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First Impressions: MINI Cooper S Clubman

9 June 2009 5,355 views 3 Comments

MINI Cooper S Clubman

In the Ridestory Garage
I’m fortunate again to have extended access to another car, this time a MINI Cooper S Clubman. Since BMW took over MINI, the car has taken on a new life, building on an already unique brand and creating an all new following. The Clubman version of the MINI expands on it even further. With an extended wheelbase and split rear barn doors, the Clubman gives MINI buyers another choice at being just a little different.

What’s different?
Potential MINI buyers will find one characteristic of the Clubman very appealing. And that’s size. The Clubman is longer and definitely more roomy inside than a standard size MINI. Hop in the back seat and it’s actually functional. So four adults in a MINI can be comfortable? In a word, yes.

Clubman uniqueness continues though. In addition to the extra leg room, the rear of the Clubman opens up with two barn-like doors. Swinging the doors out provides easy loading and access to the rear of the car. An additional suicide door on the passenger side provides access to the rear seat.

MINI performance
Just because it’s a MINI doesn’t mean performance is lacking. This Clubman happens to be the ‘S’ version, delivering 172 turbocharged horsepower. My initial impressions can’t detect any turbo lag. In fact, the MINI’s 4-cylinder has got a nice punch with just a little rasp to the exhaust note. It’s loads of fun to keep high in the rev range.

In addition, my test car has a six-speed manual transmission. Which, for me, is exciting. If you’re a regular reader of Ridestory, you know I’m not a fan of automatics. And, for the most part, the MINI’s manual is quite enjoyable. It’s a little notchy, definitely not as smooth as the BMW 328i’s manual. But fun none the less.

Does MINI mean strength in the car market?
News regarding the future of the car market hasn’t been good lately. Bankruptcy and bailouts don’t exactly exude confidence. But if the future of the automobile is anything like what BMW is delivering with the MINI brand, enthusiasts will continue to be happy drivers.

Look for my MINI Twitter updates over the coming week and I’ll of course post more about it here on Ridestory.

  • http://www.superchargerkits.org Supercharged

    I think the Clubman looks great. I love the rear doors. I’m gonna have to go try out one of these babies if we have them in our area, I haven’t seen one yet.

    With 172 HP in a car like that it must feel pretty powerful. It has more HP that my 6 cyl! :(

  • http://dr1665.com Brian DR1665

    A smaller car which still has room for four adults and their gear? That’s almost an oxymoron, don’t you think?

    I think it’s great that the Mini has stepped up into this territory, even if I’m not exactly a fan of the styling. It’s also particularly refreshing to see that it can be had with a turbocharged engine *and* a manual transmission! I’m partial to the sinister sounds that come from the earlier models with the supercharger, but either way, it’s a smart move providing the option to actually drive a car with a sporty engine, rather than mating it to a dull slushbox.

    Are there going to be other Mini models, though? The Mini was popular because it was *THE* Mini. Now there’s a slightly larger version called the Clubman. Next, there will be some kind of sports coupe? If you put too much of a good thing on the market, there’s a risk it won’t all look as good anymore…

  • Andrew

    Four adults, yes, their gear, not so much. The Clubman is larger than a standard MINI but it’s no SUV. You can toss a couple of duffle bags behind the back seat but you’re not making a run to Home Depot.

    I’m sure the Clubman is MINI’s response to the “general” car buyer. Potential buyers thought the MINI too small, so they responded with something a little larger. Die hard MINI fans couldn’t care less and would rather see the car in it’s original form. They’re the ones who see a brand diluted.

    But for the most part, the brand is still intact. It still looks like the modern day MINI, just a little longer.