Mini has unveiled its new World Rally Car on the tenth anniversary of the original 'new' Mini's own Paris debut.
The Mini Countryman WRC, which has been developed by rally legends Prodrive, will compete in selected rounds of the 2011 World Rally Championship, before taking on a full championship assault in 2012.
Mini also revealed that the car would be available for sale to private teams from next year (which will be good news if you had your privateer heart set on a Citroen DS3 WRC).
We also reckon that the Countryman (as much as we don't really want to admit this) looks pretty good in chunky-bumpered, bespoilered WRC guise. You might even say it's a fitting continuation of the Mini rallying family tree that last had fresh blood in 1967. At least that's what '
Sharing show-space with the new DS3 WRC and Ford's new WRC Fiesta, The Mini WRC makes this year's Paris show rather rally-tastic - and should help to invigorate top-flight rallying.
"WRC has to become stronger," FIA president Jean Todt told assembled hacks at the Mini's press confernce. "Mini's contribution will be greatly appreciated."