Mini’s Clubman, a vehicle the B&B won’t stop talking about, could undergo significant changes for its next iteration — not just in terms of style, but perhaps in terms of size. If word out of Britain is anything to go on, the Clubman wagon could morph into something larger and more palatable to American audiences.
It could become a crossover.
If you were under the impression that it already is, you’re thinking of the Countryman, not the Clubman. Don’t be ashamed — Mini is hardly a hot topic in most automotive (or non-automotive) circles. The tepidly-ranged Cooper SE electric vehicle detailed last week likely isn’t going to change that situation, either.
While the largest (and longest) member of the Mini passenger car lineup grew for the current generation, it still possesses too much car DNA to raise many eyebrows in America. The Countryman remains Mini’s best-seller on this side of the pond.
According to Autocar, Mini design boss Oliver Heilmer has hinted at a strategic repositioning for the barn-doored Clubman. Both Clubman and Countryman fall uncomfortably close to each other in regard to dimension and price; clearly, some space is needed between the two, and Heilmer suggested that a switch to a crossover format could be in the cards.
However, that would still leave the two stepping all over each other’s toes. While Heilmer didn’t elaborate on the Clubman’s future, it would make sense for one of the two vehicles to grow significantly in size, with the other keeping its compact proportions. It would make sense for the Countryman, which was always a crossover, to be the big sibling.
Again, there’s no confirmation of this being Mini’s etched-in-stone plan.
In the U.S., sales of the BMW-owned Mini brand are down more than 17 percent through the end of November. Sales of all models are down on a year-to-date basis, even the Countryman (which is down 19 percent). The most stable vehicle in the lineup is the four-door Cooper hatch, which only saw volume shrink 6 percent in 2019.
The Clubman, which sells in smaller numbers than anything but the Cooper convertible, is down 21 percent through November.
[Images: BMW Group]
Word out of BRITAIN? LOL Münich, you mean.
You get an Ä for effort, but it is either Munich (no umlaut) or München.
Boo… Mini (and your corporate overlords) you suck!
On my long family driving vacation this summer I was bombing around the asphalt rivers of Columbus, OH in my TourX when a lone gentleman in a Clubman (brown in color) went passed. We gave each other a knowing nod.
The Clubman is a wagon that no one openly acknowledges as such.
Highly overrated vehicle. I had it for 1 hour in my hands for test drive. The bottom line, when I climbed back into my 7 year senior Mazda3 I felt like “thanks god I came out from that car!”
There is really nothing good about Clubman besides style. Style and clutch/gear shift action were good. Engine, AT (I drove 2), brakes, ride, seats, driveability, steering — components that make a car for me, were either bad or average. But high style.
Because of the rule of bloat, in 30 years it’ll be the size of a Suburban.
Given the popularity of SUVs it will be Suburban-size next year!
What is the point of a bigger Mini? It’s whole claim to fame is smallness.
Brexit baby. Europe will tax Brits so they prepping to sell more in US
What England has to do with that. It is a German car and Mini is still Mini even in Russian: Мини.
Dude, looks like you’re not following how tax applied on exports. It doesn’t matter who makes this car, it only matters where it is made. It is made in UK, hence taxation will be applied as between EU and UK
“a switch to a crossover format could be in the cards.”–Mini design boss Oliver Heilmer
Golly, never saw THAT one coming……
Bloating the modern Mini is akin to bloating the Boeing 737.
…and…
We all know how that turned out.
The Clubman as it exists makes zero sense, especially since the ‘standard’ mini can be had in 4-door form.
The original Clubman was a weird aberration and reminded me of something GM would greenlight. Original Clubmans are also the WORST MINIs to buy – even though you can buy them for LESS than a standard MINI; you sat on them for 80-110 days and waited for the one weirdo who wanted the exact color and driveline configuration you had.
The original Clubman was fine if you wanted a Mini with a backseat that you didn’t have to be an Olympic gymnast to climb into, and some usable cargo space. The current 4-doors (6-doors?) don’t do anything for me.
Seats alone good enough of a reason to skip this car. Front and rear
The difference between a TourX and a Clubman. The Clubman will still be sold in the U.S. under some classification. While the TourX is going to never,never land.
Mini could try differentiating the next Clubman from the Countryman by making it a couple of inches longer and taller than the current version and marketing it as a dog friendly vehicle.
So Mini goes the way of Thunderbird – four door luxury monster with unwieldy handling. Congratulations BMW.
There were examples of the last 3 generation of Thunderbird in my Family (A Fox and MN-12 in my driveway alone). They were all 2 door cars and actually handled well for what they were.
From 67-71 you could get a T-bird with suicide doors. Probably not much of a handler, but looked pretty cool.
Parents married in 1975 and their Wedding Car was a suicide door T-bird, buttery yellow with black top and landau irons.
(Yes the tuxes were baby blue.)
I’m no fan of that vintage of T-bird, so clearly their lives had nowhere to go but up from there!
Yes, Clubman will survive while TourX goes to the land of the Wildcat, Riveria, Centurian, LeSabre, Electra 225, Skylark, Century, Regal, Skyhawk, and Sommerset. If there’s a personal luxury heaven, well you know they’ve got a hell of a band, band, band!
If Heaven isn’t like you describe, I don’t wanna go.
To each his own. I know there’s the rich Corinthian Leather of a 1975 Cordoba up there waiting for me at least!
“Personal luxury” is now a three-ton, four-door pickup truck.
If they’re going to make a bigger Clubman, and Mini’s brand is retro, then they should bring back the style of small 1960s British vans: tidy dimensions, tall roof, rounded styling, snub nose, outward-opening rear doors. Make mine electric. And make it available in both panel and passenger versions. Then they’ve got an adorable competitor for the Kia Soul EV for civvies, and an eye-catching replacement for a worn-out first-gen Ford Transit Connect for a florist or dry cleaner. Sign me up.