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Avenue of the Giants Weekend Run - Sat. March 23, 2024

Saturday will be a very full day of cruising from Novato up through the Avenue of the Giants and ending at Eel River Brewing in Fortuna. Sun...

Motor Trend Posts Its 5th Review Of 2011 S Countryman ALL4 Tester

In the fifth update to Motor Trend's review of its 2011 MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 long term test vehicle writer Christian Seabaugh talks, in part, about taking the vehicle off-road:
One area where I expected the Countryman to fall flat on its face was when we turned off the beaten path onto a dirt access trail. With its sport-tuned suspension, run-flat tires, and front-biased all-wheel drive system, I wasn't expecting much from the Countryman. The rutted and rocky roads wouldn't have made a Wrangler even break a sweat, but what about our Mini? Well, I'm happy to report the Countryman took to the dirt roads like the Secret Service to Colombian prostitutes. The Mini never once struggled for grip, and it took every ounce of will to resist rally-style hooning.