The history of Mini since BMW bought the marque has been one of the greatest automotive success stories of the modern era. BMW produced a thoroughly modern, distinctive and desirable car, but now Mini is established BMW feels it is time to broaden the brand’s appeal.
The answer is the Clubman. And yes, that name is an anomaly; BMW doesn’t have the rights to use the name of the original Traveller estate.
But the lack of the Traveller name can't have dented BMW's confidence much, or it wouldn't have taken on a project as potentially fraught with difficulty as turning the fashion accessory that is the Mini into a practical wagon. Think Scarlett Johansson with a pinny and marigolds and you’ll see the problem.
Unless the balance is perfect you’re either going to destroy a large chunk of the appeal that makes people want Minis in the first place, or you’re going to build one of the world’s worst family cars. Possibly both. Looks are entirely in the eye of the beholder, and on this score we feel no better qualified to judge than anyone else. But for what it’s worth, our view is that it sits on the odd side of quirky – a shape with a great deal of initial interest but, once the novelty of its innovative design has subsided, not one that’s likely to be remembered as one of the greats.Unsurprisingly, the cost of its extra doors and elongated wheelbase is reflected in the price: the basic Cooper D Clubman retails at £15,400, or £1210 more than the standard car. Nice business if you can get it.
Argue as much as you like about the look of the car, but it’s much more difficult to quibble with its engineering credentials. It’s one thing to build a car using gimmicks – and this one has more than its fair share – as a substitute for design integrity, and quite another to provide all the essentials in the first place and then add on whatever stylistic and functional addenda the brief requires. The Clubman is emphatically in the latter camp.
From its multi-link rear axle to its six-speed gearbox and from its standard stability and traction control to its intelligent alternator and stop-start functions, all the hallmarks of a quality, premium product that’s entirely conversant with the varied challenges of the 21st century have been put in place.
More impressive still is that despite the twin rear doors, the one at the side, the extra 24cm in length and the raised roof height, the Clubman weighs a scant 20kg more than the Mini hatchback.
Power comes from a 1.6-litre turbodiesel with second-generation common-rail injection operating at pressures of up to 1600bar. Its output is nothing exceptional for the capacity (108bhp at 4000rpm is your lot), but there’s torque aplenty with 177lb ft at 1750rpm and an overboost facility providing 192lb ft at 2000rpm.
Thanks to the Clubman’s trim kerb weight and the wide powerband of the joint BMW/PSA-designed engine, the diesel Clubman offers reasonable and occasionally spirited performance, albeit nothing approaching the enthusiasm you’d hope for from something sporting a Cooper badge.
The gear ratios are close, while the gear lever flicks between them with precision and a satisfying mechanical action. Together they make the most of a modest power output and scrabble the diesel Clubman to 60mph in 10.8sec.
Less impressive is the engine’s noise. Some small diesels are so refined that you’re never normally aware of their power source, but not this one.
Even if you slot the lever into sixth and go cruising, the engine’s sound is a noticeable presence in the cabin, even audible over the substantial roar from the optional 17in wheels’ tyres. At least it stops at least as well as it goes; the brake pedal is firm and progressive, providing strong and consistent retardation.
But outright performance was never a problem – the real risk was whether the 24cm of extra length inserted to make the Clubman would blunt the Mini’s ability to change direction quickly. And if you punt a Clubman down a decent road, you’ll be surprised by how very little of this agility has been lost.
It still steers beautifully for a front-wheel-drive car with electric steering. Levels of traction are surely the highest of its genre, it feels very secure and remains great fun to drive.
We are considerably less enamoured of the ride quality, at least with sports suspension that comes as a no-cost option with the Chili pack. Roads known to be very smooth suddenly appeared to have been cobbled, thanks to the jittery nature of the ride.
The suspension is not only harsh but also rather noisy, and these factors, combined with the sound of the diesel motor, torpedo any chance of truly comfortable, civilised long-distance driving, at least on British roads.
The first thing you notice on first sight of the Clubman is the extra seam behind the driver’s door which, as it turns out, is another door.
It’s a nice party trick, but it doesn’t work too well. For a start you have to push the front seat forward to allow passengers safe and reasonable access to the back. Which rather defeats the point.
Second, once you have slid the front seat forward it refuses to return to its original position. Third, the driver’s seatbelt is anchored to this door to make a perfect tripwire.
Finally, there is no second door on the other side, so on a busy street your children will have to clamber out of the only door on the kerbside, or be discharged into heavy traffic. That this glaring error has been evident since the car’s launch does not prevent us from still being astonished by it.
Once installed in the rear seats, small children will be entirely comfortable and even adults will find good headroom and acceptable legroom. Just don’t expect it to be anything approaching spacious. A standard VW Golf is more spacious and practical than the Clubman.
Move around to the back and those retro rear doors are not without charm, but they reveal a boot that, while larger than that of a normal Mini, is still small when compared with our aforementioned Golf.
The Clubman’s £15,400 list price is merely where negotiations commence, and it’s frighteningly easy to add a few extras and find the price heading past £20,000.
At least the Clubman should prove as residually strong as the Mini hatch. Moreover, the longer Mini’s 109g/km CO2 emissions output will keep your company car tax and congestion charges down.
Sadly, fuel consumption seems to be a let down. Mini claims 51.4mpg combined, yet in our hands the Cooper D Clubman managed just 34.0mpg. Perhaps those with the lightest of feet will manage to keep fuel bills to a minimum, but for now Mini’s claimed economy figures seem optimistic.
How much ?
- Price as tested £16,235
- Price as tested £15,400
How fast
- 0-30mph 3.4 sec
- 0-60mph 10.8 sec
- 0-100mph 37.6 sec
- 0-150mph no data
- 0-200mph no data
- 30-70mph no data
- 0-400m no data
- 0-1000m no data
- 30-50mph in 3rd/4th 4.6 / 6.8
- 40-60mph in 4th/5th 8.6 / 13.2 sec
- 50-70mph in 5th 9.2 sec
- 60-0mph no data
- Top speed no data
- Noise at 70mph 70 dbA
How thirsty?
- Test average 34 mpg
- Test best/worst 41.2 / 18.1
Government figures
- Combined/urban 68.9 / 57.6 mpg
- CO2 emissions 109 g/km
How big?
- Length 3945 mm
- Width 1683 mm
- Height 1426 mm
- Wheelbase 2547 mm
- Weight 1250 kg
- Fuel tank 40.0 litres
Engine
- Layout 4 cyls In Line , 1560 cc
- Max power 107 bhp at 4000 rpm
- Max torque 177 ft at 1750 rpm
- Specific output 70.5 bhp per litre
- Power to weight no data
- Installation F
- Bore/stoke 75 x 88.3 mm
- Compression ratio 18.1:1
- Valve gear 4 per cyl
- Ignition and fuel no data, Diesel
Gearbox
- Type 6-speed Manual
- 1st 3.31 / 5.8
- 2nd 1.87 / 10.3
- 3rd 1.19 / 16.1
- 4th 0.87 / 22
- 5th 0.72 / 26.7
- 6th 0.6 / 32.3
- Final drive 3.706
Suspension
- Front Single-joint Mc Pherson spring strut axle with anti-dive
- Rear Longitudinal arms with centrally pivoted track arms, z-axle
Steering
- Type Rack-and-pinion steering with electrical power assistance
- Lock to lock no data
Brakes
- Front 280mm ventilated discs
- Rear 259mm discs
Wheel & tyres
- Size front 5.5J x 15 in
- Size rear 5.5J x 15 in
- Made of Light Alloy
- Tyres front 175/65 R15
- Tyres rear 175/65 R15
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