Forza Horizon 4 - Year of the MINI Part 2

The Winter Playlist of the Series 9 update of Forza Horizon 4 brought us the last two of the four new Minis added in this update and having fought my way to obtain the latter half of the four new Minis of this update, feels like it's the perfect time to talk more about those Minis as part of its 60th year celebration.



The first one is not the kind of Mini you would want to drive it but for those who are fans of the Dakar rally raid cars are delighted to give it a go for a change. This is the John Cooper Works Buggy and its made in collaboration with the X-Raid team to compete at the 2018 Dakar Rally alongside the JCW Rally car. It has a 3.0L six-cylinder diesel engine producing 340hp of power and 800Nm of torque and a CFRP/Kevlar bodywork built to sustain torturing conditions like the ones in the Dakar Rally.



Last year, this Buggy never made it to the top spot at the Dakar Rally where the Rally version nicked the fifth place spot. But in the 2019 Dakar Rally, it became part of the top 5 finishers, which is rather impressive for a monster Mini like this but after checking things out, it's time to stir things up with the JCW Buggy to see if it lives up to its character.



After enjoying the JCW Buggy, I've check out the other one and it's basically a hot version of the second-generation Mini Countryman.



For starters, I don't even like the Mini Countryman because with so many cars to choose from in the world, there is a clear reason why some picked the Countryman because it's for the kind of person who has a lot of reasons why he hates ultra-expensive luxury cars. Given the choice then, I would have picked expensive luxury cars than this one. This, however, is the second-generation Countryman and after righteous indignation, it's starting to shave off the image of the once-hateful predecessor possess and made it even more Countryman than it was. In this JCW version with its ALL4 control system, 2.0L petrol engine generating 231PS of power and 320Nm of torque, and race-derived dynamics, it's a whole new kind of ball game for anyone who wants to batter up on and off the road.

This is definitely the Coutnryman I want to be with rather than the first one I remembered years ago and speaking of ball game...



...the all-weather, all fun to drive Countryman is all set up for a revue to remember, hence the image of a baseball-loving farm girl who is all kitted out for a revue audition, and with its battle dress ready, it's showtime for the most versatile Mini ever made as it takes on the dirtiest revue yet. It's showtime!



Now with all of the four Minis appeared in this series update, which one I think is the best? For me, the Mini I once hate is now the Mini I love to drive because of such righteous indignation. I'm talking about the JCW Countryman and it's like me, being Homer Simpson, backing off EA to get it. Needless to say, a Mini like this can be unappreciated at first but when it evolves into something different while staving off the image of the one they hate, they will love it and that is why the JCW Countryman is one of my favorite Minis I've obtained from this series update.

Happy 60th anniversary, Mini! Enojy these Minis while you can for the rest of the update!