The 2015 Mini Countryman is a mid-cycle refresh model. No mechanical changes are made to the small SUV. Major feature changes/upgrades are:
– LED lighting (standard on the S and John Cooper Works);
– AWD model comes with underbody guard plate as standard (except JCW models)
– New infotainment system
– Exterior/interior tweaks (styling, layout, colors etc.)
Please note that the AWD version of Countryman (ALL4 system, as shown below), there is an electromagnetic multi-plate clutch to connect the front drive shaft to the rear wheels. This sytem’s default status is 50/50 split power distribution. Under the assumption that front and rear wheels are spinning at the same speed, when you accelerate from a standstill, the front/rear power distribution is the default 50:50; when the Countryman picks up speed, the electronic control unit sends command to the coupling unit to loose the pressure on the clutch plates, so power send to the rear wheel decreased gradually to zero, and this happens at the speed of 80mph.
But when the front and rear wheels are rotating at different speeds (for example you are making left/right turns), situation becomes more complicated. Because the ALL4 system does not have a planet gear center differential, it fully depends on the friction forces among the clutch plates to send power, which is a wearing process, so you should be very cautious to let this system run in such situation for an extensive time.
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