Coscharis’ MINI for car freaks at Valentine
With tomorrow as historic date for lovers all over the world to celebrate the Valentine Day and in line with its tradition of commemorating the lovers day in a unforgettable style, Coscharis Motors in collaboration with Epe Resort is set to celebrate lovers with the MINI Cooper cars.
A full range of the model line-up will be on display during the Valentine weekend at the luxurious Epe Resort, located on the outskirts of Lagos metropolis.
Coscharis Motors and Epe Resort’s partnership is to jointly create the right ambience for their loyal customers who will want to celebrate the Valentine weekend in a unique way by having the opportunity to get a good deal to own any of the MINI Cooper variants on display while staying at the resort.
For Abiona Babarinde, general manager, marketing and corporate strategy, Coscharis Motors, the partnership with another great brand like Epe Resort is a unique way of celebrating the lifestyle of lovers that wants to enjoy the season of love that Valentine brings to the world.
In celebrating the Valentine season, Coscharis Motors is set to gladden lovers with the opportunity of offering them a unique auto brand like the MINI which resonates perfectly with the season of love. The MINI Cooper Countryman amongst others he said will be on display at the resort, available for test drive to allow couples ‘feel’ the uniqueness of the fantastic car we have in the brand for them to make their purchase decision at a discounted price’’.
With practicality not found in other Mini products, the Countryman is basically a five-door version of the Clubman, with a longer wheelbase and more ground clearance. Power comes from a 121-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder, which mates to the front wheels via a standard six-speed manual or an optional six-speed automatic. The S and John Cooper Works versions offer more power and all-wheel-drive options. The Countryman retains the Mini driving traits and quirkiness, despite its larger size.
Step inside, and the Countryman’s interior is very similar to the regular MINI hatch or any other car in the BMW owned manufacturer’s line-up. It’s a cheerful place to be, thanks to the familiar oversized central speedo, pod-like rev counter and rocker switches for the lights. The 2013 updates saw MINI move the electric window switches to the doors – on pre-2013 cars, they were on the centre console and were blocked by the gearknob. Meanwhile, the 2014 updated interior includes dark grey dials on all models and some subtle bits of chrome on the air vent nozzles.
Driving 3.8
Behind the wheel of the Countryman, it’s evident that MINI has dug deep to try and capture the hatch’s sparkling handling. While its extra ride height and bulkier dimensions mean it’s not quite as fun to drive as its little brother, it’s still enjoyable and is particularly good in town.
Given its larger dimensions and increased height, the MINI Countryman is much more practical than the hatch. MINI makes the Countryman available with either four or five seats, and four adults won’t have a problem with getting in and out.
The sliding rear bench is also advantageous, as is the boot. With the seats up, the boot has a 350-litre capacity and when they’re folded, this increases to 1,170 litres.
The seats are comfortable, supportive, and make long journeys easy to handle. The high driving position means visibility is great too, making in town driving easy. The door pockets aren’t very big, however, and there aren’t enough cubbies around the cabin for a family to put their stuff on a long road trip.
According to the operations manager, Epe Resort, Bruce Prins ‘’the partnership reflects an alignment of two premium brands that exudes luxury, class and style positioned to jointly delight the market. For us at Epe Resort, we are very excited to associate with the premium MINI brand which is a unique brand in the automobile industry.
According to him, “With Valentine’s day just around the corner, we have put together a few romantic packages for overnight stays and getaways so that you can relax and unwind with your loved one’’.
Coscharis Motors is MINI sole franchisee in Nigeria and has offices in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Uyo and Kano.
MIKE OCHONMA