Mini Clubman Cooper D (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Mini Clubman Cooper D

8:06pm Tuesday 20th July 2010

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THE Clubman is BMW's first attempt at broadening the MINI's appeal beyond the original two-door hatchback by stretching its wheelbase to create more passenger room and a bigger boot.

By rights it should be called the MINI Traveller, because that was the name BMC attached to the original Mini estate, but in a rare lack of foresight BMW neglected to buy the rights to use that name. So Clubman it is, then.

Fans never really forgave BMC for tinkering with the purity of Sir Alec Issigonis's original design.

Nigel Burton, Motoring Editor

The original Clubman story goes back to 1967 when BMC's managing director, Joe Edwards, decided to add some much needed Ford-style pragmatism to the range by recruiting Cortina stylist Roy Haynes to sort out the group's range of cars.

Haynes conceived the Clubman as a cheaper-to-build replacement for the costly Riley Elf/Wolseley Hornet twins. He penned the controversial snout which replaced the Mini's chubby face as a way of making the car cheaper to service (although some rumours have it that the face was a Jaguar styling exercise). Whoever was responsible, mechanics fed up with skinned knuckles due to a lack of under bonnet space were truly thankful.

But fans never really forgave BMC for tinkering with the purity of Sir Alec Issigonis's original design.

Therefore, in resurrecting the Clubman, BMW was playing with fire. The 21st century MINI has been a tremendous hit, particularly in America which is now the marque's second-biggest market, but a botched attempt at a more practical version could have debased the whole range.

That's why no expense has been spared in the Clubman's development. The MINI's wheelbase had to be stretched to make room for the controversial third door; in a nod to the old Traveller the boot doors were designed to open like a saloon bar rather than a cheaper hatchback, this in turn forced the company to add two rear wipers rather than one... and so it went on. A multi-link rear axle was essential if the Clubman were to live up to the MINI's reputation for keen handling; stop-start technology was important to keep the running costs down; and a six-speed gearbox would reduce the Clubman's exhaust emissions still further.

This is no mere nose job like the original Mini Clubman (although photos exist to show that BMC almost went ahead with a hatchback Clubman way back in 1968 - just imagine how successful that could have been?). This is a thoroughly engineered and well thought out premium product.

But what about that third door? It opens the opposite way to the front door, meaning there's no centre pillar on the right hand side, and makes it easier for passengers to scramble out of the rear seats.

It's a shame the third door is on the driver's side because kids are disgorged into busy traffic, but it does make the Clubman more practical than its cousin, even if the front seat still has to be slid forward for all but the youngest passengers. Leg and head room in the rear is fine and the charming boot doors open to reveal a luggage area that's larger than the MINI's but still struggled to swallow my weekly shopping (it has just 260 litres of space with the seats in place but a more useful 930-litres when they are folded). Interestingly, in the original BMC Clubman there was no extra rear legroom at all. The extra length went into the boot.

The new Clubman is 24-cm longer than the standard MINI but remains a very enjoyable car to drive. The steering is a revelation for a front drive car, full of information from the tyres and capable of changing direction at the flick of the wrist, and the extra length doesn't make it seem more ponderous or lethargic.

The 1.6-litre TDI was co-developed with Peugeot, the acknowledged masters of small bore diesels, and feels like a good match to the Clubman. The 108 bhp maximum power is nothing to write home about but the four-cylinder powerplant's extra slug of mid-range more than makes up for any outright power deficit. This is a frugal and flexible engine - the average fuel consumption of nearly 60 mpg on test is an exceptional result - and an over-boost facility is available for when you need to overtake.

Every MINI has BMW's efficient dynamics package which includes stop-start. The engine cuts out when you're sat in traffic and is restarted by electricity that's generated by the brakes. This makes MINI the first brand to have all its models classified as mild hybrids. Clubman owners need not hang their heads in shame if they are members of the local chapter of Friends of the Earth, then.

The stylish interior is beautifully done - Mini fans will recognise the toggle switches and the dinner-plate sized central speedo from the original. It doesn't matter that the analogue speedo is a pain to see from the driver's seat because BMW has thoughtfully added an LCD readout in the rev counter display that's mounted between the steering wheel.

Although the Clubman feels sporty, it's a relaxing car to drive distances. The suspension is stiff but not so hard as to be tiresome over a long trip. The diesel engine quietens down nicely at cruising speeds and, combined with a touring range of more than 500-miles, makes the Clubman is a handy little tourer.

The original Clubman soldiered on until 1982. By the time British Leyland pulled the plug it had sold more than 330,000 examples, but the original Mini still outlived it by almost 20 years.

It's only now, with the benefit of hindsight, that many fans have come to appreciate the Clubman's good qualities. The nose did make working on the A-Series engine much easier, the Cortina steering wheel was nicer to hold and the instrument binnacle remained with the Mini range until its demise in 2000.

And let's not forget that the Clubman 1275 GT was good enough to win the British Touring Car Championship two years on the bounce, in 1978 and 1979. Today the roomy engine bay allows fans to fit a range of more modern engines to their classics (the Vauxhall 2.0-litre 16v being a particular favourite).

Unlike the original, this new Clubman iteration has been embraced by fans of the marque as a quirky, and very welcome, brand extension. It's a great addition to the family and a good choice if you've always fancied a MINI but needed something a bit bigger.

SPEC CHECK: Engine: 1.6-litre turbo-diesel Max power: 108 bhp Max torque: 177 lb/ft @ 1,750 rpm Combined mpg: 55.4 mpg (official) Top speed: 120 mph 0-62 mph: 10.9 seconds CO2: 136 g/km Equipment: Electric front windows, power steering, CD player/RDS radio, air conditioning, fuel computer, central locking, split/fold rear seat.

MINI CLUBMAN COOPER D Price: £16,235

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