just about any car.</p>
<p>MF, please find some actual terrain and try again. </p>
<p>Thats not even a “trail”…</p>
<p>Great write up and pics! Video would be killer, I have a multi cam Go Pro setup, give me a call, I am in the neighborhood!</p>
<p>Very interesting but can you add a bit please re the tyres fitted and what effect you found when playing with the DSC?</p>
<p>Yes, more please on effects of DSC on/off…</p>
<p>In my brief experience on a snow-covered road this past winter, the DSC will work very hard to prevent slip. I only spent a brief amount of time pretending to be a rally driver as there was quite a bit of ruckus from the brakes/ALL4 clutches engaging and I was worried that I putting unnecessary wear on the system (at the time I was still rather new to the car and it had not occurred to me to disable the DSC outright or to put it in DTC mode – see below).</p>
<p>A better approach in these conditions might be to use DTC mode rather than disabling DSC outright. From <a href="http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/technology/technology_guide/articles/dynamic_traction_control.html" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/technology/technology_guide/articles/dynamic_traction_control.html</a> :</p>
<p>“Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) is a sub-function of the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system that can be turned on and off. DTC has two major roles: to regulate traction and to enable sports-style driving while providing active stability control.
When the drive wheels start losing traction the DSC automatically begins stabilisation measures. The Dynamic Stability Control system curbs the engine output and stops slip on the wheels. In exceptional situations, however, a small amount of wheel slip can be an advantage.
…
When activated, the DTC allows sporty drivers more room to manoeuvre around curves than the Dynamic Stability Control and even permits controlled drifts. The driver retains complete control over the vehicle in every situation and the Dynamic Stability Control’s stabilising measures remain active even when the DTC is activated.”</p>
<p>no video? darn.</p>
<p>I hope you had permission to tear up that field…</p>
<p>Now, a real comment about this vehicle: If being used for mild trails, beach, snow, etc., it needs more ground clearance and some real tires (not the puny low-profile street tires). I am definitely NOT interested in mud drifting. I want a sure-footed vehicle that won’t get high centered in 6 inches of snow or bury itself in the sand. This could possible be a decent platform for that type of vehicle IF a few mods are made.</p>