New Clubman - What do YOU think?

[ELFMAN]

I've now seen a few pics of the Clubman (MINI2 etc), and I reckon it looks pretty good :cool: My first Mini was an 1100 Clubman Estate - many fond memories :rolleyes: :o . I think they've done a pretty good job on it, if anything, the 'stretched' wheelbase and body actually balances the 'bigger' look of the latest MINcarnation. The extra room and the wee side door opens up MINIs to folks who need that little bit more flexibility too. I'd be able to get my guitar & amp (and MINI-Mad God-Daughters) in easier!

The only thing I'm NOT sure about is the view of the (closed) rear doors - for the life of me I can't get past the striking similarity to the front of a Split Screen VW Camper Van! :) :p That's taking 'Retro' TOO FAR...

I like the idea of a full 'Works' (or other tuning company) MINI Estate - bog standard looking of course - now THAT would be fun :D :D ... maybe in a couple of years time. (but for God's sake don't tell 'G3 ELF' :eek: :mad: ).

[AndyP & Lenore]

Ewan, I think you and I may be in the minority here, but I kinda like it too. I do agree with those who question the third door being on the drivers side - completely nutty decision. But overall I like the look of the car, just going by the pics. May be a different story when it's seen in the flesh.;)

Even Lenore doesn't like it.:confused:

A. :D

[duncan]

I quite like the look of the back of it. :)

[Bazthemod]

Initially i didn't like it but it is growing on me i like the quirky styling :D cant wait to see how some of the audio companies like pioneer etc customise one...surely they will.

Have to say the R56 is growing on me generally after seeing so many of them on the road now.... im waiting until they facelift it in couple years though hopefully the 'fisher price' styleee heater controls will be funkier by then :p:cool:

[zimbo]

Nope sorry but I dont like it at all, what they were thinking when they decided to have one extra door on the right hand side only is beyond me... :confused:

[Scottie]

not really liking it TBH. For being stretched not really much more rear leg room for what I've read

obviously the load space has increased though so that's a good thing.

[Gismo]

Nope, don't like it at all, the third door is a disaster waiting to happen, just need someone to fall out that wee door and into either oncoming or passing traffic :eek:

[ELFMAN]

Apparently the wee door can't open unless the driver's door is open. But I do think it's crazy to have it on the 'road' side of the car. Thanks MINI USA for that one...... I'm still not sure about the whole 'bigger' R56 look, but there's something about the Clubbie I quite like........ maybe it's a throwback to my old Estate?

Roughly 4/3 for and against at the moment.........

[ianking]

I must admit from the pics on mini2 I do like it. Im not a fan of the lightning blue on the hatchback but on the Clubman it looks very nice, particularly with the new Clubman wheels.

[Craig]

Think MINI UK have "shot themselves in the foot" or should that be door.:confused: :confused:

Overall I like the look of the car (from the pictures, but my opinion could change when I see it in the flesh), however the complete disregard (or should that be arrogance!) of the designers to think "lets just forget about the UK market where the MINI began and cater for the Mainland Europeans and Americans!" :( :( :(

I still cannot understand their thought process here? Is it because we are not their biggest market for this car and thereby don't warrant the money on the door being on the right side? They take the time to re-design the dash and put the pedals and steering wheel on the "correct" side, so why not take the time to swap the petrol tank and door ?

I would LOVE to hear MINI's answer to this - maybe one for Oxford Trip next year... :D

[Burple]

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/466/untitled1oj8.jpg

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/894/untitled2vl7.jpg

What's not to like about that? :cool::cool:
Not too shabby..

[FergusM]

Still hate the back end... have to see it in the flesh to see what it is like.

[ny152]

What's not to like about that? :cool::cool:
Not too shabby..

Nothing at all - very classy looking :).
My next MINI will more than likely be the Clubman D in p/w. The little bit extra storage space would be handy, but I'm more interested in being able to fit 3 passengers on the rear bench seat.

[The Dogfather]

I quite like it but I'd have to go for the Cooper S as the diesel is too slow for me......

Unless there's a seriously uprated works package on the way

[KenL]

Nothing at all - very classy looking :).
My next MINI will more than likely be the Clubman D in p/w. The little bit extra storage space would be handy, but I'm more interested in being able to fit 3 passengers on the rear bench seat.

What size of passengers?

I doubt the rear seat would be wide enough unless the Clubman than the standard MINI.

[KenL]

I am still not convinced by this model. The odd door configuration is just not right.

If they had made it a proper 4-door, it would have been a lot better.

[Gismo]

What's not to like about that? :cool::cool:
Not too shabby..
Those pics don't do it justice :rolleyes: if you showed the stoopid side door as well............;)
If it didn't have the wee door i'd like it better :)

[Burple]

Those pics don't do it justice :rolleyes: if you showed the stoopid side door as well............;)
If it didn't have the wee door i'd like it better :)

Well I would, but that's the only views you get on the Mini cofigurator thingy.. :rolleyes:
You'd think they might have changed it to show off the new door? :D

That with the exterior chrome pack... and my wheels on it... Hmm.. :cool::D

[rpn]

I quiet like that, could well be my next car!

[Gismo]

I quiet like that, could well be my next car!
Aye, well wait until you see the stoopid door that opens into the street :rolleyes: :eek:

[euan]

When I saw it the other week, I was not at all convinced by it - the back just looked wrong.

I'll not be buying one, that's for sure. But then, I'm not going to buy an R56 either, I'd rather have a previous model S so I might be biased.

[illegalhunter]

I like the look of it, wont be buying 1 tho

[markyc]

Like the look of it but there are a couple of things that bother me;

. Like most others the wee 'suicide' door, not convinced it should be where it is for our market (would agree with what Craig says - wonder what MINI have to say for their reasoning)
. Not sure at all about the black plastic section that runs down the back pillars encasing the lights and then runs through underneath the back doors. Is it the same nice shiney plastic like the 'rain/wind deflectors' that are on the back on the R56 which IMHO will scuff/score way too easily on a load area or will it be some other material ?? ;)

[ELFMAN]

All good points guys. I reckon the door's on the 'wrong' side because they'll sell many more left-hookers. They can sort 'our' cars' dashboard for RHD because (as we saw at the factory) the dash is 'modular' and just slots in - easy - while building two separate bodies for L/H and R/H wee doors would be financially prohibitive. Purely a money-saving decision I reckon. After all, that's what the R56 re-design is (mostly) all about - the R53 was too footery and therefore expensive to build.

The black plastic bit? Time will tell. Looks MUCH better than the silver though, which has hints of a plastic 'Smart' about it....... The pics of the red one look pretty smart (in the proper sense) though.

[Ferengo]

Elfman is right. They don't flip a lot of the design over when bringing the models over to the UK as it cost too much. This was told to me when I picked my Cooper up.

When I first saw this I hated it, but one day my car was going in and they were meeting me at my work to give me my courtesy car. I pulled up into the car park and thought, "What Idiot has bought a clubman, let alone a diesel one!". they guy got out and said here's your car.

All morning I cursed it while at my desk. Took it out at lunchtime and... WOW!!! I want one, but the wife won't let me... ah well, one day maybe.

Also It didn't rattle. :-)