Chinese MINI Countryman in the Works

MINI brought at the Guangzhou Auto Show in December the company's first-ever SUV and, although a lot of people were damn sure that the model will go on sale anytime soon, chief executives remained tightlipped over a possible Chinese version of the Countryman. However, it appears that the big moment is quickly approaching and, despite the reticence coming from the British icon or from its German parent manufacturer, the Countryman will likely debut in a few months.

Just as always, not much is known on the subject, but China Car Times writes that the vehicles has been spotted during a testing session in Beijing, close to BMW's headquarters in China. It is currently believed that MINI plans to introduce the SUV in the local market in the first quarter of the year, so expect the car to hit the streets in a month or two.

Besides the Countryman, MINI is also making the final touches to the Paceman concept shown at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Paceman is based on the same platform as the Countryman and, according to the latest rumors, it will be manufactured at the same plant as the company's first SUV in Graz.

The Paceman concept presented for the first time in Detroit was powered by a John Cooper Works 1.6 liter twin-scroll turbocharged four-cylinder unit that delivers 211 hp and a maximum torque of 280 Nm (207 lb-ft), which also comes with an Overboost function. The final model would most likely be a little different than the concept, but the overall output is likely to stay in the same region.