Mini has done all the steps one would establish as necessary to become successful as a revival of a vintage marque. The first Cooper developed after BMW’s acquisition was a true modern interpretation of an old car, keeping all the concessions to an appropriate level. Only six years later, in a whole new generation, did the company dare to invest in secondary models such as Clubman or Cabrio. And since these only made the whole venture more prosper, there was even motivation to innovate with Countryman, Coupé/Roadster and Paceman. However, no excitement lasts forever. Mini still needed to keep the profit coming, so it used those experiences to enter its latest phase with much more rational, mature strategies.
In order to focus on what really sells, the company gave up on the latter three models, and is now making the others better. The hatchback, for instance, became more efficient and even practical, thanks to the addition of the five-door sibling for the first time. Clubman, in turn, turned into much more than a stretched Cooper: this is now a true station wagon, although its maker occasionally refers to it with “shooting brake”. The new generation made it the very first choice of who wants a Mini car to travel with their family, while Cooper’s priority is still sportiness. Countryman, in turn, is supposed to stick with the “I could do off-road, but neither you nor I really want that” character, but there’s no official information about that so far.
Having such a clear role helps to explain most of Clubman’s exclusive features. The most notorious of them are the four passenger doors, which is still surprising in a Mini – remember that this company’s customers had to wait fifty-five years to take rear-seat guests without having to move their seats in their way in and out. And since Mini was at it, the trunk is accessible through barn doors once again: these use vertical hinges, in order to be easier to open, and carry each one an entire tail light. Making these doors that complex isn’t the cheapest solution, but this is the kind of dedication to non-rational factors that distinguishes a true luxury company. Other interesting items are chrome door handles, and a huge panoramic sunroof divided in two parts.
While the exterior resembles Cooper’s a lot, the cabin presents a nice surprise. Opening any of the aforementioned doors reveals an exclusive dashboard. While the hatchbacks uses a conventional piece, Clubman honors its people-hauler “character” with a cleaner design, aimed at making the room seem even bigger. But most key elements were preserved, such as the instrument cluster and the circular center stack. And since we’ve started to talk about shared equipments, the station wagon repeats pretty much everything which debuted with the hatchback: you can have head-up display, a brand new infotainment system, two-tone coating, several customization options, and the omnipresent collection of electronic safety systems.
Another feature you’ve certainly seen coming is Clubman’s platform. Yes, BMW’s front-wheel-driven architecture has come back to Mini, after debuting under the current Cooper and spreading to Bavarian cars such as the 2-Series minivans and X1. Along with a structural resistance increased and an overall weight reduced, both thanks to the use of high-strength steel, the British station wagon become much bigger: the 4.25-m length plays fast and loose with the name Mini in order to stretch the wheelbase by 100 mm. Being also 73-mm wider than the five-door Cooper allows it to offer more room for both the occupants and their baggage: there are 360 liters for the latter now, which can go to 1,250 if you fold the rear seats. There’s also a hidden area beneath the trunk floor.
When it comes to powertrain, anyone who knows a little bit about BMW’s recent events will be able to take a good guess here. The base version burns gasoline using a three-cylinder 1.5-liter with all the recent technologies. You’ll get 134 hp of power and 162 lb-ft of torque, accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 9.1 seconds, reach the maximum of 127 mph, make 55.4 mpg, and emit 118 g/km of CO2. Choosing the sporty S brings a four-cylinder 2.0, and takes those figures to 189 hp, 207 lb-ft, 7.2 seconds, 142 mph, 45.6 mpg, and 144 g/km. Last, but not least, those who prefer to consume diesel receive another 2.0, but with 148 hp, 243 lb-ft, 8.6 seconds, 132 mph, 68.9 mpg, and 109 g/km. The new Mini Clubman will go on sale in the next few months.