This is my last video of the event and is 4 minutes long. The driver is one of the Land Rover Experience guys who also tells us how to use Gradient release and the surround cam. Just listen out for the intrusive engine noises................. :shock:

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated  2018 Mini Countryman Cooper S E All4 PHEV in Melting Silver - it’s whisper quiet in EV and polluter modes

OMG! - I think I've made a massive mistake, sounds like a tractor and just can't hear a thing being said for the engine noise.

I need to sell now, anyone interested? 2011MY RR Vogue, Baltic Blue, Jet interior. One very careful owner, 0 miles travelled (only delivery milage), due for delivery on 19th Nov.



Seriously though, looks great and makes me even more excited to get mine, drive away from the dealer and straight into the field opposite!

One thing that I'm not certain on is the rotary gear selector, great that the gear lever is no longer obstructing the clock from driver's seat. But may take some geting used too. It's only going to be noticable really going into reverse I suppose.

Tim, thanks for write up, pics and videos. And amazing weather, didn't know there was such a thing as blue sky in Scotland!

I agree about the rotary gear selector, but I think it will just be a case of re-educating yourself, but it doesn't feel natural to be turning a knob to select reverse and it's an easier wrist movement to move a lever backward and forward. I wish through at the same time they had moved the EPB switch down onto the console from the front edge of the cubby box as that is also another not so ergonomic design application!
BTW today the weather is back to normal for the time of year - Stornaway Grey! 2018 Mini Countryman Cooper S E All4 PHEV in Melting Silver - it’s whisper quiet in EV and polluter modes

relax scene there is nothing more moving than a stonking great Turbocharged V8 Diesel on song - don't you watch Ice Road Truckers????????????????????

Rotary gear selector is fine when you get used to it , thought the same with the wife's jag XF , doddle now

Good video, very impressive!
You can barely hear the engine! I've got the impression it is quieter than the 3.6 TDV8 at tickover, mine sounds like a tractor in comparison!

CSK, compared to the 2010 TDv8 3.6 i reckon it isn't a lot quieter, it is quieter but not by a huge margin and it is most noticably quieter at tickover when it is almost silent. 2018 Mini Countryman Cooper S E All4 PHEV in Melting Silver - it’s whisper quiet in EV and polluter modes

So the 2010 must be quieter than the pre-facelift car as mine sounds really like a diesel at tickover and low speed. They'll have a 4.4 TDV8 demo at my local dealer next month so I'll go and have a look and will ask about the DPF at the same time as he was the one who said he specified all 3.6 TDV8 cars without DPF because he had lots of clients complaining about this.

2010MY cars appear to be quieter because they have sound reducing laminated front side windows as standard for that reason. 2018 Mini Countryman Cooper S E All4 PHEV in Melting Silver - it’s whisper quiet in EV and polluter modes

Is it a man thing? I love the sound of my TDV8 ticking over, yes it is more noisy than a petrol 7 series, but boy you really hear the latent power.
Can't wait to hear a 4.4 myself, lots of lottery tickets to be bought I reckon!

Tim in Scotland wrote:

2010MY cars appear to be quieter because they have sound reducing laminated front side windows as standard for that reason.

so why was there all the fuss about it when 2010MY was launched Vogue? 2018 Mini Countryman Cooper S E All4 PHEV in Melting Silver - it’s whisper quiet in EV and polluter modes

specman wrote:

Is it a man thing? I love the sound of my TDV8 ticking over, yes it is more noisy than a petrol 7 series, but boy you really hear the latent power.
Can't wait to hear a 4.4 myself, lots of lottery tickets to be bought I reckon!

me too I want to hear the engine! there is too much of this noise obsession and not being able to hear a car - I need to know that the engine is running and it gives me an audible indication of revs when towing or off road without having to look at the rev counter.

I also like a gear lever - hate dials!

In a few years time they will be refitting gear levers as the latest invention, just like they did with the push button starting and now the marketing tossers call it launch control - except cars had launch control back in the 1930's and 40's

Tim in Scotland wrote:

so why was there all the fuss about it when 2010MY was launched Vogue?

Quote:

they said exactly the same thing for the 06 MY - new laminated front windows to reduce engine noise...