TEAM MINI keeps growing and the seventh model to join the club is the Paceman.

Based on the Countryman, the Paceman is described as a Sports Activity Coupe and is aimed at customers who want the space of the Countryman but with a little more panache.

The new model certainly has bags of style and is also the first three-door MINI to offer the option of four-wheel-drive.

The Paceman looks identical to the Countryman from the front but it has a sloping roof and a lower profile to give it a more dynamic look. Blacked-out window surrounds add to the sporting look and the wheelarches are also larger.

The rear is completely different and features horizontal taillights for the first time on a MINI. There is a large Paceman badge on the tailgate as well as twin exhausts to finish things off.

The Paceman is now the most expensive MINI in the range with prices starting at £18,970 and rising all the way to over £29,500 for the John Cooper Works model.

Diesel versions start at the £20,210 mark and all-wheel-drive versions are priced from £21,400.

The Paceman rides higher than the regular MINI hatch or other coupe models, but it still provides a sporty drive thanks to sports suspension across the range. It also has sharp responsive steering and the ride quality is very good and the car stays composed even under heavy braking.

There is an optional Sport mode button which can be used to sharpen throttle and steering response and Cooper S models and above also get a sports differential to help improve traction.

If you want pace from your Paceman go for the blistering JCW edition which sprints to 62mph in just 6.9 seconds or if you value economy opt for one of the two diesel units.

Built in BMW's plant in Austria, the new model is packed with safety equipment including front, side and curtain airbags as well as Dynamic Stability Control. You can also add adaptive headlights and park distance control at extra cost.

Inside the Paceman is typical MINI with the familiar trendy dash and controls. The cabin features four individual seats - where the Countryman has room for five - but it does offer as much luggage space as its sibling.

Boot space starts at 330 litres but this can be increased to 1,080 litres by folding the rear seats. There is also a decent amount of cubby holes and cup holders while a gadget rail can be fitted to run through the middle of the cockpit to take extra items.

I drove the 141bhp  Paceman SD model in all-wheel-drive form on a demanding long-distance test and found it to be an ideal companion.

I think this diesel is the pick of the range with 62mph being reached in just 9.3 seconds and a top speed of 122mph.  The claimed combined figure is 57.6mpg although I was shy of that because of a great deal of high-speed motoring.

The Paceman always felt solid on the road and it provides a nice blend of the Countryman's space with the traditional hatch's handling.