Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show, Hatchbacks, MINI
Cracks in the dam: MINI Clubman specs and official pics
by Damon Lavrinc on Jul 26th 2007 at 11:24PM 
click above image to view 3 high-res shots of MINI Clubman, more to come
Although the MINI Clubman has been spied in a variety of guises over the past year, we've yet to get a full, unadulterated view of this new, more versatile hatch. InsideLine decided to let the Clubman's specs and a few pics out into the open before the embargo imposed by MINI officially lifts sometime on Friday (we think), and although it's what we've come to expect, the details are worth noting.
The Clubman rides on a stretched version of the traditional model's platform, with the addition of a suicide-style door on the passenger side to aid ingress and egress. Power delivery will come courtesy of the 1.6-liter four, producing 120 hp and 118 ft-lbs. of torque, while the 'S'-badged variant will benefit from a turbo huffing compressed air and allowing the 1.6-liter mill to produce 175 hp and 177 ft-lbs. of torque. European customers will also have their choice of a 110 HP, 177 ft-lbs. 1.6-liter common rail diesel, while everyone the world over will be able to get either a six-speed manual or optional automatic gearbox.
Sale dates and pricing have yet to be announced, but we'd expect something official soon, hopefully before the Clubman's debut in Frankfurt. In the meantime, check out the three images shown by InsideLine below, except know that ours are high-res and we have an additional 18 on their way once the embargo lifts.
[Source: InsideLine]
UPDATE: For those keeping score, InsideLine informs us that AutoWeek was the first outlet to publish the Clubman photos in its latest issue. We've since learned the photos should've been embargoed until this Sunday. Ah well...
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
seoultrain 11:38PM (7/26/2007)
wow, at first i thought they put white tape on the back to disguise it. Looks pretty ugly, although i do like how the hatch opens.
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ebm14 10:32PM (7/27/2007)
you can order that back in body color too : )
Dont worry!
Big Dave 11:47PM (7/26/2007)
I don't like the rear, why did they just use a hatch. The center pillar is going to obstruct the rear view. I am sure those door will get dinged up pretty quickly.
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Big Dave 11:51PM (7/26/2007)
I ment why DIDN'T they just use a hatch! Its late.... =)
Dave T. 11:50PM (7/26/2007)
embargo is sunday.
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andyb 12:05AM (7/27/2007)
re-doors, the original car had these doors. Other than the Morris Minor, these were quite unique.
Mini Travellers (aka Wagons and later Clubmans) in the 60s also had a wooden frame at the back end, quite ugly, but also very disctinctive. Again, the Minor had this. This may be why they have Silver edges on the rear....but its not nice!
Here's a pic of an old Mini Traveller Estate
http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-1960-1969/1967-Austin-Mini-Minor-Traveller-ra-lr.jpg
you can see the influence
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seoultrain 12:15AM (7/27/2007)
holy crap, that's the ugliest use of wood on a car I've ever seen. And that says a lot.
1337 11:16AM (7/27/2007)
I suppose when you try to replicate an awful design, you get...an other awful design!
BLS 12:10AM (7/27/2007)
Two questions:
1. Why does it say Cooper S on the back? I thought it was called Clubman.
2. Why not 2 suicide doors? I would prefer one on the driver's side. I am sure English drivers would prefer that (and they get it) make every one happy. Mini RX8/Element.
I will take mine with the diesel and AWD.
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F451 12:24AM (7/27/2007)
Every time I look at the Clubman I can only envision Mini-Me behind the wheel out doing Dr. Evil's mischievous deeds. The back doors remind of a hearse...just the ticket for evil doings!
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aman 12:33AM (7/27/2007)
those back doors remind me of a Tahoe, some of them had these kind of doors. they should just call it the mini XL. the would be the automotive oxymoron of the century.
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B 12:45AM (7/27/2007)
Oh my god. That thing is SO ugly. So ugly. Might be one of the worst ones on the road (up there with the Honda Ridgeline).
And I think the regular MINI looks pretty sweet. Actually really like the styling.
That Clubman is just awful.
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tbirdkatz 1:18AM (7/27/2007)
Not really big on the rear barn doors. Those doors belong on a big vehicle where a hatch would be too long and heavy to easily open (Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon XL) not on a small car. Everything else on the car looks cool though. The Clubman is much more practical and still hopefully just as fun to drive as the regular Mini. I could actually justify buying one now.
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Jim in Tampa 8:37AM (7/27/2007)
Barn doors? That's the perfect description!
Logik 4:57AM (7/27/2007)
Not that mini after all.
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a 5:48AM (7/27/2007)
damm...that rear door opening mechanism looks expensive... i am sure the bean-counters hated the idea. engineers worked overtime figuring out the solution, and the designers loved the uniqueness. at the end, they did it!! Kudos for the victory of designers and engineers!!!!!
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Mattias 6:02AM (7/27/2007)
Ever parked in Paris or Barcelona? People are parking so close there that it is often impossible to open a hatch. If you have a Kangoo or Berlingo with barn doors, you are really glad. So do not wonder that the Renault Modus is a small car with a rear window that opens seperately. It is just necessary when shopping in Paris. Not everywhere parking lots are made for Chevy Suburbans and Dodge RAM 3500s.
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srivendel 9:19AM (7/27/2007)
I'm gonna have to call BS on that argument. My wife drives a Saab wagon, and we can open the rear hatch with the garage door 6" behind the rear bumper. That's an entire garage door. The bumper of another car isn't going to make that much difference.
As several other posters have pointed out, the better solution would be a hatch with a separately opening rear glass. Several American SUVs (gasp!) have this feature, and it's a great way to load and unload light cargo.
CheetahDC 6:08AM (7/27/2007)
It says Cooper on the back because that's the trimline. In the states, we just don't get the other versions like the MINI One or MINI D.
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Dave T. 8:16AM (7/27/2007)
we've got some interesting images form mini.com. I guess they moved fast once it leaked.
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