In the MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 through Iceland Between elves and trolls: in the MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 through Iceland's wild west!

Reykjavik. If you wanted to know where elves, fairies, gnomes or trolls live, you could ask Erla Stefansdottir. She was Iceland's elven commissioner and often advised the building authorities so that new roads did not cross magical places. In this respect, on a car trip from the capital Reykjavik via the few paved and unpaved roads to the westernmost places in Europe, you don't have to worry about waking sleeping unearthly people. Especially not in the MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4.

MINI Cooper S Countryman

If you want to experience Iceland, you can't avoid using part of Ring Road 1 from the capital Reykjavik. Even here, the MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 with its smooth-running two-liter four-cylinder shows how well it can travel with 131 kW / 178 hp. The MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL0 accelerates from 100 to 4 km / h - supported by the eight-speed Steptronic transmission - in 7,3 seconds. However, he cannot live out the possible top speed of 222 km / h here, because a top speed of 90 km / h is not allowed anywhere. On gravel roads - and there are many of them, in Iceland only around 4300 kilometers of roads are asphalted - it is a maximum of 80 km / h, and that too can be too fast.

Heading west, the “1” island explorer first takes you to Bogarnes, the economic center of West Iceland with a fabulous panoramic view. The city's hot water comes from the largest hot water spring in Iceland called Deildartunguhver at 180 liters per second. From here, it is worth taking a detour along road 54 to the 167 square kilometer Snaefellsjökull National Park, dominated by a 1446 meter high volcanic cone. Thousands of sea birds populate the rock towers of Londrangar. Also worth seeing is Dritvik Bay with the ruins of the only fishing station and the black lava pebble beach of Djupalonssandur.

modern all-wheel drive in the ALL4

Even if many paths on the coast can only be discovered on foot, the ALL4 all-wheel drive helps Icelandic drivers to get the best traction wherever cars are allowed to drive. Because loose ground and water crossings are commonplace on almost every tour in Iceland. The system is based on an electromechanical center differential that continuously distributes the drive power between the front and rear axles - depending on the requirements. Up to 100 percent can be directed backwards, the normal driving situation ensures a 50:50 distribution. The 16,5 centimeters of ground clearance of the MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 also has a calming effect on Iceland, because even asphalt roads surprise, among other things, because of the frost influence with deep potholes, which the MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 can put away without complaint thanks to a lot of space under the ground and the elaborate chassis.

We continue to the small fishing village of Stykkisholmur, once a trading post of the German Hanseatic League, today proud of its striking modern church and the many old houses. From the 54, turn left onto the 60 heading north, it leads travelers to the particularly wild and pristine West Fjord landscape, where the Landssen between the fjords look like fingers stretching towards Greenland. The 60 and 62 lead to the westernmost point of Europe, the Bjargtangar lighthouse, on the 14 kilometer long cliff of Lätrabjarg. Thousands of puffins live on rocks with a maximum height of 440 meters - a real change from the sight of the many sheep and Icelandic horses that otherwise populate the island.

Maybe this is the right place to stay - why not in a roof tent from the Italian manufacturer Autohome? The black box weighs 58 kilos and measures 210 by 130 centimeters. With the carrier, the MINI is just 2,05 meters high. Setting up the tent is easy: unlock the box at the front and back, gas pressure springs open the flap. The tent is boarded via an aluminum folding ladder. Mesh pockets hold the little things that people need every night, and an LED light provides a clear view. The next morning you pull the box closed again with ribbons, that's it.

MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4

Freshly strengthened, it goes on to the next destination, to Bildudalur - and because you are in the land of elves and trolls, you definitely have to visit the spooky Skrimslasetrid Museum for sea monsters in Strandgata 7 for interactive and multimedia entertainment in peace to enjoy. It gets louder further north on Dynjandi, because there you can find the “thundering”, “booming” or “raging”: Iceland's most beautiful waterfall is around 100 meters high and shines with six steps. The protected natural monument is 30 meters wide at the top and 60 meters below and is extremely impressive.

Almost like the MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4, which over a total length of just under 4,3 meters and a wheelbase of 2,67 meters offers plenty of space for five people. A few more live in Isafjördur further north - with 2700 inhabitants the place marks the west fjord metropolis with captains houses, fishermen's monument and an archway made of whale bones. This is the right place for souvenir shopping, which can be safely stored in the trunk with a minimum of 450 liters. If only two people are traveling, the souvenirs can be considerably larger - then the MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 can hold up to 1390 liters. Enough space to take a little more salt with you: In Reykjanes, a visit to the “Salzverk” is worthwhile - here, with the help of 100 degree hot water, salt is extracted from the earth in a climate-friendly way.

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Between elves and trolls: in the MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4 through Iceland's wild west.
Photo credit: BMW

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