We first became aware of MINI’s intended return to rallying back in February.  Well, Autosport.com has news of an impending announcement and more details about the car!  Based on the new AWD Countryman platform, the first rally MINI for forty years has been developed by Prodrive at their Banbury base and will be formally launched in Rome at Rally d’Italia-Sardegna in May next season but several sources are strongly hinting that we will catch our first glimpse of the car in the next few days.

Prodrive has remained tight-lipped, denying that it has anything planned.  The British preparation firm has yet to even admit to any kind of agreement with MINI.  Norwegian driver Mads Ostberg is being tipped to do some of the early development driving – and to take one of the factory seats in next year’s WRC programme.  Ostberg is a long-standing customer of Prodrive and is expected to run a MINI-based team in next year’s WRC as well as driving an official car.  Ostberg has resisted the opportunity to drive any other cars in the WRC or Intercontinental Rally Challenge this season.

You can read the full Autosport.com article here.