Wheels.ca Reviews the Clubman

c4 Mar 4th, 2008 Link

Great review. However Jim Kenzie seems to have an obvious dislike for the center mounted speedo.

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mlg2ca Mar 4th, 2008 Link

I think that all the gripe with the centre speedo and console/radio controls stem from anybody that sits in the car or drives it for the first time. I had to get used to it as well. But after a few days, everything comes into place.

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c4 Mar 4th, 2008 Link

After driving my new Clubman for nearly a week, claims about poor rear visibility made early on by the European car press are nothing but hot air.

Again, I love Jezza and he did manage to get the best out of Jim Kenzie as per his article above. But Mr. Clarkson is not always right..

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robble Mar 4th, 2008 Link

I want to know more about the picture on this page. Is that road supposed to be flooding over the top?gasp I see double yellow lines so it IS a road..

I could see slime growing on it to make it so slippery you’d only need a couple inches of water to oush you off the side.

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MeanMrMstrd Mar 4th, 2008 Link

Good read.

Clarkson, gotta love his flippant attitude. Gotta take Clarkson with a grain of salt. Speaking of salt did anyone see those fools on TopGear cross the English channel, in a, I think Toyota Hilux, PickUmUp truck? Hilarious!

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Franz Gruwitz Mar 4th, 2008 Link

I’ve been wondering where this road is to check it out myself. It looks like a fun trek in the Monterey/Santa Cruz area.

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c4 Mar 4th, 2008 Link

The thing with Clarkson is that he openly hates BMW and he is never been shy to express his dislike for the marque. But then again, he seems to have an ax to grind with Germans (and Americans) in general.

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GregW Mar 4th, 2008 Link

Its easy to be nonchalant about having the door on RH side when you are in a LH drive market. But it is an issue for those markets. After all MINI is touted as an “English” car but not designed for English market place. Bit of an irony really. No matter how much spin is put on the subject by MINI Germany, the car was designed for LH drive markets. Does the door matter in RH drive markets? Probably not as it just doesn’t get used in those dangerous situations.

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faster, Tobias! Mar 4th, 2008 Link

mlg2ca, I’m sure Jim Kenzie is more than used to driving the MINI – he won the Targa Newfoundland twice in the ‘Unlimited’ class, and finished fourth last year, which was his fifth year racing the MINI. He brings up a valid point regarding the rear window split – Clarkson made a big deal of it obstructing his view, but when I drove the Clubman I barely noticed it. You’re better of watching what is in front as opposed to behind, anyway. And the ford in the river – as Mr. Kenzie keeps referencing France has the location of the test drive, I’d guess that is where it would be.

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Gabe Mar 4th, 2008 Link

That photo is one I took at the press launch a few weeks back with a mystery guest driver. I can’t disclose the location for legal reasons – seriously.

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Liam Mar 4th, 2008 Link

I don’t care what side the door is on, it makes the car look more compromised than it already is. It would look so much cleaner as a regular coupe. That said, living in a RHD market, yes, it is a daft decision not to flip the side door for our marketplace.

Clarkson’s reviews usually have more holes in them than Swiss cheese, he is not a serious car reviewer any more, he entertains his audience using some auto related theme to reach his audience. That’s not to say he is always entertaining, but, for the most part, he is. To take his reviews seriously, though, is probably a bit foolhardy.

Even though the reviewer acknowledged the point, comparing his experience of no torque steer in a Cooper as opposed to Clarkson’s comments on the Cooper S was terribly naive. What’s the term used, “Can’t have it both ways, my good man.”

Anyway, like Clarkson, the approach taken by Wheels.ca attracted readers to the review, so full marks to them.

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Mini2Go Mar 4th, 2008 Link

Regardless of LH or RH drive, I don’t see how it is any more dangerous than opening either of the front doors traffic-side. I think the safety argument is completely baseless.

If anything, it is merely a level of convenience. It DOES make more sense for the purpose of passengers to have the Club door on the passenger side. However, as one who would typically drive the vehicle without rear seat occupants, it would actually be more convenient for me to have the Club door on the driver’s side to throw a pack or other bags in the back seat.

Either way, having the door is more convenient than not having it at all. :)

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DB Mar 4th, 2008 Link

Regardless of LH or RH drive, I don’t see how it is any more dangerous than opening either of the front doors traffic-side. I think the safety argument is completely baseless.

I seem to recall, at least in London, that it was ok to park on the wrong side of the road as well. Not only was it legal, but extremely common.

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Vanwall Mar 4th, 2008 Link

A nice rebuttal all around, with a few personal quirks. Seriously, the center bar in the rear windows becomes a non-factor after you drive it a while – it was just the same on the Countryman, as well as a ‘Burb, it’s just a whining-point for those that need a cue. I wish they had planned on a mirror image car for the RHD countries – would’ve cut down on a lot of complaining ’bout the extra door.

Speedo? Is that something I should be checking every so often?

BTW Gabe, that weir they drove across reminds of the one in the original “Italian Job” – was there an opportunity to shove an Alfa-Romeo or two into the drink, too? – would’ve been a nice touch. Didn’t recognize the mystery guest in your piccie, altho they seemed familiar – the Ray-Bans hid too much, and my tweaking got way pixilated to be very effective.

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Charlie Mar 4th, 2008 Link

Gabe: “That photo is one I took at the press launch a few weeks back with a mystery guest driver. I can’t disclose the location for legal reasons – seriously.”

Did anyone notice the military vehicle on the road beyond the river…look at the “clearing” above the MINI’s roof, over the driver’s side. You can see the rear tire and roof in olive drab. Click on the photo to enlarge it.

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robble Mar 5th, 2008 Link

Gabe Mar 4th, 2008 Link That photo is one I took at the press launch a few weeks back with a mystery guest driver. I can’t disclose the location for legal reasons – seriously.

ok, now I have increased from mild interest to really wanting to know. dang you Gabe!

(and yup, I see the military vehicle.)

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DB Mar 5th, 2008 Link

Now I’m beginning to wish I would have used a different photo.

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Chrissy (lilcoopr) Mar 5th, 2008 Link

Did anyone notice the military vehicle on the road beyond the river…look at the “clearing” above the MINI’s roof, over the driver’s side. You can see the rear tire and roof in olive drab. Click on the photo to enlarge it.

I think that it’s at least a tad bit suspicious that the army vehicle is (“purposely”?) placed so you can see it through the most obvious gap in the trees…

Hmm… :P

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Vanwall Mar 5th, 2008 Link

Looks like an O.D. Green Hummer, or maybe a Mutt in ‘Nam colors. There’s a desert-camo Sheridan Light Tank on a concrete display slab in some of the previous pics from that day – that’s where I remember the mystery guest from, as well. That’s why it’s hush-hush – it’s the super-secret miltary base where they hide all the dead space-aliens.

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Jimbo Mar 5th, 2008 Link

There is a road like this near my parents house in Winsted, CT. When the water is high and the wind is blowing north, water flows over the road.

It’s a great place to take an unsuspecting lady on a warm summer day. Roll down the windows, cross the water from west to east, the wind will blow the water onto lady friend – instant t-shirt contest.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Winsted,+CT,+United+States+of+America&ie=UTF8&ll=41.922493,-73.082369&spn=0.001848,0.003616&t=h&z=18

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Timmee Mar 6th, 2008 Link

a mystery guest driver

Syring?

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Liam Mar 6th, 2008 Link

Finally got to see the Clubman in the flesh at last night’s launch at our local MINI Garage (sunny Canberra, Australia). It does look much better in person than I first thought — I went in thinking I could never see myself buying one, and left thinking, if the circumstances were right, I would buy one (test drive pending, which is coming soon).

I still reckon the rear seat door is a bit daft, but Mini2Go summed it up pretty well above.

Not sure how well these will sell in Australia. The Cooper S at the launch yesterday was optioned with lots of fruit and came with a AU$61K asking price which is pretty hefty considering an Audi S3 could be had for around $65K. Yes, not necessarily direct competitors, but just putting the price into some context. Also, given the plunge of the US$ currently it makes our domestic pricing even harder to swallow. C’est la vie!

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DB Mar 9th, 2008 Link

a mystery guest driver

I bet it was The Stig.

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Woofcast #229 | whiteroofradio.com - The MINI Cooper Podcast Mar 9th, 2008 Link

[...] Then on to news of the week from Motoringfile.com. We take Winding Road to task, talk about the MINI Challenge Safety Car, Carrozzeria Castagna newest MINI creation, updated MTTS dates (these are correct), MINI USA sales are up and Gabe and the Stig drive through a stream. [...]