It was on this day in 2010 that the eagerly-waited MINI Countryman was formally announced.

Based on a Mini Crossover Concept which had been unveiled at the Paris Motor Show 18 months earlier, the Countryman was a five-door, subcompact SUV which offered new levels of space and practicality in an effort to catch a new audience.

Though the vehicle wasn't universally well-received by the motoring press, the Countryman sold well during its first production run in Europe and North America on the back of the booming SUV craze without quite achieving its aim of transforming MINI into a broader brand.

A second generation Countryman - offering improved styling and more refinement - was launched in 2017 and has augmented the popularity of the brand with growing Countryman sales helping MINI achieve a record 2.8 UK market share in 2018.

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