MINI's off-road Countryman Untamed lifts only the electric versions
MINI's rugged Countryman has arrived, and its most capable version runs on electricity
MINI reveals the Countryman Untamed Edition at Lake Tahoe, the production version of the rugged Countryman it tested in the Rocky Mountains this summer. The edition is offered on the petrol Countryman C and S ALL4 and on the electric Countryman E and SE ALL4, and production starts at BMW Group's Leipzig plant in November 2026.
Only the electric Countryman E and SE ALL4 get the 15 mm lift
MINI raises the Untamed Edition's suspension by 15 mm, for up to 19 mm more ground clearance, but only on the electric Countryman E and SE ALL4. The petrol C and S ALL4 keep the standard ride height. That reverses what we concluded in September from the camouflaged prototype, whose visible radiator pointed to a petrol-only special. On the lifted cars MINI also improves the approach and departure angles, and it recalibrates ABS, DSC and steering for the new chassis and tyres. With 204 hp in the E and 313 hp in the SE ALL4, the most capable Untamed is also the most powerful.
Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tyres are optional in Europe
The Untamed Edition rides on 19-inch Untamed Edition Spoke alloys styled after steel off-road wheels, fitted with Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tyres developed for this car. In Europe those tyres are an option rather than standard, so the European base car gets the wheels, the cladding and the badges while the extra grip costs more. Textured matte-black film covers the wheel arches, sills and the bonnet's Power Dome, Dark Steel guards protect the underbody front and rear, and a new grille with vertical slats gives the nose a squarer face.
The Countryman Untamed tows 2,000 kg and takes 300 kg on its roof at rest
An optional tow bar lets the Untamed Edition pull up to 2,000 kg. The roof carries 75 kg on the move and 300 kg when the car is parked, which is the figure that matters for the optional rooftop tent. MINI developed that tent with Autohome, the Italian specialist; its glass-fibre-reinforced hard shell and canvas are made by hand in Italy and open in seconds on integrated gas struts. A camping collection of folding chairs and tables from Helinox completes the outdoor kit, styled to match the car.
Frozen Nomad Blue becomes MINI's first series-production matte paint in 2027
Frozen Nomad Blue is the first matte colour MINI has offered in series production, although it only joins the range from March 2027 production. The other edition colours are Hideaway Grey and Nomad Blue, alongside Nanuq White and Midnight Black, with a Glazed White or Jet Black roof. Inside, Vescin sports seats in Nightshade Blue combine perforated upholstery with knitted shoulder sections patterned on rock formations, finished with Cornflower Blue piping. The centre console storage gains elastic straps, and the rubber floor and boot mats carry the same rock motif.
MINI first sold a Countryman Untamed Edition in 2022
The Untamed name is not new. MINI used it in 2022 on the previous-generation F60 Countryman, a design edition for the Cooper and Cooper S that started at €36,750 in Germany. The 2026 car goes further, with chassis changes on the electric versions, retuned electronics and a proper towing and camping package. In Belgium and Luxembourg it starts at €40,070. Production at Leipzig, the plant that has built the current Countryman since its launch, starts in November.
AutoNext Take
MINI has built the off-road Countryman we did not expect: an electric one. Our reading of the prototype in September was that a weekend in the wild still wanted petrol, and MINI has answered by reserving the lift, the better angles and the recalibrated chassis for the E and SE ALL4. That is a confident choice, and a sensible one for a car whose real terrain is gravel tracks, forest roads and snowy ski-station climbs, where a 313 hp electric drivetrain with precise torque control is an asset rather than a compromise.
Europe's tyre list is the weak spot. With the Pirellis optional here, many European Untameds will leave Leipzig on road tyres, the one component that does most of the work off tarmac. MINI should make them standard on the lifted E and SE ALL4 before Frozen Nomad Blue arrives in March 2027; if it does, the electric Untamed will be the most convincing small adventure car in Europe.
