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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...

MINI Countryman And Paceman Derailed; Countryman Loses Rear Buckets

According to Cars.com Kicking Tires blogger David Thomas writing for USA Today:
The rail is gone come later this summer when the 2014 models of both cars go on sale. The last 2013s will be built in July.

The four-seater Countryman with rear bucket seats will no longer be an option. The previously optional rear bench, which seats three passengers, is now standard and the only configuration offered for Mini's small SUV.

The Paceman remains a four-seater, with the rear-seat middle area taken up by a cupholder with iPod holder and 12-volt outlet.

A fixed cupholder is added to the Countryman's back of the center console for rear passengers; it also has a 12-volt outlet but no additional storage. . . .
Both models also see a $100 bump in prices across trim levels and add standard heated side mirrors and washer jets.