The Countryman is truly an all-rounder now
Believe it or not, but there is now a roof tent available for the MINI Countryman.
Developed by Italian specialist Autohome, the AirTop can be found in the BMW-owned automaker's official list of options. Penned in collaboration with the MINI Design Team, the special edition of the AirTop roof tent model is available in black or white — MINI's contrasting colors for the roof and side mirror caps.
According to MINI, fitting the roof tent is easy thanks to the standard roof rails. However, besides the tent itself, customers must also buy for the roof rail carrier. That's because the roof tent attachment system goes on top of the carrier. The good thing is it requires a few moves without the need for tools, thanks to the included steel clamps.
The good thing about the roof tent is that it looks like a transport box when closed, with the aerodinamically optimized fiber-glass housing said to reduce air resistance and wind noise.
Opening the roof tent is simple (much easier than setting up an actual tent) and involves the release of the three safety clasps — two at the front and one at the rear. The tent superstructure then automatically raises via four gas pressure springs.
The tent's cover and outer walls are made from a special fabric that prevents the rain from entering as well as offering "a high level of heat and noise insulation." After climbing the solid aluminum ladder, users will find inside a high-density mattress with cotton cover, two doors and two windows with zips, mosquito nets, a battery-operated LED light, as well as luggage nets and pockets.
The sleeping area measures 2.10 meters in length and 1.30 meters in width — enough to accommodate two adults. The interior height of the mobile accommodation unit is 0.94 meters. Watch the following video to learn how to open and close the roof tent.