2008 Mini Clubman

jaxs1

It should be out in the US in a few months. I think it may be something great for people who wanted a Mini but needed a bit more cargo and rear seat room.
What do you think?

nippononly

Me likey! :-)

If I were going to buy a Mini, this would be the one I would buy, if for nothing more than those cool rear panel van-style doors. I hope they can keep the handling just as sharp in this longer-wheelbase model.

I want to see a solid year or two, though, of good reliability data before I get too near a Mini. Which is about how much time we still have before the Clubman is for sale in the U.S., so that works out pretty well for me! ;-)

eldaino

this is the car my wife wants sooo badly! (and that i wouldn't mind) she wanted a regular mini, but seeing as how we already have a two door, the clubman justified the concept of having a car that could accomadate four people more comforable than a regular mini and be more stylish than the typical sedan.

how much more backseat room than the 2 door mini does the clubman offer?

jaxs1

The backseat will still not be that roomy. It will go from near useless for adults in the current Coopers, to cramped, but ok for short trips in the Clubmans.
You will also have a bit more storage space behind the backseat so more than a briefcase will fit behind rear seat passengers in the Clubmans.
There should be quite a bit more usable space with the rear seats folded down.

feliciatwo

If they don't aren't giving us Tier2 Bin5 or Blutec diesel in the Clubman------I don't want it.

eldaino

ok? :confuse: no one is making you buy it.

my wife saw the pics that were posted; she thinks is a substantial difference between this and the mini; she was ok in the backseat of the mini, this will at least offer good space for small children and car seats.

nippononly

I like the idea of a small BlueTec diesel - the larger Clubman could do better for mileage than the regular gas 1.6! :-)

If not, then tier2 bin5 would be my next choice.

bodble2

Can't really make out in the photo, but is that a 3rd door (suicide door) on the passenger side only?

jaxs1

A diesel for the US will be coming out sometime between 2012 and never.

Honda is already talking about a diesel that won't be here until 2010 http://www.digg.com/environment/Honda_to_bring_diesel_V6_to_U_S
and BMW Mini hasn't even reached the "talking about it" stage yet. In that case, it is a really long way away before you see a US spec diesel Mini of any kind.

jaxs1

Yes. It is like the rear seat access door on the Saturn coupes.

eldaino

will the clubman be a few hundred more than the base cooper? because the edmunds article said something about being more of a utilitarian and practical car than the back to basics 2 door hatch.

if there is a signifiant price jump however, my wife would still consider a base 2 door. (we are interested in the base clubman)

bodble2

But I wonder if an utilitarian and practical MINI is an oxymoron? And if they do manage to make it practical, would it still fulfill the MINI mantra?

nippononly

Well, the old Mini Clubmans sold pretty well. Tradesmen would use them in England when I lived there long ago. I think it will still fulfill the Mini mantra. It will only be a little bigger, the biggest difference will be the van-style rear doors.

eldaino

yeah, i can't understand why so many people were hating on the design when it came out....when the original mini's were available like this as well!

we'll probably trade the bunny for it when it comes out...my wife misses having her own car, and right now i'm looking at getting an old honda or something.

When will they be hitting dealers?

nippononly

Oh, I think the Clubman is at least a year away. I have a vague recollection of them saying it would be introduced as a 2009 model.

eldaino

really? i checked the last edmunds spy coverage on it and they were talking about an early 08 release as an 08....

jaxs1

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=121860#6

jaxs1

http://www.mini.com/com/en/introducing_mini_clubman/index.jsp

bodble2

I look at those van-like doors, and I'm thinking....is there any practical advantage to those doors over a conventional hatch? Did they just do that for the "cool" factor?

pjo1966

I'm not crazy about the black bar that splits the back window in two. Other than that it's pretty cool.

bodble2

MINI Canada has apparently announced that the Clubman will be introduced in the 1st quarter of 2008.

newdl

How about the real issue at hand? EDMUNDS leaked info on the Clubman before they agreed to do so. :mad: I would suggest you (readers) get your MINI info from another source since I would assume MINI will now wait to release information to EDMUNDS until everyone else has received and posted their information.

Great job Edmunds....way to go... :mad:

stevecebu

How about the real issue at hand? EDMUNDS leaked info on the Clubman before they agreed to do so. I would suggest you (readers) get your MINI info from another source since I would assume MINI will now wait to release information to EDMUNDS until everyone else has received and posted their information.

Oh please! This happens all the time. You think Motor Trend, Car & Driver and a bunch of other mags never release info before they should.
Lots of info for them to wade through every month and sometimes it's a legitimate screwup and that just happens. These guys are writers they are not not building stuff for NASA.
If i had a $1 for everytime a car magazine released info a few days off, I'd be filthy rich.
Yes sometimes it's on purpose but often times it's all those conflicting deadlines. Mini relies on their magazines so they won't kill the goose that laid the golden eggs. They might yell at them or put them last in the lineup but in the end most of this info was released 2 months before you read it. It's called lead time and ALL magazines have it. TV shows might need 3-4 months lead time or longer.
Don't get angry and don't worry, it's not like Mini websites will not have info including Edmunds. Unlike the Mini dealerships which are spread out far too thin and no new dealerships on the way. :sick:

spyderone

The clubman is on www.miniusa.com and you can build it to your own specs. The pricing wasn't as bad as I thought. They have changed some of the packages and the cost on the packages have gone up (mostly $100 / package). Have fun!!!

jaxs1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSgB-X0UeRY

jaxs1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08L4k1TQvek

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbdU0lrgfkg

sabastian

Has anyone seen any full tests of the Clubman? All of the reviews I've seen so far are from the first drive event in Madrid.

minicarfan

The Clubman is in the mini tradition.
I lived in England in the early 70's and drove a used Mini that was based on the "Traveler" model which is very similiar to the new Clubman being discussed.
The model I had was a "Traveler" without the side windows, no back seat, and the same dual back doors as the new Clubman. It was a Mini in delivery van form.
The one I bought was an old used British Post Office delivery van. (paid USD $350.00) It ran great the whole time I had it, it handled like a sports car, I loved driving it, a lot of fun. It had great interior space, great gas milage, a extremely well designed car.
I am sure the new Clubman version and the today's Mini will both be just as fun to drive, I don't think the Clubman will detract in any way. And for those who need a little extra space it will let them join the pleasures of the Mini world.

alexjulian

this is a nice looking car. you can find some pictures and a review at this address:
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/-mini-cooper-clubman-pricing-announced-ar5- 0569.html

miniclubman

I test drove and then ordered a Clubman today. The rear door configuration does create a vertical blind spot in the rearview mirror, but it didn't think it was that big a deal. The two split rear windows are fairly small, so it's not exactly a panoramic view to the rear, with or without the vertical split. It may be a bit of form over function (like the giant pie-pan speedometer), but the doors do create a fairly large and easy to access opening when opened (for a MINI, this is no panel van). I also think they're cool, which is the whole point of many things MINI.

arizona26

The ugliest rear end ever put on a car

kyfdx

My local MINI dealer had a debut party for the Clubman last night... Catered.. (if it's free, it's for me!).

Test drives were short, as there were a lot of people there, but we got to go by ourselves.. I don't have a lot of experience driving MINIs, so I can't really say whether it is better or worse.. But, I loved it..

I test drove an S-model.. I always thought the S would be the only one for me... but, after my test drive last night, I think I would go for the base Cooper... The car accelerated so quickly, that by the time I got out of first gear, I was exceeding the speed limit.. :surprise: I think I could have a lot more fun with the base model, around town.

It was a blast! I don't love the out-of-proportion looks of the Clubman, or the $2K increase in price.. but, I can appreciate the extra room..

regards,
kyfdx
visiting host

jaxs1

If you drive by yourself, the base will be OK, but if you carry passengers and cargo of any significant weight and actually make use of the extra room vs the regular Mini, you will find the power of the base model inadequate.
The base will be little smoother and much quieter though.

kyfdx

Yeah.. that's true.. I hadn't thought about three people and a trip to Sam's Club in the car.... I didn't consider the expanded uses of the bigger car.

I was thinking more along the lines of a regular Cooper, not a Clubman (oops, I'm off topic).. In that case, I probably would be taking another car to Sam's, unless I was by myself..

One other advantage of the base models.... I think you can avoid run-flats..

mburleigh

Does anyone know what the gas millage is on the new mini cooper clubman?

percussionist

Gas mileage according to MINI's website is the following:

Clubman - 28/37 manual 26/34 auto
Clubman S - 26/34 manual 23/32 auto

My question is this - both require premium fuel. I understand for the "S" version because it has a turbo charger (almost all automakers require premium for turbo). Why does the regular 118hp "naturally aspirated" version require premium fuel? I don't get it, so if anyone does, please explain.

bomb617

Because it's a direct injection engine and they use very high compression ratio.

miniclubman

Actually, premium fuel is not required, but "strongly recommended". The MINI compression ratio is 11:1, so the premium fuel will give the best performance, but it will run on regular. I would also strongly recommend premum, since the engine is designed fo premium.

hpmctorque

"Actually, premium fuel is not required, but "strongly recommended".

Yes, but this doesn't answer the question of why the normally aspirated engine wasn't designed with a lower compression direct injection system that is happiest with regular. After all, fuel economy is a high priority in a subcompact, even in a premium brand subcompact. You could argue that the high compression enhances fuel economy, but I'd argue that the greater fuel economy doesn't compensate for the higher cost of premium fuel.

Incidentally, no one is arguing that the standard MINI won't "run" on regular, just that it wasn't designed for this grade.

miniclubman

I guess BMW / MINI made the decision that the typical MINI owner prefers increased performance by using premium fuel over the saving asociated with using regular fuel, at a lesser engine performance. True, the MINI is a sub-compact, but it's also an enthusiast's car attracting those who value economy and performance. It's not designed for those seeking the most economical and practical sub-compact, and there are plenty of other manufacturers offering those type of cars, usually at a lower price than the cost of the base MINI Cooper. As a MINI owner, I'll take better engine response and pay the extra at the pump. Remember, the MINI is still rated at 28 city / 37 highway, and 32 mpg overall. According to the EPA site (www.fueleconomy.gov) , it would cost less than $100 per year more to fuel a MINI for 15,000 miles of driving versus a similar EPA-mileage rated Toyota Yaris. I'll gladly pay an extra $2 a week for the MINI!

jaxs1

The performance of the base Cooper is nothing to brag about even compared to similar priced cars that run perfectly on 87 octane.
It would have been more acceptable if only the Cooper S was designed for premium.
It maybe for marketing reasons that they want a "premium" brand vehicle to use premium fuel since it will reinforce that image every time you go to the pump.

miniclubman

Yeah, jaxs1, it's all just marketing, including the claim of an 11:1 compression ratio! Those marketing guys!

rasldasl

I think the premium fuel complainers are forgetting what a great deal premium is these days. Back when regular was under $2 a gallon it was common to see a 30 to 40 cent price difference between regular and premium. As an example, unleaded at $1.50 and premium at $1.80. You were paying 20% more for premium. As gas prices went up to and over $3 a gallon the price premium for premium has shrunk in actual dollars (in most places) and as a percentage. In my area regular is about $3 and premium is $3.20. That's only 20 cents more per gallon instead of 30 or 40 like it used to be, saving a dollar or two per 10 gallon fill-up. As a percentage it is now only 6.67% more expensive for premium instead of 20%. That's what I call a bargain. Even if you are paying 30 cents more for premium you are still getting a bargain at a 10% markup instead of 20%. My guess is that as prices go up the gas stations don't think they can get as many people to pay the higher markup for premium so they keep the price as close to regular as possible without making it seem like there is no difference at all. Remember, there are still a lot of idiots out there buying premium for cars that don't need it just because they are convinced it's better for their car or they get more power out of it. You will only get more power out of premium on a car designed for it. Otherwise you are wasting your money.

hpmctorque

Although I'm among those who indicated that the standard MINI should run on regular, and I still hold this view, you make some excellent arguments, rasldasl.

I find the MINI, especially the Clubman, and for limited uses, the convertible, appealing, but its difficult for me to justify the prices. While not as cute as the MINIs, nor do they handle and corner as sharply, the VW Rabbit, Honda Fit, and Scion Xd excel in different ways, and cost significantly less. They also have a lot more dealerships, which could be an important consideration. That said, the fact that MINIs enjoy excellent resale value supports the fact that they are realistically and correctly priced. The market is the final arbiter on pricing. My acknowledgement of this is how I would justify buying a MINI, just as it would be a consideration, although not necessarily the determining one, for staying away from a car that depreciates rapidly.

miniclubman

The MINI is certainly not the most practical, or the most roomy, or the most affordable, but it's the most MINI. That's enough for those who drive them!

sabastian

My girlfriend and I test drove a Clubman S with a sport package yesterday and had a really great time. This car is on my (very) short list of next cars to get, so we really took our time on the drive and made sure to go over the car with a fine-toothed comb. Here's what we figured out:

Trunk space is much improved over the normal Mini hatch, but that isn't saying much. Sadly, there is less space than the pictures would have you believe. A normal-sized suitcase would probably fit back there, however, and the seats are a breeze to fold down.

Though improvements in trunk space were a bit disappointing, the improved rear leg space was a revelation. I am six feet tall and could easily fit in the back. The club door really helps too, but don't trip over the seat belt! Front seats are just like a normal Mini, however my girlfriend, who is of slightly-smaller-than-average-build, complained that the thigh bolsters were a bit too tight and that they did not allow her to relax in the passenger's seat.

On the road, the Clubman S felt very similar to the normal Cooper S hatch. Steering was very quick with almost zero play. Pushing the 'sport' button seemed to tighten the steering by a small amount, and the extra mass of the Clubman did nothing to decrease the tossability. Acceleration was also similar to the normal Cooper S, with the sport button sharpening up the throttle markedly. The biggest difference, as many reviews have noted, was the ride. My girlfriend and I both decided that the normal Cooper S (sport pack) would be too rough to deal with day-to-day. The Clubman, while still firm, represented a huge improvement, with a ride now similar to the GTI and Civic Si's that I have driven.

Overall, I loved the Clubman S. The extended wheelbase brings usability up to an acceptable level, while improving the ride and keeping the fantastic handling. The overall quirkiness of the car makes it a true anti-Camry. Oh yeah, and the barn doors are real hoot too.

woodyww

Great article in the Jan. '08 (BMWCCA) Roundel Magazine on the Clubman. 7 page very detailed article w/tons of info, pics, & roadtest impressions. 0-60 in 6.5 sec. for the S. And no diesel for the US, of course.

The rear doors are Too Cool for School IMO. The article predicts that the Clubman will have slightly better resale than the sedan Mini (which is already great)--another excuse to buy one.

Which color.....I love the dark silver, & the ruby red w/silver roof......if I had a Mini dealer w/in 5-10-15 miles I'd be in big trouble......

rtboon

Placed an order for a Pure Silver Clubman two weeks ago and still don't have a delivery date. Initially was told that I could expect delivery the first week in June but now I am not sure. Anyone know anything about backlogs and delivery times?

Thanks
rtb

feliciatwo

Yes, when I test drove the Mini Clubman S last weekend the Sales folks agreed that they too wish Clean diesel would come to the states. I'm less concerned about the high cost of gasoline than the Lack of old fashioned gasoline. I'm old enough to have experienced what it feels like when the line to the gas tank goes round the block and it's not just due to Hurricances.
I've already got my eye on a little gadget that fits in my garage in Key Largo that facillitates the manufacturing of my own biodiesel.

I adore the Clubman
....and will probably buy one as they hold their value and nothing will come to the usa i like as much in diesel for several years. I've already waited 4 years.

Guess my Subaru Outback is for sale now.

otterdad

I put in an order today for a Clubman S and was told by the dealer that their May allotment has been filled, but they are trying to increase it. Likely my care will be in the June build with a 7 week wait once the process starts for real. At 57 years old I am once again like a kid waiting for Christmas.

rtboon

We were basically told to expect our Clubman S, ordered on March 8th, to be delivered the first week in June. I definitely get the sense that demand is outstripping supply and I only hope that we catually do get delivery in June.