Sections: R55 (Clubman) Jun 26th, 2007 71 Comments 
The website km77.com has managed to catch the new MINI Clubman completely undisguised while doing a photo-shoot for a commercial recently. While almost the entire car had been seen in previous photos over the past year, in these images we finally get to see some of the rear details that have been hidden all this time. Be sure to check them out below:
[ MINI Clubman ] km77.com
Otra Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Ooo, I like it quite a bit! Of course, blue is my favorite color of MINI. Great shot. I’m surprised about the two tones on the back but I think it looks pretty good. Thanks so much for this!
Reply[...] ring to it – thanks, and perhaps MINI is listening. Nice photo and here’s another on Motoringfile: http://motoringfile.com/2007/06/26/m…comment-133395 which seems like the same car. I like its looks quite a bit – especially in [...]
Eric Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I miss the MINI logo door handle on the back doors (like in the early car show prototype photos). :-(
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The Blue Canary Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I hope there is an option to NOT have that silver (2nd) color around the back. I just don’t like the way it looks. The rest of the car is fine, but it just takes away from the smooth, if you ask me.
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jyarrow Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I just bought an R56 – you can’t bring out this great looking Clubman. I don’t need the temptation. I look forward to seeing more photos and eventually the real thing.
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Jon Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Have to say looks pretty good, still not a huge fan of the boxy rear end but it does hark back to the Traveler in that regard. The two tone paint job actually does a nice thing to my eye, since the very boxy back end still feel a tad clunky compared to the front end the paint job pulls this design even stronger to my eye, this actually does look better to me. I can say the Mini team did a good job pulling this design forward through time. Although I will never be purchasing one of these I have to say that its for the same reasons why I have turned down multiple classic Travelers.
Can’t wait to see what people do with this after it hits the streets, should be fun to see.
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TomB Jun 26th, 2007 Link
It seems the rear bumper is designed specifically for a euro style license plate. I wonder how that will be changed for the US market? I hope they don’t put some tacked on bracket on one of the doors.
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gmini Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Well done!
I am still on the fence about the 2-tone rear facet.
I guess all the model pictured here is missing is the Clubman badge.
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Jay Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Interesting but i’m not sure about that rear end. The taillight cluster looks unfinished. I wonder if thats a detail thats still disguised.
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Ron Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I agree with the negative comments on the rear end – it looks odd and unfinished. I’d definitely not want it like that.
I do like the MINI wings logo on the rear – not having it centered looks pretty cool.
I also like that it (apparently) will be badged as a Cooper or Cooper S, making the Clubman kind of a variation of the regualar model (like the cabrio).
Hopefully they are doing something really cool with that extra long roof – some kind of really big panoramic sunroof or something like that.
But I doubt I’d ever convince myself to buy one – I doubt even BMW’s magic will make the heavier longer clubman handle and respond as well as the regular Coopers, and right now that’s what I want from my MINI.
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mike Jun 26th, 2007 Link
too bad they stuck with the 3rd door. it just ruins the lines on that side of the car. the big expanse of glass is one of my favorite aspects of the classic mini traveller.
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Nathaniel Salzman Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I must admit, I just LOVE the proportions of the Clubman. Though the external look of the R56 had to grow on me before I liked it, I think the Clubman just looks fantastic from the get go. I’m all about the boxy back end and I even like the two-tone butt grin across the rear – very euro-modern. Can’t wait to see one in person, check out the room inside, and especially see how it drives. The extra few inches of wheel base ought to make it ride very smooth.
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ukplyot Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Hmm… when I first saw that picture I thought it was one of those two-tone Toyota mini-SUVs. But I like definitely like it.
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Crusoe Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I would wager if you don’t option (no cost) for two tone body/roof you’ll get a body colored rear. I like it and it could replace my Impreza Wagon if there’s a AWD option.
ReplyI would wager if you don’t option (no cost) for two tone body/roof you’ll get a body colored rear.
Yes the Clubman will come with body colored roof just like the Cooper and Cooper S. It’ll also come with an optional black roof as well.
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=:¬) Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Like most of it. Still don’t understand this ugly split rear boot thing going on? I understand it’s harkens back to the day but why would they think two Munchkin size doors look good?
Bad design, bad visibility! What’s wrong with the hatch as we have now? It works well, gets outta the way. My wife and I considered getting rid of her A4 and getting this but she said, while looking as these pics, “UGH, what were they thinking!” My sentiments exactly.
As far as the rest goes… like the multi colour theme and the rest.
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Doug Jun 26th, 2007 Link
A nice attempt at keeping the MINI design language while making the car bigger. It does strike me as polarizing, though. I guess it’s quirky, which you can’t say often about today’s conservative cars.
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Bill Lawrence Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I am not a fan of the silver treatment in the back, but it is not a deal breaker either. I hope I can get mine without it.
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gokartride Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I like it….and I’m sure MINI was just waiting to get my approval!!
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marcel Jun 26th, 2007 Link
looks great, will be fun building one, then change it a bit more when it arrives :-)
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Ken Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I spotted a fingers in the back window then realized the camera set up inside. Marketing shoot on the open road.
I will have to drive it to see if It could replace one of our cars.
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lavardera Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I like the silver – it breaks the chrome waistband and I think that will look odd if it reverts to the black/body color as on the coupe. It will look like the chrome is missing.
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Jon Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Don’t think any of us should pass judgement on it yet, remember all to well in 02 hearing from many classic owner just how unlikeable the new Mini was to them, given time a huge number of classic owners are now owners of R53 as well. It’s deffinetly not my personal style but having said that dont think that this will have any problems being a good sell for Mini and I am betting once they get out we will see many fanatics doing some cool things with them.
Before passing judgement on the rear side windows (they do appear tiny) I think I will wait till I can drive to car to find out the truth.
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Nigel Jun 26th, 2007 Link
This car looks absolutely fantastic. The Clubman has the right proportions even a much better looking butt than his obizarre looking R56 brother. Sorry R56 fans, the Clubman will outsell the ugly duckling of the line up a.k.a R56 coupe. It boggles the mind how 2 very different looking cars came out from the same designer(s) and design studio. This just goes to show that the R56 design language fits much better the R55. Hey, even the front end that I loath so much in the R56 I seem to like better in the Clubman.
Job well done, MINI.
So I have already placed my name in the waiting list for a new Clubman come early next year. Thanks for the photos. This confirms I have made the right move. :)
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ichor Jun 26th, 2007 Link
funny how opinions differ – the split barn doors are the coolest part of the car, imo. i wonder if those who like it perhaps grew up with or at least were aware of the traveller and that heritage, whereas those who don’t, didn’t…
to me it has a familiar feeling, warm and fuzzy.
will it be available with a white roof? or is it silver instead of white?
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Nigel Jun 26th, 2007 Link
The R55 will have even better ride quality thanks to its longer wheelbase. It will probably handle as good, if not better, than the hatchbacks. Can’t wait to see what MINI has under its sleeves with the JCW options for the R55.
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Vanwall Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Looks great! Getting better with every little peek. I’m with the Blue Canary – hope there are options about the rear window post area, too. Amazing how that early pic from AutoBild was almost dead-on – no accident, I’m sure.
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Nigel Jun 26th, 2007 Link
ichor, I agree, The rear barn doors are unique in the segment and are a nod to history. Quirky touches, sort of speak, that will make this car stand out from the rest. The R55 is not for everyone, but if you have a good eye for design and overall proportions, the Clubman total beats out the R56 hatchbacks in this regard. I dislike the “puffed” out and generally bloated looks of the R56, especially from the sides and the rear. You just don’t see these wierd touches in the R55. Heck, even this car does not have the pronounced 4WD stance of the R56.
I was losing faith in Gert Hildebrand as the head designer for MINI. It seems my respects for the man are slowly being restored by these R55 shots. He is no Frank Stephenson but may be, just may be he deserves the place where he is today.
-Nigel
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Nigel Jun 26th, 2007 Link
If you order either a white or black roof, will you get color matched treatment in the C-pillars and top of rear bumper?
I was never a fan of the Silver roofs introduced in ‘06, but man does it look good in the R55. :) :)
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Alan Smithee Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I can see this thing is going to polarize opinions (not unlike most of BMW’s products lately).
Love the R56; would never even think of considering the R55. All three of the rear doors are awkward, as are all of the small pieces of side and rear glass, the double wipers, big rear handles, four separate taillights, and contrasting color. If I needed more practicality in a small, fun-to-drive package, it would be a GTI over the Clubman without hesitation.
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Axel (bigagsl) Jun 26th, 2007 Link
i am delighted! the proportion of the clubman is much better than the r56 bodywork. for all “hot chocolate” lovers, there’s a beautiful photoshop work of the pic shown above made by a mini2.info user: heisse schokolade
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Scott Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I like it! The wife is planning on getting one when they come out. I can’t hardy wait!
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Jon Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Lol my ugly duckling that will walk away from your ugly duckling inspired station wagon Nigel ;>. The funny part is the “ugly duckling” you commented about is the exact same 1/2 of the car you love lol.
Don’t get me wrong, I do like the Clubman despite is extra mass, just have no personal use of this vehicle. Do look forward to seeing what people do with it though.
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TSizemore3 Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I hate to say it, but I think I like the looks of the rear of the Clubman better than the looks of the ‘07 MINI. I didn’t care for the more pronounced step on the “hip” around the rear end on the new Cooper. Maybe it’s the blue color…
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Jon Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Thats what makes Mini’s so much fun, to each their own. To my eye the “hip” line is the same between the 07 and the clubman.
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MQuin Jun 26th, 2007 Link
man, that looks sweet. Each angle just looks differnet. Some are eh and some are ooh!
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MSCLBMN Jun 26th, 2007 Link
The finished product is everything I hoped for and more! The two-tone finish on the rear and the barn doors make the Clubman unlike anything else on the road today (with a uniqueness only rivaled by the R56–of course–and maybe Toyota’s FJ Cruiser). Imagine the exclusive 5-spoke wheels on the R55 in the photos and you are seeing my MINI after another 25,000 miles on my current vehicle. Those miles cannot go by quickly enough! Great job, MINI!
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ddmini Jun 26th, 2007 Link
I want it now! We have been planning on getting one anyway but the pictures are just icing on the cake!
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HPUdrew Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Did anyone else notice how much wider the track is for the rear wheels? Looks like the rear quarter panels have a very defined bulge to push the rear wheels out wider than on the R56. I’m sure this is to increase rear seat and cargo room, but it could have a down side. By having the rear wheels out further it can actually cause the car to plow more through corners and might add a lot of understeer. I’m sure MINI has already thought of this, but just thought it was worth discussing.
Drew
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Billy Jun 26th, 2007 Link
will it be available with a white roof? or is it silver instead of white?
The white roof has been left out of all Clubman colour combinations, but yes, silver is available. If you chose a silver or black roof the C-pillar and top edge of the bumper WILL be coloured to match. – I’ve stressed this before!!
My favourite colour combo is Nightfire Red/Black.
There was a Clubman buzzing around the plant today in this colour combination being filmed by a two – man german film crew….I might even make a cameo appearance lol.
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Nigel Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Hey Billy, I think I will heed your recommendation of Nightfire Red/Black roof. I think that combo will look the business!
Any other recommendations in terms of wheel size/design and interior trim options?
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rhawth99 Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Both my wife and I love the look. I am amazed at how good the rear looks and I really like the silver roof and accent. When the initial pictures of the camouflaged rear came out, I was leery of what it would look like. Kudos to MINI!
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Aurel Jun 26th, 2007 Link
i’ve been an annoying little pri*# about the R56 design and how it did not excite me … but this has given me a big grin again! Kudos to MINI!
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Charlie Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Two Questions, please:
In the photos here and in previous shots, http://www.autoweek.nl/newsdisp.php?ID=6706 there appear to be vertical bars splitting the side windows between the B and C Pillars. Is this just to disguise the car, or will all the Clubmans have this?
Where are the 5 spoke wheels that have been mentioned in this thread, and in the previous thread on Clubman photos? Thanks
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rkw Jun 26th, 2007 Link
Where are the 5 spoke wheels that have been mentioned in this thread, and in the previous thread on Clubman photos?
Pictures here: http://www.autogespot.com/index.php?id=313
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charliez Jun 27th, 2007 Link
love it, except for the silver roof and rear end treatment, i’m thinking all Hot Chocolate, Brown interior, anthracite headlining, sat nav …. can’t wait :-)
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Charlie Jun 27th, 2007 Link
Thanks RKW for the link. Nice looking 5 spokes. I agree Jake. Bring on the JCW version and I’m there too.
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GregW Jun 27th, 2007 Link
I don’t like the roof styling. It looks like the BMW dream team have tried to make it look like a Touring. But hey, call me old fashioned. If they only had one rear door how would it open? The Third door on RH is bad enough for RHD markets. This will not be popular with mothers trying to get kids outta the back into traffic for us in English markets. Otherwise I give it a big tick.
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msh441 Jun 27th, 2007 Link
Don’t like the tail lights… but that’s about it. The rest of that car looks terrific! Split doors, twin wipers, twin exhaust, that rear bumper cover, the third door, the silver. Just great!
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Billy Jun 27th, 2007 Link
Hey Billy, I think I will heed your recommendation of Nightfire Red/Black roof. I think that combo will look the business! Any other recommendations in terms of wheel size/design and interior trim options?
I have to say this years colour is Pepper White/Black. If you notice how many companies are using white as their ‘face’ cars – cars in advertisements etc. Mercedes and BMW especially. To compliment this I’d suggest the black Lounge Leather with cream piping and anthracite head lining. Of course the new exclusive 5 spoke alloys should be considered, because they are exclusive – and the ‘55 is a pretty exclusive car. I think many more people, especially those who post here and eventually purchase a Clubman, would and maybe should refer to it as a ‘55 – makes you seem ‘in the know’ ;-)
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Glenn Jun 27th, 2007 Link
I like it a lot. I could do without the two-tone rear end and would prefer a hatch to the double doors but otherwise I like the overall look. I’d like to see a 3/4 shot from the front. That is one mondo sunroof! Or I guess two mondo sunroofs. I would definitely consider one, altho I love the tiny overall length of my MC for the most part. Do we know exactly how much longer the Clubman will be over the coupe?
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HPUdrew Jun 27th, 2007 Link
I love how I brought up an important point about the rear track width and the handling downsides of it and its been completely overlooked. Maybe I should rephrase it so it’ll be noticed here…
Wow! The new rear fenders LOOK really PRETTY. They will make my new R55 LOOK much COOLER. And the rear seat will be BIGGER too, which means I have more LEATHER to fondle when I’m LOOKING at my MINI in the garage and showing off all my PRETTY options to my friends. Hmm, I wonder if the handling will suffer at all… oh well, I don’t push the car anyway. Back to the LOOKS, that silver treatment on the rear sure is SEXY, I’m sure lots of people will notice how PRETTY my car is if I get that option too!
Drew
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HPUdrew Jun 27th, 2007 Link
By the way, I’m actually very excited about the Clubman. I’m not saying the look of the car isn’t important to me, but it isn’t everything to me. I like the look, not bad at all. My concerns on the Clubman are due to additional weight, wider rear track, same power as the R56, etc.
Drew
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lavardera Jun 27th, 2007 Link
This link from above actually has some great through the window shots of the interior:
http://www.autogespot.com/index.php?id=313
You can see that they are repeating the oval ring theme on the side panels of the back seat. Looks very cool.
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Nigel Jun 27th, 2007 Link
By just looking at these photos, it seems to me the R55 is the same track width as the R56. The R55 is just longer than the R56.
Anyone care to provide actual measuraments for comparison sake?
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MSCLBMN Jun 27th, 2007 Link
By having the rear wheels out further it can actually cause the car to plow more through corners and might add a lot of understeer.
I think that concern was minimized for me when the last of the high speed testing videos seemed to demonstrate that MINI had adequately addressed any potential shortcomings related to the longer wheelbase. I believe that the R56 handling improvements will carry over to the R55 and my trust in the MINI engineers left just the physical appearance component of the buying decision to chance. But, the point is well taken and I am eager for actual dimensional specs as well, including any rear track changes made in conjuction with the additional length – since that 120mm (slightly less than 5 inches) figure seems low based on everything we’ve now seen.
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Madeleine Jun 27th, 2007 Link
Nice!! I agree with Jon’s comment regarding the two-tone paint job – it will hopefully break up the ‘boxiness’ of the shape. Is that silver paint in the photo? It looks like a kind of matt grey paint. Can’t wait to see what it looks like in Nightfire Red. My previous and current MINIs were/are Chilli Red but I think Nightfire will be deeper and sexier.. LOL. The third door will be great for getting the pup in and out, unless he can fit way back in the rear, which I doubt.
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zzMini Jun 27th, 2007 Link
I want a white roof, and no two-tone on the back.
Then please put a passenger seat door on BOTH sides of the car – I will not buy one without that. (Or at least, put it on the driver’s side appropos each market, for heaven’s sake!!)
And lastly, 4WD and Diesel – I’ll buy TWO!!
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Brendon Jun 27th, 2007 Link
Buttttt Uglyy What did they do?? there just about as bad as the 2007 mini’s n thats saying something…..
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Chrissy Jul 1st, 2007 Link
I’m really pleased with these pictures! I think the R55 looks great. It will be weird to have no white-roof option, though. I am too young to need more space than what my R53 offers me, but I think this will definitely be in my considerations when I’m older and have a family and need a tad bit more space. I really hope they make a 4 door AWD. And the tail lights look a little odd, but I suppose they’ll grow on me.
That was a good point about the bumper fitting the Euro license plate. I’m anxious to see what the North American bumper will look like.
Also, I one of my favourite features of the rear of the R55 was the big MINI logo which I pictured as probably being a handle of some sort as well. I dislike how the MINI badge is in the corner and the name on the other side. Too North American/conventional for my tastes, but I’m glad that my dislikes about the R55 are all minor details as it’s an overall job very well done!
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