MINI is taking camping and caravanning into next level by introducing some trendy gear designed for camping aficionados. The “Cowley” caravan and the “Swindon” roof-top tent that can be fitted easily to the roof of a MINI, MINI Clubman or MINI Countryman, are what they’ve come up with.
The “Cowley” caravan might not look very brilliant hitched to the back of your MINI, but it offers two welcoming sleeping berths, a twin-burner gas-stove, a water tank with pump and dish-washing facility, a solar module to charge the on-board battery and a 230-volt power connection to supply the refrigerator, TV/DVD and hi-fi stereo system.
It even gets the same JCW paint job as the car. The caravan is only 12 centimetres (under five inches) wider than a MINI Clubman mirror to mirror and weighs just under 300 kilograms (661 lb).
The “Swindon” is also a handy tool for spending a night in nature. The design of the roof-top tent box allows it to blend in seamlessly with the MINI when closed. Its lower shell is painted Midnight Black, the upper opening section in Chili Red – a combination previously the preserve of John Cooper Works models.
The tent, when closed, looks less embarrassing than the caravan.