The 2017 MINI Countryman plug-in hybrid, official dubbed the Cooper S E Countryman ALL4, is currently celebrating its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
The vehicle is the company’s first hybrid offering and has come to fruition thanks to its utilization of the BMW Group’s UKL2 platform. As a result, the Countryman ALL4 has the same propulsion system as the BMW 225xe, meaning it combines a 1.5-liter three-cylinder petrol engine with 134 hp alongside an 87 hp electric motor.
Driving the front wheels is the internal combustion engine while the rears are driven by the electric motor, hence the ‘4’ in the vehicle’s name, making reference to the all-wheel drive system. All up, the car delivers an impressive 221 hp and 284 lb-ft (385 Nm) of torque yet sips just 2.1-liters of fuel per 100 km (112 mpg U.S. and 134.5 mpg UK) – with the use of the battery.
For the most part, the Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 looks identical to its more traditionally-powered relatives. The only real giveaways of its true identity include the yellow ‘S’ badge on the rear, a yellow ‘E’ badge and of course, the flap on the front fender hiding the power socket.