It’s safe to say that the MINI Countryman has had an outstanding year. In 2025, sales increased 15.2% to 93,305 units, accounting for 32.4% of the brand’s total volume. In other words: one in three vehicles sold by the BMW brand last year was a compact crossover. Oxford is off to a good start in 2026, offering Japan a special edition with an engine choice that might surprise you.
The Shadow Edition does exactly what it promises and features a number of black exterior accents. To sweeten the deal, MINI bundles the John Cooper Works equipment and combines it with 19-inch JCW Runway Spoke wheels in black. As far as the body is concerned, there is no configurator stress here: all cars are painted in Legend Gray with a black roof.
Completing the exterior updates is a black and white Union Jack motif on the side mirror caps. Unsurprisingly, the interior follows the same theme. Buyers can choose any color as long as it is black. The seats are upholstered in Beskin Black, while the dashboard and door trim are, as expected, in matching dark shades.
Now about the previously mentioned engine. Somewhat unexpectedly, MINI sells the Shadow Edition exclusively with diesel power. In fact, the limited model is based on the Countryman D and features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder. Known internally as the “B47”, it produces 148 hp and 360 Nm (266 lb-ft), which are transmitted to the wheels via the familiar seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
MINI Japan is asking 5,980,000 yen, which is almost $39,000 at current exchange rates. However, this figure does not include consumption tax. In addition, you must pay a separate recycling fee. For the money, the Countryman D Shadow Edition is well equipped with a range of driver assistance and safety features, ranging from adaptive cruise control with stop & go and lane departure warning to surround view cameras and a parking assistant.
Japanese buyers can already place orders at their local MINI dealers, with deliveries scheduled to begin in February.
