New MINI Clubman Spy Photos
Our good friends at Leftlane News have some new and rather revealing photos of the 2008 extended wheelbase MINI Clubman. The photos show a car that is very near production form and with a minimum of camouflage.
The details shown in the photos back what we have been reporting for many months here on MotoringFile. Key elements include:
1) Rear passenger “coach door” appearing only on the right side of the vehicle (in all markets).
2) Roof with two subtle ribs running the length, much like the Frankfurt Concept. These will be used for a roof rack system similar to that seen on BMW wagons and SUVs.
3) Rear “barn doors” with their two rear wiper blades.
4) Rear doors that have a more traditional hinge design (compared to the parallelogram design used in the Concepts). While they will have a traditional hinge, the doors will have cutouts in them to clear the license plate mounting in the rear bumper cover. Sadly from the pictures, it appears there will be a common license plate notch to accept both North American and European size plates.
Expect to see the Clubman debut sometime late this summer with official production to start in August or September for an early fall launch in the UK. The US will get the car around February of 2008 (similar to the R56 launch).
With the Oxford Plant now officially producing Clubman prototypes, we also expect to see quite a few production ready spy photos popping up over the next few months.
[ 2008 Clubman Spied ] Leftlane News
Hmmm, might have to delay the purchase of an R56 to get a 1st gen MCS Clubman
Looking good. Can’t to see a final production version painted in Hot Chocolate.
Can 3 people seat in the back? Can’t really tell from the photos.
They did not explain the photos clearly, but therre are two different cars in those photos – one with 17″ s-spokes and the plate on the door, and the other with 15s and the plate on the bumper.
what colour are these cars? is that hot chocolate in the photos? Note the wheel arch reflectors.
I want the concept version. Anybody know if MINI sells them? I hope they at least do the grille.
>Can 3 people seat in the back? Can’t really tell from the photos.
Your answer: <a href="http://motoringfile.com/2006/12/04/minis-future-models-revealed/" rel="nofollow">motoringfile.com/2006/12/04/minis-future-models-revealed</a>
Finally!
A hearse for Munchkins and Ompah-Loompas. A long ignored market gets some attention.
I would guess that it will only have real seating for 2 in the back. The photo’s only show 2 rear headrests.
Those are the most LAMEASS boot doors I have EVER seen, ever! Are they kidding with that? I really don’t understand the thinking there did BMW allow some janitor to sneak in a redesign an already fine design? What was wrong with the boot door already in place? The visibility out that mess must be stupidly bad. Couldn’t give me one with that set up.
Not sure how they get a 3 row in the back unless the new clubman is wider than the standard mini? I do like the idea of an extended load bay though as travelling with 4 plus lugage has always been a problem for the standard mini – infact in my old S I do not think the rear seats were ever up!
What I do like about the new clubman is that I am sure some folk will produce cool modified versions! Maybe even a clubman GP sytle machine with only two seats – Z4 coupe watch out!
I find it hard to believe that the car will seat 5. My prediction is that this will actually not be the case.
Seats 4-1/2. 😉 Looks better and better. Go barn doors!
BCNU,
Rob in Dago
4 vs 5 – if the wheels are far enough back that the don’t intrude on the rear seats then the rear bench will be wider. My old Integra was only a few inches wider than the mini, and took 3 in the back.
I think the Clubman concept is pointless, and if they go too far away from what a MINI was meant to be, they’re in danger of losing the niche that made them successful.
What’s next … an extended cab MINI pickup truck, or delivery van, or how about a double decker bus? Gag.
ps – nice colors, though.
Agree the rear doors are an odd implementation. My only guess they didn’t go hatchback because of roof rack options or they are targeting surfers? One curbside opening rear door would have been great, then we could mount a widescreen tv ad do some serious tailgating 🙂
What’s next, a Mini van?
Fugly. And too big. MINI’s should stay mini.
<blockquote>What’s next … an extended cab MINI pickup truck, or delivery van, or how about a double decker bus? Gag.</blockquote>
Well they have in the past had Mini pickups and vans, so they are not going away from what a Mini used to be.
<blockquote>Fugly. And too big. MINI’s should stay mini.</blockquote>
Isn’t that what people where saying about the new MINI when came out 5 1/2 years ago!
It just doesn’t seem right to me…
I like the idea of the Clubman but I’m not sure about the execution; the higher roof looks odd to me and I don’t think those barn doors are worth the trouble (and added expense) in such a small car. Then again, this may look better in real life (like the GP).
My 1997 4Runner had a rear door that swung up and I used to put my surfboard ( 7’2″), ladders and so, on the rack. I guess a QE2 might be trouble. The barn door was a cute thing back when the technology and materials were limited but now itsa joke. Just look at it itsa joke!
Mark Pierce… maybe some of these folks here could use a little Googling for back checking on the Mini’s history………………………………………..
1960 — 1969
Production of Morris Minivan
1960 — 1967
Production of Morris Mini-Traveller Mk1
1961 — 1969
Production of Austin Mini Pick-up, Morris Mini Pick-up
1969 — 1983
Production of Mini Van and Mini Pick-up
After two r53 Cooper S’s I would be first in life for an 08 Cooper Clubman. It is still very MINI and I believ the originals had barndoors too.
My parents Yukon has barndoors which makes loading easier at the expense of rearward visibility. I think it looks cool and functional.
whooo boy. I see it coming. All us 07 buyers thought we caught smack from people with R56 denial. Its going to look like a cakewalk..
>>”Fugly. And too big. MINI’s should stay mini.”
>”Isn’t that what people where saying about the new MINI when came out 5 1/2 years ago!”
Yeah I heard the same thing said for the R50, R56 and now the R55. In fact every single thing MINI has ever released (including the 2002 Cooper S) has had tons of critism initially from random voices on the web. Yet every vehicle that has been released has eventually been met with incredible success both in terms of sales and enthusiast’s reverence. I expect nothing less with the R55. In fact I expect the R55 to be a surprisingly strong seller – especially in the US.
I see a market for a fiberglass R53 “replicar” coming up. Any investors?
Can an adult actually fit through the suicide door opening?
Assuming that the back seats can be folded down like in the current MINIs? Would like to see the boot depression removed (or an in-fill product available) to make the rear luggage space completely flat.
I also wonder what the final weight is expected to be for the R55. For a full load of people (presumably 5 adults?) and/or luggage in the boot / roof, I’d go for the MCS model as minimum spec for a reasonable power-to-weight ratio fo those hilly getaways. Maybe MINI can turn up the boost for more power for this model?
Aussom,
Suicide door cannot be opened unless the front door is opened as well. So it is actually there to make the existing entry larger.
Gabe,
All this talk reminds me of the Garth’s line in Wayne’s World – “We FEAR change…”
YUK!!!!!
Not bad, I’ll wait until the final product appears before making a final judgement. I’m sure they’ll sell like hotcakes.