Mini Clubman
Funky Clubman builds on Sixties’ rear barn-door set-up With a unique side arrangement to allow easy access for those in the back. Attention to design and engineering detail is true to original car’s revolutionary concept.
MINI may have got its history a little confused with the name, as the Clubman is the spiritual successor of the Traveller and Countryman. As with its classic predecessors, it provides a different take on the MINI experience.
Like the Sixties original, the Clubman is bigger than the standard car on which it’s based. It is 240mm longer than the hatchback, and comes with an 80mm increase in its wheelbase. This means there’s more rear legroom and luggage space – but don’t be fooled, because the Clubman wasn’t conceived as a spacious family car. It simply offers a bit more flexibility.
The unique reverse-opening back door makes it easier to climb into the passenger compartment, while the long windows mean occupants get plenty of light. At the rear, the MINI’s designers have stayed true to history and the neat barn-style doors hark back to those of the original. From behind the wheel, the view out the rear is just the same, although the difference in size between the two cars is remarkable.
The MINI’s back doors represent far more complex engineering than in the Traveller’s day, though. Precise cut-outs are designed to accommodate the tail-lights, which are fixed to the back pillars. Crucially, just like the original, the Clubman provides an undiluted MINI driving experience: it handles and drives just like the hatch.
